RE: IML: After a Long Silence

["Steve B." <Imperial59@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>The first question really is, however, with modest driving, is it possible
to get the factory brakes >to be reliable without constant fiddling and
adjusting.  I've heard stories of these "total contact" >brakes being very
fussy, especially on Plymouths and Dodges etc.   I won't need extreme brake
response >as I will drive the car gently anyway.   My car is really in
excellent condition as it has only 25,000 >original miles and has been
treated well all it's life.  The biggest brake problem to date has been
>hydraulic leaks at the wheel cylinders.  Some of the problem surely has
been due to non-use and that >condition will improve now.

Are you still running the 14" wheels?  I recall a recent conversation where
someone was having clearance problems with the AAJs and the 14" wheels.
Don't recall what became of the situation but a good archive search on the
website would probably turn up an answer.

Mid year '59 Chrysler changed to 15" wheels with slotted wheel covers for
better brake cooling.  At the same time they increased the size of the brake
shoes and changed the cooling fins on the drums.  This tells me that even
they knew there were heat issues with the brakes and were trying to resolve
the problem doing the best they could with what they had at the time.

My '59 is still all stock on the brakes and was completely rebuilt about 7
years ago (my how time flys).  In that time I haven't had a single problem
with the brakes.  I have adjusted them one time and I flush the fluid once a
year because I live in the land of 100% humidity (and I would do that with
the AAJ too).  I don't drive the car a lot but I have taken a few 1200+ mile
trips with it along with the Sunday beach cruises and never had an issue
with the brakes.  To me that have been very reliable.

That's the good part.  The bad part is that, as you know, they don't stop
like a new Toyota.  I find that mine handles one panic stop great, the
second time ok but not as good and the third time you better stick your feet
out the door.  Once the brakes have a few minutes to cool off they are good
as new again.  

If the brakes ever give me trouble again I will probably change over to a
dual pot master cylinder for safety but for what I use the car for I can't
see the AAJ conversion being worth the trouble.  I sure wouldn't consider it
if you are just doing so for increased reliability.


               Steve B.


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