Brake help
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Joined: Jan 2001
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From: SE Wisc. (the Rust Belt)
Brake help
The brakes on my F-2 seem a little off. I have a high, hard peddle but I can't lock the brakes up. I installed new brake shoes and adjusted and bled the brakes. I've been driving it like this for quite a while hoping it was a break in problem. I can stop it but the brakes just don't lock up like they used to. My manual brake system, my leg, is getting old but I think I should still be able to lock up the brakes. Someone suggested I should have had the shoes ground to fit the drums, could this be the problem? Could it have something to do with the master cylinder? Again, I have a nice high brake pedal and it's firm, no softness.
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Joined: Sep 2010
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From: Western NY
Do you have the right parts? Are your wheel cylinders oriented correctly?
We had quite the discussion here: https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...l#post21460084
We had quite the discussion here: https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...l#post21460084
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Joined: Jan 2001
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From: SE Wisc. (the Rust Belt)
Stock manual brake system. All parts are correct, same parts I've been using for years. I don't feel any pull in the front, truck stops straight. I don't notice any grabbing from the back. When I installed the new brake shoes is when I noticed I couldn't lock the brake up. I've been able to stop the truck but it takes more leg power than it used to.
Maybe there is a line problem. I installed the brake lines 40 years ago. The truck doesn't see winter driving and they look good on the out side. Again, I didn't notice this problem until I replaced the shoes. I bought them from a person who had them custom made, he was going to use them on his F-2 but decided to go another route. When I got them they was sealed in shrink plastic packaging. Wonder if the material used could be harder than normal.
Maybe there is a line problem. I installed the brake lines 40 years ago. The truck doesn't see winter driving and they look good on the out side. Again, I didn't notice this problem until I replaced the shoes. I bought them from a person who had them custom made, he was going to use them on his F-2 but decided to go another route. When I got them they was sealed in shrink plastic packaging. Wonder if the material used could be harder than normal.
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Joined: Sep 2010
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From: Western NY
Assuming you have all the parts correct and in the correct orientation (which we questioned in the other thread with shoes and wheel cylinders and whatnot), one could question the viability of the flexible brake lines. Typically as they age, they deteriorate and become one way valves, leaving the brakes to stay engaged. Going on your description of hard pedal, yet reduced even braking could point to a common component, such as the master cylinder, or still air in the lines, adjustment skill, or all around poor contaminated brake material.
While one can get their shoes fitted to the drums, that usually self corrects with some use and not usually needed.
It might be worth getting a brake pressure gauge and seeing what pressures you get where.
While one can get their shoes fitted to the drums, that usually self corrects with some use and not usually needed.
It might be worth getting a brake pressure gauge and seeing what pressures you get where.
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From: SE Wisc. (the Rust Belt)
I've been working on car brakes for years. No indication the hoses are going bad, in fact replaced the front front hoses not long ago when I saw cracks forming. Hoses aren't acting like they are going bad. Brakes release after applying them. I have adjusted the brakes according to the shop manual and have bled the brakes, no air coming out, only pure brake fluid.
Just wondering if the brake shoe material isn't correct. Never heard of too hard of material but I'm no brake expert.
Just wondering if the brake shoe material isn't correct. Never heard of too hard of material but I'm no brake expert.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
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From: NM
The newer brake lining materials do seem to take more pressure to achieve the same braking. You say you've driven it a fair amount, but even after 10,000 miles my truck's linings don't show a lot of wear. They seem to be real hard material.
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Logistics Pro
Joined: Jun 2010
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From: East KY
Just to be the devil's advocate here. How "motivated" have you been to literally lock up your brakes? For example, when I re-did my brakes on my F-1, the same thing was floating through my head. I had tried it a handful of times, and I just didn't think it had the ability to lock them up even though everything felt great like you describe. Then a couple weeks later, a deer jumped literally almost on my hood, and I locked up the brakes hard enough to wake up the entire neighborhood and make the Dukes of Hazzard proud. I've tried a few times to lock mine up. I can do it, but you really have to mean it. Perhaps there's nothing wrong and you just need the right "motivation". And don't take this the wrong way my old friend, but you haven't exactly set any land speed records when I've gone on cruises with you and that red truck. LOL. Perhaps you need more velocity to see it happen.
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Parts Nerd Extraordinaire
Joined: Sep 2010
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From: Western NY
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From: SE Wisc. (the Rust Belt)
I live in a fairly rural area with some long empty roads. I have two drive ways, one is about the length of a football field. I have gotten the truck up to pretty good cruising speed before mashing the pedal as hard as I can and the truck comes to a stop but won't lock up as it has done in the past. In my area, like most others. someone sees my old truck coming down the road and doesn't want to get stuck behind so more than a few times these idiots will pull out in front of me and I'll come to a screaching hault before slamming into them. I have a F-5 bumper on my F-2 and it has four times the metal of any modern day car. These idiots don't seem to realize the damage it will do to their plastic cars and themselves.
Maybe my right leg is just getting weaker. All else seems to be working fine. Brakes release without a problem, stopping at slower speeds seems OK. I try to anticipate stops and slow down sooner than I do in my daily driver, of course. I am doing some updates for my next trip in October and this is one of the ones I will go over. And over. And over.
I'm trying to drive the wheels off this old truck as much as I can.
Maybe my right leg is just getting weaker. All else seems to be working fine. Brakes release without a problem, stopping at slower speeds seems OK. I try to anticipate stops and slow down sooner than I do in my daily driver, of course. I am doing some updates for my next trip in October and this is one of the ones I will go over. And over. And over.
I'm trying to drive the wheels off this old truck as much as I can.
Believe Nothing
Joined: Jun 2004
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From: W. Central FL.
I suspect your new linings have a COF different than what was on there before. I've had brake shoes rebuilt before and the subject as mentioned above was always discussed. Did you scuff the drum? If you replaced the cylinders, are the replacements the same size as what was removed?
Cargo Master
Joined: Aug 2015
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From: Marana, Arizona
Sounds like you've covered almost everything with your troubleshooting except two things. Shoe material is unknown and arcing in your shoes. You can pull your drums and look at the wear pattern on the shoes and tell if you need to arc them in. If just a small area is actually wearing, you are not getting full contact with your drum.
Well, three things if you want to verify pressure at your wheel cylinders. If everything mentioned is good to go, try another set of shoes. I hope you get it figured out.
Well, three things if you want to verify pressure at your wheel cylinders. If everything mentioned is good to go, try another set of shoes. I hope you get it figured out.
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Joined: Jan 2001
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From: SE Wisc. (the Rust Belt)
Thanks guys, I'll be putting the truck up on the lift in the near future and will check all suggestions. Even after 75 years these old trucks can be mystifying at times. Sometimes I think their a lot like humans, just get old and cranky.
