[Purdy Swoft]

One of the problems that most have with mechanical brakes is slack left in the brake rod connections . I first adjust the back wheel brakes with the tires on the ground or shop floor . I can feel the drag best by pushing with the weight on the rear wheels . The way that the shoes were set up on the rear will cause drag on the top brake shoe if the brakes are adjusted the least bit too tight and the drag on the rear can be best felt with the weight on the tires . The reason is there is one shoe on top and another on the bottom and the weight of the car will take up slack and cause the weight to be on the top shoe if the adjustment is too tight . The front brakes have one shoe in the front and the other at the rear and weight doesn't effect brake adjustment as much . I adjust the front brakes with the car on stands. I then adjust so that the front brake levers lean forward about 15 degrees . I adjust the brake rod clevises so that the brake pins will just enter through the clevises and levers . This removes the slack so that the brakes are right ready to activate when the brake pedal is pushed . No matter how many parts were replaced or how much money was spent , If slack remains in the brake rod setup , the brakes will be poor .