Bade brake performance

[Werner]

Good evening!


I have an oddity. I have installed new brake shoes, floaters, etc., but I am not really satisfied with the strength of the brakes and the poor feeding.

It is strange that when I'm hilldown ahead the brakes only decelerate moderately, but when reversing they decelerate considerably more.

Are there any indications? Thank you in advance.

[updraught]

Sounds like the back brakes are working better than the front. Disconnect front then back to see which are working.

[Werner]

Thanks,

but I think it's a misunderstanding. I write it more simply.

When moving forward, the brakes only decelerate moderately.
If I drive backwards, they decelerate very strongly.

[updraught]

Yes, I still think you should disconnect front then back to isolate which brakes are working and which ones are not. It could be something like the kingpins binding the brake pin.

[Curtis in MA]

Is this going fast or slow?
Car will tilt forward maybe causing binding.
Can you try it on sand to see which wheels are sliding?

[Werner]

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I completely overhauled the brakes 500 mls ago. They do not block when driving forward on a good road.



I had the braking force measured [unit: daN]:

Front axle left 200 right 235

Rear axle left 155 right 150

Emergency brake 130/130



The brakes work mediocre, I think, because they do not block. But when I drive backwards, they slow down considerably more.



That's what irritates me. Drum brakes should be self-reinforcing when the wheelsturning forward.

[john in illinois]

Flat head Ted makes a kit to make the front and rear self energizing. They work well and have gotten good reviews.

The rear need to be adjusted so rear brakes have more force. See Les Andrews.
Since you have new brakes you will be able to adjust in good stopping.

John

[chrs1961815]

I would re adjust your brakes. It can be a little painstaking and take several times. Most people don't think you have to adjust your brakes that often, but it has to be done somewhat frequently (depends on how much you drive the car but 10 years is probably too long a time!).

[ETAModel]

As a kid my dad had a 58 Ford with 4 drum brakes. Dad had us adjust them monthly.

[Werner]

Yes well, of course I installed the Ted-floaters on the front axle.

Yes, I have adjusted the brakes in short frequently, especially since all the brake shoes are new and must still rubbing in.

But it is still not understood why the car decelerates more when reversing than when driving forward.

[ericr]

Gang, could this be some kind of illusion to the effect that that the gear box slows down the car in its reverse ratio, whereas when he is barreling on the Autobahn he is trying to slow down with the gear box in high, which is a straight connection to the drive train?

[jayvee34]

It is my understanding that Ford designed the rear brakes to engage before the front brakes,
so it would normal for the brakes to be stronger driving in reverse.

When backing out of my shop, I have always noticed the brakes to be "more touchy"
than going forward.

[burner31]

Have you adjusted your brake rods correctly?

[Werner]

Keith,

I'm not very sure I got it right. I have unscrewed all four cones (anticounterclockwise as far as it will go).

Then I clicked the brake pedal with the wooden rifle on the third step.

Then I adjusted the four brake rods so that the shoes began to grind.

Then I loosen the wooden rifle and screwed in the cones until the first grind.

[nkaminar]

The floater kit should make the brakes perform the same going forward or backward. There is something wrong with the way the kit was installed or a difference in the shoes. Try switching shoes front to back on both sides. Or there is a difference in the length of the brake adjusting shafts that attach to the end of the shoes where the adjuster is. They should be the same length for both shoes on a brake but could be different on different brakes. Did you switch shoes left to right? The adjusting shafts could have different lengths on the left than on the right.