Bonded brake linings failed !

[jetrod]

Hey, 1952 F1 new ( Abt. 4000 MI.) bonded lining on one rear wheel started to drag and get hot. I started to smell the heat, drove home,abt 2 mi., pulled the drum and the linings fell out on the floor. The parking brake was not dragging. I think the linings were already loose when I started that 3 mi. run. I've never heard of bonded linings failing like that. Does this happen often? Could they fail if the parking brake was half set, barely dragging, and not hot enough to smell the heat? Whatcha think. Jerry

[Kube]

Originally Posted by jetrod

Hey, 1952 F1 new ( Abt. 4000 MI.) bonded lining on one rear wheel started to drag and get hot. I started to smell the heat, drove home,abt 2 mi., pulled the drum and the linings fell out on the floor. The parking brake was not dragging. I think the linings were already loose when I started that 3 mi. run. I've never heard of bonded linings failing like that. Does this happen often? Could they fail if the parking brake was half set, barely dragging, and not hot enough to smell the heat? Whatcha think. Jerry

It doesn't happen often, but it does happen.
My guess? They were not (re)manufactured by a quality orientated company.

[aussie merc]

did you get your shoes redone or buy already lined shoes if their your shoes SCREAM blue murder at whoever did them and personally that would be the last job that they ever did for me otherwise take them all back to the supplier and scream warranty !!!!!! thats a failure that should never happen!!!! best way for me I get my shoes redone with a reputable shop that will take the drums and grind the shoes to suit as i havent found anyone selling o/sized linings for riveted shoes [once the drums machined its o/sized ]

[cadillac512]

Originally Posted by jetrod

Hey, 1952 F1 new ( Abt. 4000 MI.) bonded lining on one rear wheel started to drag and get hot. I started to smell the heat, drove home,abt 2 mi., pulled the drum and the linings fell out on the floor. The parking brake was not dragging. I think the linings were already loose when I started that 3 mi. run. I've never heard of bonded linings failing like that. Does this happen often? Could they fail if the parking brake was half set, barely dragging, and not hot enough to smell the heat? Whatcha think. Jerry

Over the years as a mechanic I've seen maybe three cases of bonded linings coming loose from the shoe. Typically it's a bad job by the shop that did the relining...a lightly dragging parking brake should not cause it. The brakes run a LOT hotter under heavy use. If they weren't hot enough to smell, they were not hot enough to hurt lining.

Now if the linings look totally fried and the drum is blue, you may well have another problem...like a corroded/sticking piston in the wheel cylinder. Easy enough to check while it's apart though.

[38 coupe]

I no longer trust bonded linings. I have had at least four experiences with linings coming loose. Most recently the linings on the NEW front brake shoes on my 53 sedan started separating, with one binding in the drum. I replace all shoes with riveted on linings, and hope to maintain riveted linings on all vehicles I maintain.
Just personal experience and preference.

Edit: I need to qualify "new" on the shoes for the 53. I installed brand new brakes (everything new: master cylinder, wheel cylinders, all three hoses, and all eight brakes shoes) before driving the car from San Antonio to the EFV8C meet at Lake Tahoe in 2013. Eight years and 20 k+ miles I experienced the failed bonding. The linings had lots of thickness left in them, I estimate 80% of the new thickness.

[aussie merc]

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i agree cant beat riveted linings but finding material in o/size lot of luck , pity and most brake shops wont sell lining material by the foot like they used to do another problem that often raises its head is the material itself most modern materials are just to hard and wont stop as they are designed to work with the higher pressures of boosted systems stock brakes work well with the correct lining material .

[30aadoodlebug]

I just went through this with my 48 Plymouth. I had a hard grab on the left front so I pulled it to investigate. The linings were failing badly, and were falling apart in chunks! I relined the old shoes myself and used rivets. no problems now. Id stay away from the new bonded stuff.

[Anteek29]

Thanks to the EPA the current bonding adhesives are not as strong as those used in years past.

[jetrod]

Thanks all for the replies, I a have ordered new shoes with riveted linings. That should fix it. Jerry

[Automotive Stud]

I've had two sets of bonded linings fail on me, I only use riveted shoes now also.

[Ken/Alabama]

I have this brake rivet machine. I rivet all my shoes.