A Day in the Driveway: Why I Stayed with Drum Brakes

Added: 2026-05-10

[00:00:00]Nothing like a body hammer and a reamer.

[00:00:04]Oh, we're ready, son. Starting to come there, though. Go. Big iron, buddy. Woo!

[00:00:10]She's solid. Big iron. 427. Woo! Shot out of there now. And that rubber seals the magic, right? Can't lie, it feels good, Dad. You're good now, right? Cuz your belly's full. Yeah, he's giving the thumbs up over there.

[00:00:22]Hey, welcome back. Today we're working on the Galaxy. We're in my parents' backyard. Uh, it's kind of a cool day out here, so that's kind of nice. Not too hot. And I repacked the bearings, the front hubs. So, we're going to put them on and get them all set up. I went through the brakes, too. Show you what I did there, and get the camera turned around and, uh, take you with me. All right. So, uh, here we are. We got this is the front driver side spindle, and it's got drum brakes here. I got the hubs here. I re repack the bearings on the iners and put new wheel seals in it.

[00:00:50]I have replaced the outer bearings cuz I lost the actual bearings themselves.

[00:00:54]They've been sitting around for a couple years and unfortunately, I lost them.

[00:00:57]So, I just put new races, new bearings on the outer out here behind that cup.

[00:01:02]It's all ready to go, packed. So, we're going to put them on today and get the get it adjusted up. For you folks that are younger than 40 or maybe even 50, have never seen a drum brake. Um, this is what they look like. Most cars today have disc brakes on them. Really efficient. Uh, these drum brakes, you might ask, why would you put that on there? You know, I mean, you get everybody puts disc brakes on and yes, they do put disc brakes on, but man, it's expensive, right? So, change all that over and buy the kit and you know, we uh actually got these brakes from my dad's friend who had a tree fall on his car and he had all the brake work done and when the tree fell, he offered me to come over and he actually took them off for me actually. And so, he had just done a brake job with all new drums and everything. So that's what sparked us to do the the drums and not changed over plus money and costs. So what I already did here is I took all this apart. This is the backing plate off my my dad's friend's car. Uh it was all together just like this. But I dismantled it all and I and I opened up the wheel cylinders just to see what it looked like inside. And they were a little rusty. There's two cups in here. Two cups with some rubber seals on each side of them. And then inside there's a spring. So this center section fills with brake fluid and you bleed it to get all the air out. So, it's just solid fluid from the master cylinder, which is up on the firewall to here to the line.

[00:02:18]As you push the pedal, these go out. So, this is the old rear end here that was out of the four-door. I'm going to open up this wheel cylinder here just to show you what it looks like inside. Let's see if we can knock this apart.

[00:02:37]WD40 works best, but we'll break clean.

[00:02:40]Give her a little bit of something in there.

[00:02:50]Oo, she's solid.

[00:02:56]Starting to come there, though. Look out.

[00:03:01]Woo! Shot out of there now.

[00:03:04]Shooting out of there.

[00:03:14]See if I can find these pieces. So, we're missing some pieces.

[00:03:22]This is what uh one side looks like at least. So, you can tell she's pretty corroded. This one here, well, we lost one side, but that's okay.

[00:03:33]I'll show you inside this bore here, but this spring goes in the center right here. And then this public this rubber cup sits here like that. And this is what that little rod sits in this cup right here and pushes out the brake shoe. So it's slide inside that bore and that rubber seals the magic right as that uh fluid.

[00:03:55]It's got a cup as the pressure build. It pushes that out. It flares that rubber out to make that seal and it's working inside there as you're pushing the brake pedal. Of course, there's two of these just like this on their side. So, they're working in and out, in and out as you're pushing that pedal. Show you what the inside that board looks like.

[00:04:14]Pretty nasty.

[00:04:16]But they sell rebuild kits. If you were to take a brake hone, they have little hones in there that you can run through there with some lube. And if it ain't pitted, if that's not a pitted cylinder, pitted too bad. And you can actually rebuild these uh to make it work again. That is inside of a wheel cylinder. Of course, this car's got four of them. So, these two pins push out like this, which energizes the brakes. And the this material here, the brake shoe material rides on that right there. And that's what stops your car. Front and rear is drum on this car. And that's the way we're going to put it back together, just the way it was stock. Although this being a 427 car had thicker shoes here. They were actually taxi cabs of 427. Got a wider shoe and wider drums.

