brakes

[airborne]

Guys, why are the brakes so bad on these trucks? I mean, 13x21/2 shoes, duel m/c, should stop these trucks no problem. I've driven other trucks w/o power brakes and they seem to stop alright. ???????. Also, any feed back on mounting the rear springs under the frame when i get around to putting the 14 in? I think it's stupid to have to remove all the hardware from the axle and stuff just to install soring bushings. My,02.

[poolmike]

What material are your brake shoes made of and have your drums been turned? My truck stopped pretty good with the stock stuff, but I got tired of constant adjustments.

[brute4c]

Stock it is a single chamber master cylinder...and the system, in good working order and adjusted properly works quite well.

If you have a dual master, maybe there is a problem right there...just a guess.

[randyscycle]

With a dual master cylinder and a power booster, my stock drums haul my 715 to a stop relatively well for a 40+ year old truck of that weight with a big V8 and lots of extra gear in it.

Almost every truck I've seen or had my hands on has had at least a couple wheel cylinders inoperative, a questionable master cylinder, and improperly adjusted brakes. Get all that fixed and even in stock form, for the limits the truck was designed to operate in, they work acceptably.

[brute4c]

If it has had a master swap, it may have been done in such a way that the system wont work well...ll depends on what was used and how it was setup.

[kwai]

My truck has stock brakes with dual master and stops great. Maybe your brake system isn't adjusted to specs?