DeTomaso Mailing List: February 2001, Message #160

"Franck DJ (Don)" wrote:

> I am having a problem with my drum brake system.  When the car is cold, I
> adjust the drums all around the car and everything is fine.  I drive for 20
> miles or so and the fronts tighten up.  They are tight to the point that I
> can hardly turn the wheel with the car jacked up  If I let the car cool down
> a few hours, the brakes loosen up.  This is only the fronts.
>
> Any ideas
>

Time to rebuild the front calipers.  Mine was doing the same things when I first
got it.  The car had not been driven regularly for years.  The fronts would
start locking up the longer I drove the car.  Instead of just taking them apart
and rebuilding them, a nice forum members sold me his recently rebuilt set of
calipers so I could get the job done quickly (as the Fun Rally was coming up).
Now I have no problem.

Two suggestions:

First:  Drain ALL The brake fluid.  You would NOT believe the gunk that came out
of mine, it was almost like putty.  I'm sure that was the biggest problem.
Replace with new DOT 3 fluid.

Second:   Think about new or rebuilt calipers.

Asa Jay
--  --  --  --  --  --  --  --
   Asa Jay & Shelley Marie
   Laughton - Spokane, WA
     1973 Pantera L 5533
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