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I know, I know, I've heard most of the better and all of the worst jokes about drum brakes. However, two days ago I experienced a hair raising development with the drums on my 1962 IIA 109 Station Wagon and I need some advice.
Going down a fairly steep incline on my way to work, in second, so not more than about 20 mph, I braked just before the stop sign at the crossing of a much larger road as I always do. My brake pedal travel inexplicably felt impeded. With all of my 265 pounds focused on that 3"x6" patch of rubber I glided not-so-serenely right across four lanes of heavy traffic without slowing or stopping. Fortunately I made it.
After shaking for a few seconds I drove forward, depressed the brake pedal sharply and the drum brakes stopped the vehicle immediately, if not quite on a dime as well as they ever have done since being completely refreshed during the Rover's restoration less than a year ago.
Now it's intermittent. Of course I'm cautious and haven't driven the vehicle much more than to get home from work the other day and to test it around the neighborhood. I can go 30mph - not eager to try faster than that right now - step on the brake pedal and the vehicle will stop quickly, smoothly, perfectly. I can ease up to a stop sign at 10 mph, depress the brake pedal, and glide right through the intersection.
Nothing blocks the brake pedal travel. There's been no trauma to the system. The system was completely rebuilt by Lanny Clark less than a year ago. The symptoms are intermittent, more often when traveling slowly. Also, if the brakes fail I can take my foot off the pedal and quickly depress the pedal again and the brakes work like a charm.
Okay all you diagnosticians, what simple thing in an as-new drum braking system could cause intermittent failure?
Thanks.
Going down a fairly steep incline on my way to work, in second, so not more than about 20 mph, I braked just before the stop sign at the crossing of a much larger road as I always do. My brake pedal travel inexplicably felt impeded. With all of my 265 pounds focused on that 3"x6" patch of rubber I glided not-so-serenely right across four lanes of heavy traffic without slowing or stopping. Fortunately I made it.
After shaking for a few seconds I drove forward, depressed the brake pedal sharply and the drum brakes stopped the vehicle immediately, if not quite on a dime as well as they ever have done since being completely refreshed during the Rover's restoration less than a year ago.
Now it's intermittent. Of course I'm cautious and haven't driven the vehicle much more than to get home from work the other day and to test it around the neighborhood. I can go 30mph - not eager to try faster than that right now - step on the brake pedal and the vehicle will stop quickly, smoothly, perfectly. I can ease up to a stop sign at 10 mph, depress the brake pedal, and glide right through the intersection.
Nothing blocks the brake pedal travel. There's been no trauma to the system. The system was completely rebuilt by Lanny Clark less than a year ago. The symptoms are intermittent, more often when traveling slowly. Also, if the brakes fail I can take my foot off the pedal and quickly depress the pedal again and the brakes work like a charm.
Okay all you diagnosticians, what simple thing in an as-new drum braking system could cause intermittent failure?
Thanks.
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