[00:05:09]They're thicker, but uh I got these for free, so that's what we're going with.

[00:05:12]And these were actually just sitting around the last probably four years. Did have a little corrosion in them and I had to knock the cups loose uh with a hammer and a punch and just got them moving and then I took them to cleaned out the bore with a with a Scotch-Brite pad and got everything working again.

[00:05:28]So, would they have come loose with some hydraulic pressure? Probably. I just went ahead and did every wheel cylinder.

[00:05:35]Every one of them was stuck to a degree.

[00:05:37]So, we got that all ready to go. So, basically put the the hub on today, the drum, and uh adjust the wheel bearings. Get that done.

[00:05:47]Backs are all done, ready to roll, adjusted. Drums are on. We just got to do the fronts. And uh man, we're going to be just got to do the fronts. We're going to be living living the dream here. Have brakes before too long. And then here is the steering box out of my dad's buddy's car. This is the one that was in the four-door chassis we're running here on the blue car. This was off this box here. So, I got this and I checked the turns. It's like two and 3/4 to 2 and 3/4 the center of the steering gear. I did that the same on here and put this on in the right spot. So hopefully when you put the steering wheel on and the the this is centered, you got two and 3/4 one way and two and 3/4 the other way of of turning the wheel. So um that's I think it was two and 3/4. Might have been a little over three. I can't remember. But anyway, um that is the plan here. We're going to put that on today. Bolt that on. We're just kind of bolting stuff on as much as parts as we can get on the car. We're going to try to get them on so we can just move on and just keep bolting. Try to do something every day, every weekend. Get over here and and make headway. I got my dad right there. He's out here. He's keeping an eye on things. Right, Dad? We just had Arby's. We got his belly all full. So, he's not complaining. He's not. Right, Dad? You're not You're good now, right? Cuz your belly is full.

[00:07:01]Yeah. He's giving a thumbs up over there. We kind of got a late start. I was helping him move some things, but we're going to do as much as we can on it to get it moving forward. And so, next time I come over, just less to do.

[00:07:10]Every time you work on it, you just want to keep working and mentally do it. You know what I mean? Cuz it don't do itself. That's for sure. I thought the drag link was good, but it's not. It's got some slop in it. So, I wanted to run it, but my buddy Tom was looking at it going, "Man, you better replace it." And this is the time to do it. So, we're doing that. Get those front drums on and I'll get them adjusted and uh go from there.

[00:07:28]>> Poor idea.

[00:07:29]>> Making sure there's no grease on here.

[00:07:32]I'm filming.

[00:07:33]>> Oh, preach on, Dad. You're doing great, buddy. Preach on, my man.

[00:07:39]Spread the the knowledge, you know.

[00:07:52]Okay.

[00:07:54]See if she'll go on there.

[00:07:59]Oo, life is good. Life is good. Already been packed by hand.

[00:08:08]Put that on there like that.

[00:08:12]And we got the big washer that goes on next.

[00:08:17]It's got a keyed position on it which is right here so it can't spin and that goes on there like that. And then the big nut.

[00:08:30]We'll get that adjusted up. We brought this thing home out of the field.

[00:08:35]There's the cage here that goes on next.

[00:08:39]And then there's a hole in the spindle we put the cer pin through. and it hits these little notches.

[00:08:47]One of those many comes in one side out the other through the hole and you bend it over. So, this cage won't allow that nut to back off. See how that works?

[00:08:56]Most cars nowadays have sealed bearings that cost, I don't know, $300 to $500 to replace. Like my wife's Tahoe, they're all sealed in my dad's Ford truck and my town car.

[00:09:10]And man, I'll tell you, these old bearings, you set them up once and just run. You know, when I was younger, you know, you could just let them run, kind of overtighten a little bit, run that grease in there a little bit.

[00:09:29]Oh yeah, that up there just a little bit. I might have to un slide those brakes off a little bit. They're dragging to get a real feel for this. So, I'm going to have to back off that adjuster to really get a good feel for this and then adjust them back up. There's the adjuster here. So, I'll have to spin that. Bring these shoes closer together because the threads inside of here, they'll come closer together and and come away from the inside of the drum.

[00:09:59]Make more space in between the drum and the shoe. Let it freely spin and then I'll adjust it back out so it it just barely touches the drum.

[00:10:07]So, they're all adjusted correctly.

[00:10:19]That's definitely the wrong way.

[00:10:22]Back the other way.

[00:10:27]There we go.

