My manual drum brakes have gradually gotten weaker, and I get more stopping power if I pump them a little. I bled them this weekend, but it doesn't seem to have helped. Fluid level is ok. I would think that the issue is that the lines are taking in air somewhere, but I don't find any clues of a leak. Can anyone throw me a bone as to what I can check? Thanks.
if you had a good fluid level before you started it may be worn shoes. but if you had to pump them that is air in the system. generally to find a leak on a wheel you push the brakes hard at night. let the truck sit. go out in the morning and look for fluid that has ran down the back of the tire. if the master is leaking. it wil show up in the booster or on the inside of the firewall.
cep62 wrote:Try adjusting the star wheels to bring the shoes out.
If the self adjusters aren't working, pumping the brake can take up the slack.
Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools talk because they have to say something.--Plato
Why is it that there's seldom time to fix it right the first time, but there's always time to fix it right the second time???
That's not an oil leakThat's SWEATfrom all thatHORSEPOWER!!
Save those beans and do a brake job. The truck you save may be mine
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cep62 wrote:Try adjusting the star wheels to bring the shoes out.
If the self adjusters aren't working, pumping the brake can take up the slack.
Speaking of which, what's the best way to set those? When I changed the brakes, I had the truck on stands and set them so the wheels still coast to a stop w/o pushing the brakes- should I have turned them all the way out then back a little?
SoCalExile wrote:Speaking of which, what's the best way to set those?
I don't know about the "best" way, But I adjust them so they drag on the drum fairly heavy when I turn them buy hand.
Then by the time I test drive it they're seated in and spin free, and have a good pedal.
That's SWEAT from all that HORSEPOWER!! 
