alexandervdr

I have a persistant squealing in my front drum brakes at very low speed. I tried about all imaginable solutions (including changing the brake pads, anti noise grease etc..) but nothing seems to work. My last guess is that the self adjusters bring the pads too close to the drum. To test the validity of this assumption, I would like to take out the self adjuster mechanisme (the lever/spring), set the pads a bit further from the drum and see how that goes.

Question: is there a (safety) problem converting to 'manual' adjustment?

DansYellow66

I don't know if it will take care of the noise issue but removing the self adjusters should not create a problem unless the paw/cable/spring performs some second function on the GM brake. I have a 67 Plymouth GTX with the standard 11 inch police brake package that are strictly manual adjustment. Some versions of the brakes in full size cars used automatic adjusters.

I would suspect the noise is due to the shoes not being radiused or trued to the actual drum diameter. Seems to be a lost art with everyone running disc brakes now.

Frankie the Fink

The adjusters will not "over-adjust" -- that is not your problem. Look for the 1963 GM instructional video on YouTube about the self adjusters before you tear things apart or do something unsafe.


If you drive the car 200 or so miles the shoes will 'arch' themselves to the drums...

turbodave231

Do you have the dampner springs on the outside of the drums?

turbodave231

Arc grinding linings.............yes a lost art. I have a friend suffering with Meso from these ancient practices.

Frankie the Fink

A forum member (I shall not name) was tasked with setting up an old-time brake service shop, with all the old equipment in a lab environment, to determine the amount of asbestos hazard to workers as part of the evidence in a class action law suit....

alexandervdr

You referred to this great video some months ago when I was already struggling with the same problem. I watched it several times. The video was very helpful in fully understanding how the brake adjustment works. But the squealing problem remains...

alexandervdr

I am not aware of any springs in the original, so I don't have them neither...

alexandervdr

It may be a lost art, but I happend to find a local shop that still does this. Entering the shop makes make feel like entering the 70-ies. They are going to turn the pads on monday.

Jackfit

I can remember the 70's but you are a bit young .....No? then again, let me look at the pictures.....hmmmm....

Well, your other half looks much younger.....

Jack

Frankie the Fink

I would take a few minutes and rough-up the shoes and drums with a bit of sandpaper...it could well be you've got some 'glazing' from too much heat. It'll only take about 20 minutes to do the front axle and your squeal may just disappear...

alexandervdr

I am the old timer (turning 60!) , and my other half the young(er) timer ;-) She is 53 but looks like she had a full body restore that took 10 years out of the 'ageing' equation

MikeM

Yep! You might also try swapping the drums side/side.

GM put the springs around the outside of the drums to prevent brake noise. Then they quit doing it. Did it work? I have no idea.

I don't think matching the shoes to the drum or removing the self adjuster will make a difference. But I've never had a self adjuster set the brakes too tight nor have I ever had a squeal from drum brakes that I recall. If I did, I probably didn't pay any attention to it.

ejboyd5

You don't drive the car enough and use the brakes hard enough. Get out and drive, don't baby the brakes; the squeal will disappear.

alexandervdr

my 'problem' is that I made the car very quiet (to C2 standards) so any noise gets noticed

alexandervdr

3000 miles in the last couple of months should have done it, no?

DansYellow66

Maybe in some cases but I was looking at my GTX's rear brake shoes several months ago that have about 4 - 5,000 miles on them and I could definitely see where areas of the shoes were not making good contact with the drums - the ends were showing the most contact. This was my rear brakes on what is a petty front heavy car so the front shoes may have arched themselves better.

The dampener springs on the drums is a good point. I don't have springs on the replacement front drums on my Plymouth and occasionally at low speed when they are cold I hear a little noise from them.

alexandervdr

I progressed in my testing. I bent the self adjusting arm away from click wheel, and turned the click wheel 4 clicks in. This inhibited the self adjusting function, and moved the pads a bit further away from the drums.
Then went out for a drive. The first hundreds of yards the squealing at low speed was still there, but then it disappeared (probably after some braking what centred the pads in the drums). It's difficult not to conclude that the noise is due to friction of the pads against the drums.

**Stumpy2

In the past 25 years I have represented a number of men with mesothelioma following asbestos exposure from automotive work. It is a very real threat that all members working on pre-1990 cars should be aware of.

rongold

Take a file and chamfer the square edge on all the brake friction material. That's usually where squeaks & squeals come from.