{"id":52120,"date":"2018-05-31T08:58:01","date_gmt":"2018-05-31T15:58:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/?p=52120"},"modified":"2018-05-31T08:58:01","modified_gmt":"2018-05-31T15:58:01","slug":"brakes-101-what-you-need-to-know-part-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/brakes-101-what-you-need-to-know-part-3\/","title":{"rendered":"Brakes 101: What You Need to Know, Part 3"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"jetpack-slideshow-noscript robots-nocontent\">This slideshow requires JavaScript.<\/p><div id=\"gallery-52120-1-slideshow\" class=\"jetpack-slideshow-window jetpack-slideshow jetpack-slideshow-black\" data-trans=\"fade\" data-autostart=\"1\" data-gallery=\"[{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/www.racingjunk.com\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2018\\\/05\\\/Lead-Shot-min-1.jpg&quot;,&quot;id&quot;:&quot;52130&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Brakes 101: What You Need to Know, Part 3&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;Brakes 101: What You Need to Know, Part 3&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Click Here to Begin Slideshow\\n\\nIn the last couple of issues, we devoted space to brake system tech tips. Some of those tips are performance related, while others are maintenance related. In any case, all of them are important. We\\u2019ll continue our look at brake system tech tips with this issue. Check them out and keep your eyes peeled for more tips down the road (as in next week\\u2019s issue!).&quot;,&quot;itemprop&quot;:&quot;image&quot;},{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/www.racingjunk.com\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2018\\\/05\\\/25-min.jpg&quot;,&quot;id&quot;:&quot;52121&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Tip 25 \\u2013 FLUSHED DOWN THE DRAIN&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;Brakes 101: What You Need to Know, Part 3&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;If you have a vintage car or truck that hasn\\u2019t been serviced in an eternity, flush the brake fluid! Years (decades?) of rust, scale and other crud actually collect in the brake lines. This junk stops the brake system from working to its design potential. The easiest way to flush brake lines is to open up the bleeder screws, push the pedal a few times and let Mother Nature do the work. Keep the brake reservoir full with fresh fluid (DOT 3 or better). Repeat the process until the expelled fluid is clean. You can expect to go through several cans of fresh fluid during the process, but in the end, it\\u2019s definitely cheap insurance.&quot;,&quot;itemprop&quot;:&quot;image&quot;},{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/www.racingjunk.com\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2018\\\/05\\\/26-min.jpg&quot;,&quot;id&quot;:&quot;52122&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Tip 26 \\u2013 TOOLING AROUND&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;Brakes 101: What You Need to Know, Part 3&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;When you try to crack open a common brass fitting used on an old brake line, it might not be such a good idea to use a flare nut wrench. Why not? That\\u2019s what they\\u2019re designed for, isn\\u2019t it? Simple: Flare nut wrenches are sometimes thin on the ends so they can fit tight spots. Because of this, they often flex when you really lean on them in an attempt to crack open a frozen fitting. Believe it or not, we usually use a tight fitting combination wrench to start the process, and then make the switch to a flare wrench. It saves rounding the tops off the flare nuts.&quot;,&quot;itemprop&quot;:&quot;image&quot;},{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/www.racingjunk.com\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2018\\\/05\\\/27-min.jpg&quot;,&quot;id&quot;:&quot;52123&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Tip 27 \\u2013 BALANCING ACT&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;Brakes 101: What You Need to Know, Part 3&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;When bleeding brakes on a car equipped with a balance bar and a pair of master cylinders, try bleeding one caliper on the front and one on the rear simultaneously. This helps to eliminate balance bar binding.&quot;,&quot;itemprop&quot;:&quot;image&quot;},{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/www.racingjunk.com\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2018\\\/05\\\/28-min.jpg&quot;,&quot;id&quot;:&quot;52124&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Tip 28 \\u2013 DULL DRUMS&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;Brakes 101: What You Need to Know, Part 3&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;When installing rear drum brakes, check the self-adjuster to ensure that it rotates freely. If not, clean the threads and apply a small amount of anti-seize compound to the threads.