[Hitorq]

I have a 70' chev 1/2 T with front drums. I get a slight squeak on the left front wheel while driving, which increases as the weight shifts as I turn left. When I initially heard it, I pulled the drum and found the shoes cracked with rivets into the drum. The right drum was fine (the original) and still had some meat on it. I replaced the drum, shoes, and springs, pulled apart and cleaned out the wheel cylinder (which looked fine, and was fairly new) as I thought it might have not been retracting back all the way, replaced the wheel bearing. Well, I still get that squeak, and when I brake hard, she'll pull to the left. I can't figure it out. The only thing I can guess is that something is tweaked causing the whole assembly to run eccentric to the drum... I have adjusted the brakes several times. I am afraid that it will start heat cracking again, or I will have to hard brake in the rain and jump in to somebody's lane, and God knows there are just not that many SWB chev's left with no accident history....

My first post and a handful. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated, as this has me stumped, and I am not yet ready to convert to discs.......

Thanks.

[Rob Keller]

1st of
WELCOME TO HOTRODDERS.COM

For me I always to brakes in pairs left & right sides equally.

those old drums are pretty simple if you have a braking "pull" than its either one side is grabbing or one side is not grabbing

Testing the return springs : the simplest test is to drop each one on concrete if it just hits and dosen't make any noise its good,If it hits and makes a twang its fatigued and needs to be replaces

Then if you still have the pull you need to check for fluid flow its damn near imposable to actuality check the flex line but it you open the bleeder and nothing comes out its shot
what happens is after 36 years of having brake fluid in the hose it will swell and sometimes it will swell closed {swell on the inside and not be visible} so that when you step on the peddle it will push the fluid through and NOT let it return
So I would replace the flex hoses & maybe the springs

GOOD LUCK & let us know how you make out

SR66

[steve t]

i think rob is on the right track, the right hose may be stopped up, causing the left to work harder

[Hitorq]

Thanks for the insight. I will dive into it again and check the hose. The springs are new, so that should eliminate those. Have you seen an instance where the hose swell would cause shoes to hang up and drag? Every revolution of the drum I get a short squeak, which is why I think something is causing the shoes to not quite return. Both times I have been into it I insured there was no grease on the shoes. I light sanded both the shoes and the drum along with the old brakleen ******...

[Rob Keller]

YES I HAVE !!

I had 2 70 Suburbans 6 luggers and a 65 Suburban 6 lugger all 4 wheel brakes and after so Long they will squeeze shut .

The pressure of stepping on the peddle force the fluid though .

But not let it return
I dont know ow much they cost nowadays but i think maybe $20. each if IF you get the steel lines to cooperate
get some PB Blaster on those steel lines now... just in case soak them a few days before you go to do the job and if the line wrenched dont work use a GOOD pair of vise grips maybe even a little heat from a heat gun or small torch
to get the different metals to separate

let me know if I can be of further help OK?


SR66

[Hitorq]

Thanks Rob, I'll pull the hose and let you know how it goes.

[73oldsman]

Good info given so far. I just replaced the right side brake hose on my Olds recently for the same problem. Keep us informed!

[MARTINSR]

I always follow the old science motto "If an experiment yields an unexpected result, challenge the experiment".

In other words, after all the new parts it is still doing it, could it be that the parts were installed wrong and you have continued to install them wrong? Are the springs all installed correctly? Not the way they "were" but CORRECT. Are the shoes installed correct with the smaller "lead" shoe in the front? I have seen MANY cars with the two lead shoes on one side and the two long ones on the other!


Swap the whole shebang from one side to the other, that is easy enough. Swap the drums side to side and see if the squeak follows. Then swap the shoes and hardware, see if the squeak follows.

Brian