Brake Question

[Shell Beach Hills]

Have a brake question: When I purchased my 63 Monza, it turned out the brake shoes were not put on correctly (some wheels had two forward shoes, some had two rear shoes, some adjusters were backwards etc). So I installed all wheels correctly and adjusted all brakes. But they still didn't feel great. So I have since replaced the master cylinder and wheel cylinders. Lines seem good (good pressure and flow when bled after wheel cylinder install). The brakes certainly seem to work better but it's been a while since I have driven on non-power drum brakes. I just don't know how they should feel. They catch pretty well to slow down, but it takes a fair amount pressure on the pedal to come to a full stop at driving speeds. Is this how it the brakes should operate, or is there something else I should be fixing/replacing? Thanks.

[66vairguy]

Compared to modern power brakes, the old manual brakes require more pedal pressure, but not to the point it is difficult to stop the car.

I've brought this up a few times, but to summarize the newer aftermarket (parts stores) brake shoes have an issue with the material being too hard. I've had the very high pedal pressure problem and the only reliable solution was suggested many years ago by a fellow in the New Mexico club. Find a brake re-lining shop to install a softer lining and arc the shoes to fit the drums. That said it is really difficult to find a good brake shop. Mostly they only do truck brakes. I was lucky and a car club suggested a truck brake re-lining shop in Long Beach. The manager is an old car guy and they reline/arc brake shoes for old cars.

Friction Material
1425 Santa Fe Ave, Long Beach, CA.
562-436-4224
Contact: Mike

Your other option is to install front disc. brakes.

[tommy44432]

The amount of pressure required to stop any car is commensurate with how fast your are going and how quickly you have to stop. Having played with most Chevy models from the 60's I can tell you the larger the car the better they stop with less pedal pressure than a Corvair. I don't worry too much about how hard I have to push on the pedal as long as the brakes don't feel mushy. If you have a firm pedal and it stops just drive and enjoy. Also you may want to examine your driving style in your Corvair compared to that every day "new" car with the disc brakes and anti-lock stuff. Just allow more space and brake sooner. I drove semi's for 40 years and learned to apply my brakes hard, on dry roads, in the beginning to get the sumbich slowing down right away. Then ease up on pedal pressure as the truck slowed. I could stop 80,000 pounds and you could hardly feel it by doing it that way. Drive my 'Vair the exact same way. After driving semi's for 40 years I learned to look far ahead and plan for the worst. I rarely have to hit the brakes hard on any car I own...new or old.

[bbodie52]

Here is some additional information on the suggested brake materials supplier in Long Beach, California, including an informative website...

http://www.frictionmaterials.net/

Friction Materials Co Long Beach
Friction Materials
1425 Santa Fe Avenue
Long Beach, CA 90813
Phone: (562) 436-4224

Friction Materials Co, Long Beach is a privately held company in Long Beach, CA and is a Single Location business.
Categorized under Automotive Brakes. Our records show it was established in 1978 and incorporated in CA. It employs a staff of approximately 14.

Friction Materials is here for you.

Friction Materials Company of Long Beach is a leading solutions provider of high performance and severe duty brake, clutch and transmission applications to OEM and aftermarket customers in the Marina, construction, military, agricultural, motorsports, industrial and aerospace markets. Friction Materials gives our customers access to a diverse range of the most highly engineered braking, friction, clutch, and transmission products available to the market today.

Friction Materials is the right choice for your new brake or friction design, no matter where you are in the United States.
Friction Materials of Long Beach has been in the clutch business since 1950, with roots that go back to the old days in street, drag and off-highway racing and with 4 generations at work we can guarantee high quality work and great customer service.

[66vairguy]

Having driven Corvairs (and Falcons and Valiants) when new I can state they never had excess pedal pressure, just more than "power" brakes that had very low pedal pressure requirements - too low in the opinion of some car testers of the time.

I was surprised by how high the pedal pressure was with the newer brake shoe linings. After going with a softer shoe lining my Corvair stops fine with reasonable pedal pressure, just like it did when new.

[Shell Beach Hills]

Thanks for all the info everyone; very helpful. Long Beach is only about an hour and a half from me. Going to give them a call.

[66vairguy]

If /when you go to the Long Beach brake place, take you drums. If they are not worn badly INSIST they only be lightly turned to make them true. Ask that the new shoes be "arced" to fit the drums. They will place the shoes in the drums -DON'T MIX THEM UP. The only issue I had was they made the front and rear linings the same length. Typically the longer lining goes to the on the side facing the rear of the car, the shorter lining side faces the front of the car. If the linings are reversed, or equal it can result in brakes that "grab" or self enerqize too quickly.

They had two different linings for old cars, one had a metallic content to resist heat, BUT metallic linings tend to require more pedal pressure when cold, but they perform better as they heat up. If you are not going racing, go with the non-metallic lining.

Post here how it all works out.