Soft pedal

Could be your pedal to master ratio, master rod length, excessive shoe or caliper travel, etc... if it had air, I would expect the pedal to pump up as you repeatedly pump the pedal. You should be able to tell if the brakes are backing off by jacking it up and feeling how much friction there is by turning the wheels. Adjusting the rears snug may help, if the calipers are backing off, a rpv may be in order.

 

The calipers should not be the problem......I said "should"...….Now I would run the back very snug because it may be that you are only touching the top & bottom of the shoes so when you apply the pedal the rest of the shoe tries to make contact..... run it that way for a bit and let the rear shoes wear in to fit the drums...
I have had the shoes backwards before and had somewhat the same problem.....I am sure yours are right Spanky I am just saying...

 

I had a spongy pedal/excessive travel on a ford truck once and after several attempts to resolve it, new master, several bleeds, etc... I realized that one caliper was seized to the bracket and prevented it from maintaining pad contact, or pressure, to the rotor. The caliper pistons were traveling a small amount. The caliper holds a large volume of fluid compared to the master, a little bit goes a long way. Just saying to be aware. I have limited experience with the master being below the calipers, but from what I have read, it can allow the fluid to travel a small amount, which could cause this issue... that is why brake manufacturers suggest rpv use. I know there are mixed opinions on them... yes to very snug on the drums. I tighten them to where they only rotate about 3/4 rotation with the wheel on. You can hear and feel the friction. They will burn in in short order.

 

OK, Mike . . . I don't want to hear a word about wheel bearing grease!

 

Spanky, you don’t like wheel bearings?
You don’t like grease? You don’t like greasy wheel bearings?
Just kidding.

 

I wasn't going to say anything about maybe you should check the wheel bearings. On these little cars you need to run the front wheel bearings a bit tighter than bigger cars......and yes grease is a good thing......LOL....

I never said wheel bearing grease...…..LOL..

 

Just run across this interesting photo. Thought it may be useful.

 

OK, promise to laugh or hold me in low esteem . . . In April of 2016 I was just completing my build; engine installed & broken-in; brakes installed & bled; obligatory trip around the block accomplished. Not licensed yet, but couldn't wait to get 'er on the road! My helper from our St Louis chapter of NTBA agreed to follow me over to St Charles, MO (about 12 miles) for a club function at a member's home, and we set out. After about three miles, all of a sudden my car wanted to do a hard right and there was smoke coming off my right front tire, and it wasn't moving! Seized! I limped into a parking lot, thinking it was a brake issue, when my helper asked me, "Did you pack the wheel bearings?" DOH!!! I had assembled the front end a couple years before, dry - no grease - thinking I just wanted to get everything lined up and see how it all looked. Big mistake! Don't ever do that. My helper generously offered to go to his house and get his trailer and take me home. Fortunately, the bearing had disintegrated, but the hub was otherwise OK, and the other wheel was also OK, but bearing was junk. So, new bearings and GREASE, and I was back in business. Lesson learned!

 

Got it. I won't laugh! We all do the wrong thing once in a while or forget to do something important. I call it CRS.
Can't remember shit! It's a good story to go along with a couple of beers (root beers) when you're sitting around the camp fire. Then after a couple of more beers, everyone starts telling about their screw ups and you all go home after some laughs. The end result is we all screw up. Some of us just won't admit it but the ones that do are the bigger person! No ones perfect.

 

I've had my share of screw ups. Most recently, three 5/16" flat washers that I didn't
see on the carburetor studs cost me pretty close to a $1000.

 

My screw up was a small allen wrench taped to the inside of a Chinese air cleaner. I saw it but decided to leave it there until I was ready to install it. The engine swallowed it ,destroyed a nice new GM crate 350. Never put off today what will ruin a good day tomorow

 

Those pesky little details, lol... one of my first cars had a bad engine knock. Being naive and young, but knowing everything and having more energy than sense, my cousin and I tore it down and found the problem...we then pulled a piston and rod from another junk engine and put it together. Amazingly, it ran pretty good and lasted over a year of abusive driving. It had a “lifter tick” that I just couldn’t adjust out. I would occasionally try, it would quiet down, but always came back. Well, upon examination of the engine after it finally died, I discovered the distributor hold down clamp that my cousin misplaced when we replaced the piston and rod. We looked everywhere for it and had to scavenge one from the other motor. Apparently, it had been rattling around on top of the number 5 intake valve until it became small enough to hold it open and you know the rest. I’m still amazed by how long that piece meal 302 held up. I ran it as fast as it would go every day for a 30 mile trip to and from school and work... back then you could still drive on secondary roads... not much traffic. I hate venturing out today, never an enjoyable drive, it seems.

 

At least we haven't done this . . .

 

Maybe it's just 'cuz that old hemi had so much power . . .

 

Spanky, How you making out with your brakes? When your "T" is parked, jack it up as high as you can, one end at a time, and see if the air will work their way to the caliber/wheel cylinder.

 

'Been too lazy to do anything but drive it lately. Your suggestion is a good one. When I finally get to it, I'll readjust the rear brakes, and pressure bleed the system. I'll report any progress.

 

I have things I want to do to mine, but I'm too lazy, too. Besides, if I take it apart then I can't drive it and that's what I'd rather do during this nice weather!

 

i had so many problems with masters i bet its the master