Uneven braking on a Ford Hydraulic brake system

[Ken Ehrenhofer]

I have a Model A with a hydraulic brake system installed. It has a pull to the left when braking. I have installed new brake shoes on the left front but it did not help. What would cause the system to be uneven?
Any help will be appreciated,
Ken

[Kurt in NJ]

Fluid on the linings, adjustment of the shoes, obstruction in brake hose, shoes not fit to the diameter of the drum, loosnes in the front end, stuck wheel cylinder, mismatched wheel cylinder size

[scicala]

Also, I had a car one time that pulled because it had two different inner diameters on the front drums. Also, if the brake shoes are two different lengths on the left and right, it could cause a pull.

Sal

[rich b]

Most of the time when I had brakes pulling to one side; it was because the other side was not working as well; maybe check out the R/H side.

[fordcragar]

There are so many different things that can cause the problem that you are having, like those that were mentioned. One of my cars had a similar problem and it took me a while to figure out what was going on. The brake hose inner diameter had collapsed or had swollen up and wouldn't release the brake fluid back to the master cylinder. I replaced both front brake hoses and the problem was gone. Not saying that this might be your problem, but it was a new one to me.

[38bill]

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Seems to me that if the left shoes are not dragging (if it pulls only when braking) you need to be looking at the right side.

[Mart]

It pulls to one side because the braking forces are uneven.

How can fitting new shoes on one side make it more even?

Pull both sides apart and look at the parts. Are both wheel cylinders sized correctly, free and not leaking?

Are the shoes the correct type, all the same type, free from contamination and fitted in the right orientation?

Are the shoes bedded correctly to the drums? (Likely not in the case of the new ones).

Are all the springs the correct type, not weakened by age or corrosion and fitted correctly?

Are the drums in similar condition and skimmed to a similar size?

Have the shoes all been adjusted correctly using the same procedure?

Have the hoses been inspected and judged to be in good condition?

All wheel bearings and kingpins in good shape?

Tyre pressures checked and even? Tyres worn a similar amount? Front axle camber similar both sides?

Start checking through that lot, and when everything is up to scratch hopefully you ought to be able to tell us what was causing the unevenness.

Mart.

[Ken Ehrenhofer]

Great input thank you. Here is what we did. We have just replaced all wheel cylinders and master cylinder and cleaned out all lines and all should be clear and open. I am a Model A guy (mechanical brakes) so what is the adjusting procedure? I do not know if I am doing the adjustment correctly. I will also look at the right side to see if it is OK. I think it is OK
still searching,
Ken

[Ken Ehrenhofer]

Hi Mart, Thanks
The left front was soaked with brake fluid and we replaced the shoes with new ones and i have a shoe machine for arcing them to the correct shape. Springs are good and all hoses were blown out to clean the system of the old brake fluid before we installed new fluid and all cylinders. I will check all out and report back,
Ken

[V8COOPMAN]

Originally Posted by Ken Ehrenhofer

Great input thank you. Here is what we did. We have just replaced all wheel cylinders and master cylinder and cleaned out all lines and all should be clear and open. I am a Model A guy (mechanical brakes) so what is the adjusting procedure? I do not know if I am doing the adjustment correctly. I will also look at the right side to see if it is OK. I think it is OK
still searching,
Ken

Ken.......There are two different types of backing plates ('39-'41 and '42-'48) when it comes to hydraulic brakes. Both are very similar, except that the EARLY ones have a somewhat more complicated adjustment procedure than the '42-'48s. The difference is at the lower mounting point for each shoe. The EARLY has an additional adjustment at the bottom of each shoe, where-as the '42-'48 has a FIXED lower mount. In the pics below, you can see first, the early lower mount which is adjustable. The SECOND pic shows the '42-'48 with FIXED (non-adjustable) lower shoe mount, along with the simple adjustment procedure.

'39-'41 Below



Adjustment Procedure for the Above EARLY brakes....click the link below!

http://www.btc-bci.com/~billben/brakeadj




'42-'48 BELOW with Simple Adjustment Procedure

[JSeery]

Do we know if these are Lockheed or Bendix brakes?

[Bill S]

Did you use dot 5 fluid. If so I had one heck of a time bleeding my system until the car did not pull to one side.

[V12Bill]

I had a car that pulled to one side and I checked out every thing!! Finally found out that when the brakes were relined, they used a different hardness of lining on one wheel than on the other 3 wheels. Put new lining on both right and left wheels and now it stops straight.

[Ken Ehrenhofer]

OK I have been away for a couple of days.....I am going to pickup the car in the morning but I know it is the early two adjustments on the bottom. I used Dot 5 fluid so I will check that out and thanks for all the help I will get back to you guys when we figure it out,
Ken

[Ken Ehrenhofer]

I do not know how to tell if Lockheed or Bendix,
Ken

[Charlie Stephens]

Originally Posted by Ken Ehrenhofer

I do not know how to tell if Lockheed or Bendix,
Ken

Quick way, if it has 2 adjustments at the bottom it is not Bendix.

Charlie Stephens