<VV> Weak brake action

[corvairduval at cox.net]

Have the drums been turned past their maximum size? If this happens, the
lining will not contact the drum except in a small area, so the braking
power will be greatly reduced.

Only turn drums when there is a problem with the surface.

Also, it is possible to install the rear lines with the drivetrain in the
car. You just have to work around the rear crossmember, but we all do it
that way.

The front line on the right front wheel is the difficult one. The only
correct way is to remove the tank. But, it can be done with only lowering
the tank a few inches. Sometimes I left the old line in place, cut off, and
ran a new one around the tank. Many cheats available here. In the rust belt
they just run the line through the interior and out a rust hole.... Here
where rust can cause lines to fail, it is better to have a new brake line
not run in the factory clamps than a factory line ready to fail.

Frank DuVal

Original Message:
-----------------
From: Charles McKinley cmckinley313 at cox.net
Date: Fri, 4 Dec 2009 11:58:39 -0500
To: virtualvairs at corvair.org
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


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