&quot;,&quot;itemprop&quot;:&quot;image&quot;},{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/www.racingjunk.com\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2018\\\/05\\\/29-min.jpg&quot;,&quot;id&quot;:&quot;52125&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Tip 29 \\u2013 PAINLESS STAINLESS&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;Brakes 101: What You Need to Know, Part 3&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;When the time comes to custom plumb brake lines in a car, don\\u2019t cheap out on the line. Sure, corner parts store \\u201crediflex\\u201d lines are available, but they\\u2019re really a band-aid fix. Instead, think about the stuff at the top of the heap: 3\\\/16-inch O.D., 0.028-inch wall stainless steel tubing. Stainless steel is tough, doesn\\u2019t deteriorate easily and, yes, isn\\u2019t that easy to work with. The solution is to use the right tools. We\\u2019ve had very good success using a dedicated 3\\\/16-inch Imperial Eastman tubing bender and a Rigid mini-tubing cutter along with a heavy duty Rigid 37-degree flaring tool. Be sure to use tools designed to handle stainless. They\\u2019re stronger than run-of-the-mill plumbing tools, simply because stainless is more difficult to work with. Why use 37-degree fittings? Well, it\\u2019s tough (if not impossible) to double flare stainless tubing. We use 37-degree fittings in conjunction with A-N tube nuts and flares available from Aeroquip, Earls or Russell. This way, you get a leak free aircraft-quality fitting end that doesn\\u2019t mandate a double flare.&quot;,&quot;itemprop&quot;:&quot;image&quot;},{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/www.racingjunk.com\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2018\\\/05\\\/30-min.jpg&quot;,&quot;id&quot;:&quot;52126&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Tips 30, 31 and 32&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;Brakes 101: What You Need to Know, Part 3&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Tip 30 \\u2013 CONTACT! The contact points on drum brake backing plates can become grooved with use. No problem \\u0026#8211; just get some new backing plates. Unfortunately, if you have a rare car (or if you\\u2019re working with vintage hardware, which is extremely popular today), finding replacement parts might be easier said than done. If your backing plates fall into that category, try this: Weld new metal into the grooves (a MIG welder works perfectly). Grind down the weld until it\\u2019s smooth, and you\\u2019re ready for action. You might be surprised at how much more effective those old brakes have become.\\n\\nTip 31 \\u2013 PONY EXPRESS: Plenty of early Mustangs and other Ford products were equipped with 9-inch diameter rear brake drums. They\\u2019re small because the cars were light. To add a wee bit more stopping power, think about swapping in the drums, backing plates and other hardware from a Fairmont wagon. It\\u2019s an easy swap using stock OEM components.\\n\\nTip 32 \\u2013 WEIGHT WATCHERS: Big bad Buick finned aluminum brake drums are all the rage with street rodders today. Those brakes not only look good, they also offer impressive stopping power (for a drum system). There are some other inexpensive, easier to find aluminum drums out there, particularly if you have a GM vehicle with a rear axle that has common 5 lug on a 4-3\\\/4-inch-diameter bolt circle along with back drums that measure 9.5-inches in diameter by 2-inches wide (that is just about every vintage GM compact or mid-size car). You can drop 10 pounds of unsprung weight by removing the existing 14-pound cast-iron drums and installing a pair of aluminum drums, which weigh 9 pounds each, including their iron liners. Where do you find these aluminum drums? Try looking under the following candidates in your local wrecking yard (FYI, not all of these vehicles came with aluminum drums \\u2013 as near as we can tell, they were packaged according to option groups on a specific automobile or light pickup):\\n\\n\\u2022\\tBlazer\\\/Jimmy, \\u0026#8217;83-84, S or T models\\n\\u2022\\tBuick, \\u0026#8217;80-84 Le Sabre, \\u0026#8217;85 RWD, \\u0026#8217;78-81 Century, \\u0026#8217;78-87 Regal\\n\\u2022\\tRiviera, \\u0026#8217;81-85\\n\\u2022\\tCamaro, \\u0026#8217;82-92\\n\\u2022\\tChevy passenger, \\u0026#8217;86-89\\n\\u2022\\tCutlass, \\u0026#8217;78-82\\n\\u2022\\tFirebird, \\u0026#8217;82-92\\n\\u2022\\tGrand Prix, \\u0026#8217;78-85\\n\\u2022\\tLeMans, \\u0026#8217;78-81\\n\\u2022\\tMalibu, \\u0026#8217;78-81\\n\\u2022\\tMonte