1965 Front Brake Issue Series 75 Limo

Paul Steinberg

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This car exhibited erratic braking under normal driving conditions, and under a panic brake stop, it was me, the driver that was in panic mode wondering if the car was going to come to a stop before it rear ended the car in front. Knowing that the car needed upper control arm bushings, I delivered it to a friends shop to have this work done. Upon removal of the brake drum, this is what they found. The pictures below are of the front passenger side brake assembly. Without going into more detail, I will leave it for the members here to continue the discussion into this matter.
 

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The drums are like new, and within specifications. The linings were replaced at some time in the past, but not much wear on them.
 
Had the same problem at work, I had 5 mechanics look at exactly the same brake issue. Only 2 out of the 5 could identify the problem. :eek: And it happens a lot more today with drum brakes.
 
Something I noticed last time a got some brake shoes ,some company's are shrink wrapping the primary and secondary shoes as a set rather than when they would come in a box loose. But even that does prevent people from doing this or what seems to be more common is 2 primary's on one side and 2 secondary's on the other side.
 
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Brake numbers

Sorry guys, not being a mechanic what was the issue. Are the brake pads installed on the wrong side?

Richard, you mistakenly referred to the shoes as "pads", so your answer is partially correct.


Shoes are backwards primary on back secondary on front. Self adjusters look OK most to day mechanics can't deal with them either.whole thing need a good blow off cleaning.

Peter, you nailed it. The front brake shoe (primary) is in the secondary (rear) location. We tried to reverse the shoes, however the primary shoe doesn't have all the correct holes in the web (the area that the springs hold onto). Doing some investigation on how this could happen, I have found that these almost identical shoes (12" x 2 1/2") are used on Buicks as early as 1952 with a different part number. Since the holes in the shoe webbing is the only difference, the relining manufacturers simplified the stocking part number, by discontinuing the older part number, and started using the newer part number as the replacement shoes for the earlier cars. If someone were to return shoes that were originally used on the 1952 Buick as cores, and they came back in the same box as the 1965 shoes were shipped in, they could theoretically go into the re-lining process and be boxed with the later part number, even though the webbing doesn't have the correct holes drilled into it. I believe that this is what happened in this instance. Mismatched shoes were put into the box after relining them. The additional holes are required for the self adjusters, which I believe became a standard brake upgrade in 1963.
Upon examination, I found that the primary shoe was stamped 127, and the secondary shoe was stamped 345. The front show to be correct would be a number 345.
 

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Now on the set I got for the 67 CC, the shoes were booth the same size and positioned differently on the iron. The old mechanic that I had do the rear axle bearing for me put one side on one way and the other the opposite. As they were the same size it should have been , high shoe in back and low shoe in front. My bet is it's the wrong set of shoes
 
The 345 are 1969 - 1970 shoes, and the shoe was stamped 127 are for the 1968 and down. The 127 & 345 will interchange on the rear only.
 
they don't look like anything I put on the 67. here is what they looked like. top pictures is the old set on the left. bottom is the new set on the right
 

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Brakes

A easy way to keep contaminants off the new linings. When installing them is a little bit of tape ,peel it away and perfect clean linings.
 

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Never seen blue brake shoes before. Nice lift, have you had it long? Must have bought it used, since the runways are so trashed looking. The previous owner must not have taken good care of his tools. :D When did you get a red car??
 
Brakes

Never seen blue brake shoes before. Nice lift, have you had it long? Must have bought it used, since the runways are so trashed looking. The previous owner must not have taken good care of his tools. :D When did you get a red car??

Best tool I ever bought, need to thank that guy someday.:cheers:

That's my little red wagon. :biker:
 

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