The brakes on my 59 were rebuilt to original and I've never had a problem
since. You can get shoes redone and just check the fluid now and then.
-----
Original Message ----
From: Steve B. <
Imperial59@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To:
mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxSent:
Sunday, December 9, 2007 6:22:37 AM
Subject: RE: IML: After a Long
Silence
>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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