brake problems
 

I have a 85 full size conversion van with 351 Windsor 4 barrel automatic. Well we were having brake issues. After 3 years its best to do it all with the brakes. new booster , master cylinder, calipers and pads , wheel cylinders and shoes , rear drums and brake lines front to rear. new rubber hoses and emergency brake cables and spring and adjuster kits the best over the counter you can get. Just like a new van, great stopping power . After a week the right rear locked up to where it would not move. Adjusted the adjuster and it was good for another week and it did it again. Took it to the ford dealer. Everything was fine they could not see a problem with my work. It happened again and the mechanic said to grind off every other nubbin on the adjuster. Lasted about a week and a half and it did it today in the rain. Took off the rim and the flipping hot drum and adjusted it so we could drive the van. What is going on? And yes the adjusters are on the correct side. After 45 years of working on old fords I have never had this happen before. Thank You for any input.

Are the adjusting cables short, I would almost consider removing them to see what happens, the worst is you have to manually tighten the drums as they wear, my 73 didn't have adjusters on the front when I bought it, I added them when I did the brakes later.

brakes
 

Hello, Thanks for the reply. Make a short story short. Found out the main brake cable was froze up. Ordered a new one. We were talking about the same idea to adjust the brakes every few months as needed by hand. Now it will be all new. The gas mileage went from good to bad during all of this. My friend work at a chevy garage ( forgive him ) and he said he was having the same trouble with a 2500 truck. Said he was going to look at the brake cables after helping me and knowing what caused mine. It nice to post these things and might learn a few things from people like you. Thank You.

You're welcome, had one lock up on me once, the hold down pins broke, everything came part, was fun to remove when I got home, pried the drum and parts exploded out when it cleared the studs. I remember when rubber lines would limit fluid return, that'll freeze brakes too.