How to stop a Chrysler

["Warren R Anderson" <wranderson@xxxx>]

I had a pleasant experience dealing with a vendor I think was recommended by
a person on this list. The help received helped us put good brakes under a
customers old Dodge. I appreciated the way the vendor approached selling us
used parts. I want list listeners to know that Moore's said that they would
do something and that they did do it and right the first time.

We needed two drums for the front of a '67 Dodge. We had looked elsewhere
and way beyond. The two Kelsey Hayes drum/hub assemblies (with good, swaged
in place left and right hand studs even) arrived machined and separately
packaged. This is their way of checking to make sure the drums will finish
below .060" over nominal which is what we specified. Had we not found these
drums I would have continued my search for a disc brake conversion set of
parts. When all the good drums are gone, converting to disc brakes is what
should be done IMHO. This type conversion I have done only once and not on a
'67 Dodge and this is not a car that I own so with good drums we fixed the
car.

The vendor for the used parts was Moore's Auto Salvage in Rapid City, SD.
They did not have parts for MY vehicle :<( but I will try them again some
day for the rear drums for the Polara.

Following the recent discussions Re: brakes I will describe some of what we
did to make the Dodge stop dead straight hands off, smooth and quiet.

The drums as received were course machined and undersized. There was plenty
of material for remachining on my lathe as this was required in preparation
for grinding as there were 'hot spots' in the drums. This condition occurs
due to heat. Carbide tools will not cut and level these ridges and a noisey,
grabby brake job will be the result. The drum braking surface must be true
and smooth. BTW the hard spots do not go away; just smoothed.

Brake backing plates have been restored where the shoes rest. ALL hardware
was replaced (well, except the adjusters which were cleaned and lubed with
synthetic brake lube). The cylinders are new and the hoses are not original
and definately not cracked. Fluid is clean and master cylinder would have
been changed but we have records that show it NEW not too long a go. This
car is highway driven regularly so the rear cylinders are not sticking as
will happen with hydraulic parts that sit for six months at a time. This is
not a car that needs the extra detail of DOT 5 fluid. The shoes were off the
shelf Bendix relines and fit the drums just fine; nothing real special but
from our experiences good dependable state of the art performance suited for
use on this car. There have been advances in lining materials that make me
leary of using OE lining (did on a 1942 IH military truck once; took two
large gorillas to slow the thing).

Anyway, IMHO, good hydraulics, drums and brake linings assembled with new
hardware will make an old Chrysler stop just fine.

HTH

Warren Anderson
Sedona,AZ