Carlo, \\u0026#8217;78-81\\n\\u2022\\tOlds Delta 88, \\u0026#8217;80-85\\n\\u2022\\tPontiac, \\u0026#8217;80-81, \\u0026#8217;83-85 Bonneville, \\u0026#8217;86 Parisienne\\n\\u2022\\tS10\\\/S15, \\u0026#8217;82-84\\n\\u2022\\tGMC Sprint\\\/ El Camino, \\u0026#8217;78-81&quot;,&quot;itemprop&quot;:&quot;image&quot;},{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/www.racingjunk.com\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2018\\\/05\\\/33-min.jpg&quot;,&quot;id&quot;:&quot;52127&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Tip 33 \\u2013 FRIED FLUID&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;Brakes 101: What You Need to Know, Part 3&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Peak brake fluid temperatures should never exceed 240 degrees centigrade (that\\u2019s a whopping 464 degrees Fahrenheit) or operate over 200 degrees centigrade (392 degrees F) for more than one hour. If that occurs, expect to change plenty of pieces in the system (not the least of which are seals). FYI, that\\u2019s why some road racers use brake fluid cooling devices.&quot;,&quot;itemprop&quot;:&quot;image&quot;},{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/www.racingjunk.com\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2018\\\/05\\\/34-min.jpg&quot;,&quot;id&quot;:&quot;52128&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Tips 34 and 35&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;Brakes 101: What You Need to Know, Part 3&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Tip 34 \\u2013 BRAKE BIND: If you have a car in which, after a bit of use, the pedal becomes hard and the front brakes drag, take a close look at the pushrod (between the pedal and the master cylinder or booster). If the pushrod is not adjusted properly, brake fluid will not be allowed to return to the master cylinder freely. As the car is driven, these components tend to heat up and the clearance (if there is any) changes while the various bits expand. The end result is a pair of brakes that usually refuse to release correctly until things cool down.\\n\\nTip 35 \\u2013 SEAL DEAL: Never, ever clean a master cylinder with carburetor cleaner. Carb cleaner can quickly kill the seals in a master cylinder. Bottom line: It\\u2019s not brake system safe.&quot;,&quot;itemprop&quot;:&quot;image&quot;},{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/www.racingjunk.com\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2018\\\/05\\\/36-min.jpg&quot;,&quot;id&quot;:&quot;52129&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Tip 36 \\u2013 GREASY WHEEL&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;Brakes 101: What You Need to Know, Part 3&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;When making a swap from drums to disc brakes, be certain to use high temperature grease on the front wheel bearings. What\\u2019s the big deal about it? Simple: Disc bakes can generate a bunch more heat than good old-fashioned drums. The end result, of course, is more heat is transferred to the wheel bearings and, consequently, an increased need for a high temperature lubricant.&quot;,&quot;itemprop&quot;:&quot;image&quot;}]\" itemscope itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/ImageGallery\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"mh-excerpt\"><p>We\u2019ll continue our look at brake system tech tips with this issue. Some of those tips are performance related, while others are maintenance related. In any case, all of them are important.<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":52130,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[5009,3697,11,3470,4879],"tags":[318,4892,281,41,4888,321],"class_list":["post-52120","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-brakes","category-galleries","category-how-tos","category-news","category-slideshow","tag-brakes","tag-galleries","tag-how-to","tag-news","tag-slideshow","tag-wayne-scraba"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/Lead-Shot-min-1.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p42YSK-dyE","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52120","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/20"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=52120"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52120\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":52131,"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52120\/revisions\/52131"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/52130"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=52120"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=52120"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=52120"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}