<VV> Weak brake action

[Ron]

What material are the shoes?  Maybe they are too hard and it would help if 
they were of a softer material.
RonH

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Charles McKinley" <cmckinley313 at cox.net>
To: <virtualvairs at corvair.org>
Sent: Friday, December 04, 2009 8:58 AM
Subject: <VV> Weak brake action


> I'm a little embarrassed about asking this, as it seems like a moronic
> question, but I'm at a loss as to where to go next. I've had a '63
> Monza 900 for about 16 years now, and in all that time, the braking
> action is what I'd call puny - maybe I've gotten used to the power
> brakes in every other car I've owned for 40+ years, but it really
> doesn't feel right. The symptoms are that when I apply the brakes,
> they do work, but I have to apply more pressure than I think should be
> necessary, and there's no such thing as a panic stop - I can't jam on
> the brakes and screech to a halt (that's the most worrisome part.)
>
> Recently I've done the following in an attempt to fix this:
>
> - had all drums turned
> - put in all new brake shoes
> - put in all new wheel cylinders
> - put in new brake line hoses
> - installed new return springs
>
> Long ago I rebuilt the master cylinder.
>
> The brake pedal is very solid - no fading, solid stop with minimal
> depression
>
> I have a complete set of new brake lines, but when I learned you have
> to drop the motor and remove the gas tank to install them, I decided
> to hold off until I have a more compelling reason to do either of
> those chores.
>
> I've bled the master cylinder and the wheel cylinders until I'm blue
> in the face, with no improvement.
>
> The only items left in question (that I can think of) are:
>  - master cylinder problem of some sort (can't think what)
> - old brake lines being a little plugged (although I get plenty of
> flow when bleeding the wheel cylinders)
>
> Any suggestions?
>
> Thanks in advance,
> Chuck McKinley
> _______________________________________________
> This message was sent by the VirtualVairs mailing list, all copyrights are 
> the property
> of the writer, please attribute properly. For help, 
> mailto:vv-help at corvair.org
> This list sponsored by the Corvair Society of America, 
> http://www.corvair.org/
> Post messages to: VirtualVairs at corvair.org
> Change your options: 
> http://www.vv.corvair.org/mailman/options/virtualvairs
> _______________________________________________
>