[johnny57]

Hey guys,

Hope someone can help me...my mechanic is baffled! I put in a new m/c with booster, bled the brakes (the mechanic bled front left, front right, right rear and left rear which I think is wrong should be fartherst from m/c) and no air in system..he adjusted the brake pedal really nice but after driving 15 miles home, the next day I drove 5 miles and the pedal starting coming up high until I pressed an inch and the car stopped then the brakes started locking up and the front brakes were smoking! This has happened twice. when he adjusts the brake pedal near the floor, I have almost no brakes but they dont lock up but when he adjusts them so they are high the brakes lock up. Can somone shed some light on this problem????
Thanks,
John

 

[Chevynut]

Sounds like you need a new mechanic.

Why does he adjust them with the pedal "near the floor" or "high"? Why not in between?

Do you have a disc or a drum master cylinder?

 

[Pops @ Tri-5.com]

Do you have a disc or a drum master cylinder?

That was my question too.

 

[Rods56]

Get a new mechanic for one...brake bleeding is Lt Rear, Rt Rear, Rt Front, Lt Front.
I assume you have stock drum brakes for that instruction...
Make sure you don't have a Disc Brake and Drum Rear Master Cylinder...you will have "lock up" simply adjusting the pedal throw is saying "I don't know whats wrong but I will try this and HOPE it works"
Make sure the shoes are installed correctly...long shoe on the back, short shoe on the front (you can install them incorrectly and guess what...Lock up"

Hope this helps you nail down the possibilities...but your mechanic's gotta go!

Rods56

 

[Pops @ Tri-5.com]

Make sure the shoes are installed correctly...long shoe on the back, short shoe on the front (you can install them incorrectly and guess what...Lock up".....Rods56

Rod.....Good point on the possibility of the shoes being reversed.....The PO of my '55, (a truck mechanic), had the front shoes reversed on mine.....It locked up and pulled to the right.

 

[nc55]

same thing happened to me, the rod from your brake pedal to your master cylinder is to long, and not letting the fluid bleed back into the cylinder. back off the rod a few turns and your problem will be fixed.

 

[Troy]

same thing happened to me, the rod from your brake pedal to your master cylinder is to long, and not letting the fluid bleed back into the cylinder. back off the rod a few turns and your problem will be fixed.

What he said!

 

[morepwr]

same thing happened to me, the rod from your brake pedal to your master cylinder is to long, and not letting the fluid bleed back into the cylinder. back off the rod a few turns and your problem will be fixed.

+1 more! I had a similar thing happen on my 55.

 

[angs1957]

Is the MC & booster suited for your set up drum brakes system?