acerocks666

Alright guys so the only thing keeping me from driving my 83 z28 is the brakes just do not work right at all. Last summer I pretty much replaced almost everything including front rotors, calipers, and pads, the master cylinder, brake booster, and also new spring kits for the back drums. Car has been bleed I don't know how many times and I definilty do not have any leaks. My problem is the car will stop but it takes me going almost all the way to the floor. Today I jacked up the rear and took off the drums to check the adjustment on the shoes. I believe my problem is that when the metal piece that holds the level to adjust the shoes is fully in place the level does not even hit the star wheel as it sits to high. I can pull it onto the star adjuster but after a few hits of the pedal it seems to fall right back off so my drums are not adjusting at all. Any ideas on what could be wrong did I put a spring in wrong or something or is there something else i'm missing. I can put some pics of if that will help thanks.....

rawley2

Pics will be the only way we can help.

92RS_Ttop

iTrader: (3)

Not sure about the earlier thirdgens, but on my 92 the drum brakes are adjusted by using the ebrake, not the pedal. At least they were till I upgraded to a 4thgen disc rear.

Do you have the little spring on that lever that keeps it pulled down into position?

acerocks666

Alright so did some more checking and I think rear brakes are fine now and my e-brake works great. Now I think the problem is still in my master cylinder. This is the second one I have put on the car have bench bled it atleast twice and bled the brakes many times. When I press on my pedal though the back reservoir will bubble up and with the cap off I can shoot a stream of fluid up in the air. Both of the master cylinders were remans so maybe I should just say screw it and go get a brand new one or could it be something else thanks again....

92RS_Ttop

iTrader: (3)

A few more things to check:

How easily do the drums slide off the the axle? You should have to wiggle them off, they should not slide off easily.

You said you replaced the front rotors. Did you clean them thoroughly before putting them on? The anti-rust stuff that comes on them will keep the pads from grabbing properly.

If you put the rear on jack stands, start the car and put it in gear, do the wheels stop spinning when you press the brake pedal? Do they stop if you apply the parking brake?

When you say brake fluid in the reservoir bubbles when you press the pedal, is it air bubbles you see, or just the fluid sloshing?

You do have fresh, brand-new, clear, colorless fluid in the entire system, right?

Check, check, and check again for leaks?

Does the brake pedal get progressively firmer when you press it several times with the car off?

If it does, do you have more less than 1/2" of pedal travel when it's at it's hardest to press?

Also, if you then press and hold the pedal down for 30 seconds, does the pedal slowly move down farther?

Sorry if some of these questions seem stupid or simple-minded, but I've found that a lot of the time, it's the simple things that are overlooked. I'm not trying to be insulting in any way, but its hard sometimes to get a feel for someone's level of expertise on an Internet forum.

85 ZXX

iTrader: (1)

Take a rubber hammer and tap each caliper and wheel cylinder when bleeding to force possible trapped air pockets out. You may need to adjust the brake booster bolt to the master cylinder plunger or the brake pedal linkage to the brake booster. Check all diagrams to see if you are missing any parts around the booster area. Make sure you don't have a vacuum line or booster diafram leaking air. Just trying to help...

FtrSpeedy

Replaced the front brake lines? The rubber hoses could be weak and expanding under pressure.

acerocks666

I really do appreciate all the help guys i will try to get out tomorrow and answer some of your questions but to reply to 92rs i have checked the drums and they are tight but not so tight i cant turn them a bit. The rotors have been cleaned a few times. The fluid in the reservoir does not have any bubbles that i see. I have checked for leaks more times then i can count and nothing. When i press the pedal with car off it is firm and goes down about half way but doesn't seem to get any harder the more i press. Like i said i will do more investigation tom and give more results...

acerocks666

Ftrspeedy yes the front lines were replaced

acerocks666

Alright guys here are some pics i took earlier when i had a buddy over and we did some playing around and the major problem is the adjuster level does not touch the star adjuster unless I pull it on to it and then after a couple presses of the brakes will fall right back off because when I would put the car in gear up on jacks the wheels spin fine but after a couple presses of the brake sometimes the whole drum would fall off.

sofakingdom

iTrader: (1)

You obviously aren't adjusting the rears properly.

Adjust them up until you can JUST BARELY still get the drums back on. Then once you get them on, pull them back off and adjust them up some more. Repeat until no longer possible.

92RS_Ttop

iTrader: (3)

acerocks666

ok so just so I am clear I adjust the star wheel to push the shoes out until I can barley get the drums on. Then once they are on I adjust them out even more until I can't turn it anymore.....

92RS_Ttop

iTrader: (3)

Not till you can't turn it anymore. You want it tight to get the drum on, then tighten it a few more times till you hear the shoes scraping on the inside of the drums. You should be able to feel and hear the shoes dragging on the indie of the drum.

Normally, there is a lip on the edge of the drum caused by the shoes wearing down the inner surface of the drums. This lip prevents you from getting the shoes adjusted properly, so you make the basic adjustment with the drum off and then fine-tune it with the drum in place.

kauboy

If you haven't done so already, I would buy the aduster kits. Cheap insurance for about 12 bucks per side. Actuating link and lever might be bent out of shape.