Yep. When they are adjusted properly it makes a dramatic difference in stopping power, but they never stay properly adjusted for long on my truck..even with all new parts installed.

 

Real quick, does anyone know the weight difference between the Flareside bed, and normal steel bed? For some reason it seems that the Flareside is heavier, but I do know for sure.

 

...One thing that is over looked alot is to make sure everything is lubracated , where the shoes touch the backing plate , & the star adjuster needs to be lubracated good , theres alot of build up of brake dust in there that just dries everthing out....then they don't work properly....Lew

 

I always make sure the star wheel adjuster is free and has some antiseize on it, but the fact these brakes need regular cleaning and maintenance just proves why disks are better.

 

The flareside bed should be lighter since its got fiberglass sides.

 

What do you guys think the parts should be lubricated with, antiseize?

 

I don't know about that, the fiberglass body parts I have seen are usually heavier than the steel version.

 

I use this to lubricate all the moving parts of both the disc and drum brake parts. Except that I have the bottle, because I use it on all my vehicles at every brake job.
Permatex/Ultra disc brake lube | Brake Lube | AutoZone.com

 

thank you everyone for the overwhelming responses im going to look into it all and see what im going to do

 

I always thought that fiberglass was lighter. The classic Mustang guys do it the shave weight. I know a fiberglass for a Mustang is lighter than the stock hood.

 

I think it depends upon the part in question, steel hoods are heavy because of all the bracing in them but steel fenders are usually really light because it's just a stamped piece of sheet metal.

 

Jesus, Lew, I'm about to agree with you! LOL

Just kidding: I've seen a lot of good, common, mechanical sense in your posts in the past. I'm pretty sure you and I are on the opposite sides of the political spectrum, as I'm a LIBERAL (as opposed to BOTH Dems and Repubs), but there's no denying that you know your stuff, re: "our" trucks.

Good advice (cleaning and PROPERLY LUBRICATING the drum brake compoenents). Infrequently given advice and even less followed, IME.

Properly lubed and adjusted drum brakes can be effective, as long as one is not roadracing in mountainous conditions, where heat-caused "fade" becomes a problem. Consider how many Ferraris, M-B's, Maseratiis, etc..., did roadracing into the '50's, at speeds well in excess of what our pedestrian trucks can achieve, on mountainous, twisting road courses...with DRUM BRAKES.

Like paint, preparation in brakework is 90% of the battle.

Listen to Lew--he knows.

Big Six

P.S. Even in a sedan (which has MORE weight on the rear axle, than our trucks, relatively-speaking, the rear brakes do a MAXIMUM of 30% of the work. Therefore, the earlier estimate in this thread, where someone said the rears do only 20% of the braking work, could very well be correct.

I found a great improvement in the braking of my 1981 F-100 simply by adding a POWER BRAKE BOOSTER, for those that might lack this option. And, contrary to popular belief, even though the rear drums are different sized when a booster is optioned (I think boosted brakes have a 1" smaller drum) I had ZERO premature lockup issues, after adding the booster. I also had a heavy, fiberglass cap on the back, so that may have helped.

 

Thanks Big Six , yeah im not a liberal , i try just to post on the forums that i have expereance with or to learn something new , but over the years i have done alot of brake work . I like disc brakes , i have a 04 150 with 4 wheel disc , but my 95 with drum rear will out brake it because of the weight difference , so i think on the heavier trucks rear discs help but on the lighter 1/2 ton trucks there fine....Lew

 

Just curious about the weight difference, b/c of wieght ratio. Not like 50, 100, or even 150lbs makes a huge difference anyway.
I have a '08 2500 hd that has disc rears, I know that its newer and blah blah blah and a chevy. But, I have over 92k on it, and have yet to do the brakes (front or rear). Do you think that its the difference in weight dist, newer tech, or what. I was told by the chevy technician that it has to do with the rears never needing to be adjusted, to keep them in correct pressure... Once again just curious.