Re: [FWDLK] ARE WE BEING POLITICAL CORRECT

[Tony Boatman <acboatman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi All,

I just spent over $800 replacing the drum brakes on my 57 Dodge with
rebuilt ones.  The car stops better and is fine in the city, but I'm
still worried about driving it any distance over our Idaho mountains.
When I can afford/justify it, I'll replace them with disc brakes.

Tony in Idaho

-----Original Message-----
From: David Charles Gedraitis [mailto:dcg@xxxxxxx]
Sent: Monday, November 03, 2003 6:29 PM
To: L-FORWARDLOOK@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [FWDLK] ARE WE BEING POLITICAL CORRECT

I was never around when these cars were new. I do know that modern,
lighter cars with better brakes stop far better. If the idiot in front
of
you decides he can *still* make his turn and slams on the brakes, I'd
like
to be able to stop before I plow into him. Back when these cars were the
only thing on the road, the idiot couldn't stop much better than you.
Now
that they can, The older cars are suddenly at a disadvantage.

I had all new brakes, even new drums on my '61 Newport. Everything was
rebuilt, new and bled properly. I had a wheel cylinder go, on two
seperate
occasions. When I suddenly had nothing other than the E-brake, I decided
it
was time for a dual master cylinder. If someone comes out with something
better-I'll be the first to install it. I never again want to look for
something "soft and inexpensive" to run into. I live in Worcester, Mass,
the "city of seven hills" and home to some of the hilliest terrain
around-losing your brakes means you will probably kill someone. I
installed disc brakes on it after realizing that "tailgating" meant I
could SEE the car in front of me. Busy city streets are nowhere good for
a
car that can't stop well, and I haven't gotten the brakes right yet,
which
is why I haven't driven the car in four years. God forbid some little
kid
runs out in front of it one day.

Congested highways were mentioned-that's exactly why we need
to be able to stop faster-how often does one get cut off nowadays? I
don't recall a day it hasn't happened to me. Maybe it's a New England
thing.

As for a quad master cylinder, that would be less safe-if you were to
lose
a wheel cylinder and could stop with three of the four remaining working
brakes, you would pull to one side.

Don't forget that speed limits have increased, and on average traffic
goes at least 10 MPH faster than it used to. A car's stopping distance
increases as the square of velocity. Hauling a 4,000+ lb car from 55 to
zero is no great shakes. Doing it from 70 adds considerable stress to
everything. One may say, don't DO 70, which is fine, but on the Mass
pike
for example, if you're not going the average speed of traffic (80 being
about the slowest), you're a hazard. Also at higher speeds, one is more
likely to use the brakes, and contribute to the issue of brake fade.

Since when is making your car safer considered "politically correct"?

~dave

Hemi: (Hem -e) adj. Mopar in type, V8, hot tempered, native to the
United
States, carnivorous, eats primarily Mustangs, Camaros, and Corvettes.
Also
enjoys smoking a good import now and then to relax.

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