Been dealing with similar symptoms myself, Mark. A couple of other things to check for as well: - Make sure the 5 brake backer plate bolts are tight and the threads are not stripped. - Make sure your axle castle nut is tightened just right. - As Dave says, put new return springs on. Your old ones are probably stretched out by 1/8" and uneven. They may be hard to get, but let me know if you need 'em. - A buddy of yours may have an electric belt sander to speed up the shoe arcing, but proceed gently. Otherwise a decent brake shop should have the equipment to arc those shoes exactly to your drums. Keith Boonstra - On 8/22/2012 6:49 PM, David Schwandt wrote: > > Mark, > You need to arc the shoes to the drum. > The toe of the shoe will "catch/snag the drum and have a tendancy to > "wrap up" inside and lock. > Been there, done that with the fronts on my F years ago, after plowing > a furrow through a judging tent at a show in Des Moines, IA. > Very embarrassing to say the least. > It took several cycles of removing the shoes and sanding with 80 grit > paper on a body file to remedy the situation. > I would pat down the shoes w/talcum powder, reinstall and adjust then > rotate a few times by hand. > While cranking the adjusters the proper direction. This will indicate > on the shoes any high spots that need attention > You probably already know this but the fronts adjust different than > the rears. > Check your service manual for the proper adjustment procedure. > Question, Did you install ne return springs when doing the rebuild? > > Good Luck!! > Dave Schwandt > > -----Original Message----- > From: Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > <mailto:Chrysler300%40yahoogroups.com> > [mailto:Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > <mailto:Chrysler300%40yahoogroups.com>] On Behalf Of MARK HOPKINS > Sent: Wednesday, August 22, 2012 5:37 PM > To: Rich Barber > Cc: Narve Nordanger; Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > <mailto:Chrysler300%40yahoogroups.com> > Subject: [Chrysler300] 300F Brake Issue > > Hi Rich, Narve and fellow 300 Club folks - I'm catching up on emails > and read your advice to Narve about his problem with the '55 brakes > with interest. Does the same principle apply to the brake pedal > adjustment in the '60 300F? In the past two months, I've replaced all > the wheel cylinders front and back, front brake shoes were relined and > drums turned, wheel bearings packed, and a right rear axle seal > replaced. It stops straight and true with no pulling. > > However, since before all the work was done, the rear brakes have > intermittently locked up at low speeds (eg. when pulling in and out of > the garage). If I try to go forward, they drag / skid. Despite all the > new brake / wheel work, the lockup problem persists. > > If I shift into Neutral and back to Drive they'll release, but may > lock up as soon as I push the pedal again. Out on the road, if I come > to a stop from 30 mph at a light for example, there is no lockup > thankfully. It's just a pain moving in and out of the garage, and > somewhat embarrassing parking at car shows. > > Any advice would be greatly appreciated. > > Mark Hopkins in sunny Calgary > (our summers really are nice up here - just too short!) > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Rich Barber" <c300@xxxxxxx <mailto:c300%40ez2.net>> > To: "Narve Nordanger" <narve.n@xxxxxxx <mailto:narve.n%40c2i.net>>, > Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:Chrysler300%40yahoogroups.com> > Sent: Sunday, August 12, 2012 2:20:22 PM > Subject: RE: [Chrysler300] A serious 55 Kelsey Hayes issue - brake failure > > Narve: > > I know you are a thorough guy, but the clearance on the actuating rod > from the brake pedal to the back of the booster is critical. In > theory, retraction of the rod when the pedal is released should allow > atmospheric pressure to flow back into the vacuum side of the booster. > If the pedal is returned by spring pressure, it should retract the > actuator rod. > > There is a small check valve in the outlet of the master cylinder that > is designed to hold a small amount of residual pressure on the system > in order to exclude moist air. That small check valve may have been > damaged or improperly installed. > > Other things to check include the check valve on the vacuum inlet line. > > Progress was made over the years. The brake pedal in the '55 is now > wide enough to get both feet on it. > > Rich Barber > > Brentwood, CA > > 1955 C-300 > > From: Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > <mailto:Chrysler300%40yahoogroups.com> [mailto: > Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:Chrysler300%40yahoogroups.com> ] > On Behalf Of Narve Nordanger > Sent: Sunday, August 12, 2012 12:33 PM > To: Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:Chrysler300%40yahoogroups.com> > Subject: [Chrysler300] A serious 55 Kelsey Hayes issue - brake failure > > Group, > > my C-300 has twice this summer had failure on its freshly overhauled > brake system. On both occasions the Kelsey Hayes master power brake > appear to lock up and not letting out the vacuum after I have released > the brake pedal. > Brakes stayed locked until I split the master cylinder from the booster. > Anyone seen this before, any remedy? > > Additional information: The lightest of touches on the brake pedal > sucks it in and make immediate contact on the shoes, making > progressive braking a difficulty. This was evident both with the old > (original) and overhauled > (x-55 De Soto) K-H MC. Having just gone through the brakes on 29 > Chrysler one really wonders if there was any progress at all in the > intervening 26 years.. > > Narve N > > C-300 in Norway > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > ------------------------------------ > > To send a message to this group, send an email to: > Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:Chrysler300%40yahoogroups.com> > > To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to bob@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > <mailto:bob%40simplexco.com> or go to > http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/Chrysler300/join and select the > "Leave Group" button > > For list server instructions, go to > http://www.chrysler300club.com/yahoolist/inst.htm > > For archives go to > http://www.forwardlook.net/300-archive/search.htm#querylangYahoo! > Groups Links > > ------------------------------------ To send a message to this group, send an email to: Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to bob@xxxxxxxxxxxxx or go to http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/Chrysler300/join and select the "Leave Group" button For list server instructions, go to http://www.chrysler300club.com/yahoolist/inst.htm For archives go to http://www.forwardlook.net/300-archive/search.htm#querylangYahoo! 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