[00:10:34]To find one, take your pliers and take them out of that running gear that the board there. Passenger side.

[00:10:40]>> So, I've got her adjusted pretty good here. There's a sweet spot where it's nice and free. I think the top of the shoes are dragging.

[00:10:46]>> Yeah.

[00:10:49]>> You can't feel any slop in and out.

[00:10:52]So, that feels real good right there. Now, to put this on, hopefully it lines up with the hole that runs through. Run a key in there. That's the one right there. Run a key through. Put the cap on. This side's ready to bleed the brakes. Let's go. Come on.

[00:11:11]Can't lie, it feels good, Dad.

[00:11:13]>> Cool. Who's got He might do that for dad. Father's Day.

[00:11:18]>> Whatever you need, Dad.

[00:11:19]>> Huh?

[00:11:20]>> Whatever you need, buddy.

[00:11:22]>> That way you'll have them when you come over.

[00:11:26]>> What do you need to get for film there?

[00:11:28]>> Huh?

[00:11:28]>> What are we refilling?

[00:11:30]>> Some cutter keys.

[00:11:32]>> Oh, from my cabinet.

[00:11:46]Nothing like a body hammer and a reamer.

[00:11:51]>> Good feeling, dude. The cap on.

[00:11:53]>> Oh, yeah. It'll go on.

[00:11:58]Is >> that the 3-in brakes or No, >> no. Small ones.

[00:12:02]>> Sure.

[00:12:03]>> Free ones.

[00:12:04]>> Regular.

[00:12:06]Brand new. All kinds of meat on them.

[00:12:08]>> Oh yeah. New drums.

[00:12:10]>> Got no grooves in them.

[00:12:11]>> No. New drums.

[00:12:13]>> New drums. Not germs.

[00:12:15]>> Oh, we're ready, son. Go. The Canadian border. We're coming, baby.

[00:12:20]>> 19.

[00:12:21]>> We're coming.

[00:12:22]>> 1962. I think me and Vic Mart made that trip in a retractable.

[00:12:27]>> Straight up from Okaboji.

[00:12:30]>> Three gear, son.

[00:12:32]>> A big 57 retractable.

[00:12:34]Three 0 gear. Dad, >> mosquitoes were big enough. You got to keep the windows closed. Mosquitoes are so big. They used to, as they said, it drive the moose up out on the highway to get out of the trees, you know.

[00:12:45]>> Yeah.

[00:12:46]>> Mosquitoes are so bad.

[00:12:48]>> Son, we're getting there.

[00:12:51]Big iron, buddy.

[00:12:53]Big iron. 427. He >> said the mosquitoes carried off a big a small dog, you know.

[00:13:02]>> All right. I think that's pretty good.

[00:13:05]Now we can get the brake lines hooked up. We're going to be in good shape.

[00:13:07]Come on. Let's go.

[00:13:12]Let's go.

[00:13:14]That side done, Dad.

[00:13:16]>> Sure.

[00:13:16]>> Ready for a wheel. Come on.

[00:13:22]Can't lie, that feels good. We brought this thing home. I think I already said this, but I'm going to say it again. I think every wheel was locked up on it, but one we first pulled it. Oh, yeah. We drove it around, dude. Just flat tires dragging it from here to there.

[00:13:35]>> I can remember dragging a D out of a trailer one time. What did it say? 20 years.

[00:13:40]>> I pulled it up with a comealong every inch. The old Bronco. We pulled her out of the field. That was >> nice.

[00:13:46]>> It was a tough.

[00:13:50]>> Got one right here, bud. South creeper.

[00:13:52]>> South creeper.

[00:13:53]>> Yes, sir. We got it. Oh sh All right, here we go. I want to see if she'll fit up in here.

[00:14:02]Oh yeah, she's going. She's going, boys.

[00:14:07]Nice.

[00:14:09]Just left the bolts in the holes when I took the old one out. Helped. Oh yeah, buddy. Let's go. If you're wondering what this rock is right here in the steering column hole, let's keep the raccoons out.

[00:14:25]They like to get up in there and root around on things. We've already dealt with that. So 427 floor had lots of holes. This four-door floor, boy, it's pretty solid.

[00:14:37]So we're having a hard time getting in there.

[00:14:43]We haven't had any problems since.

[00:14:46]All right. I undid this brake line here that goes to the junction.

[00:14:52]master cylinder in right, left, front, these two here, and then this is the rear. I unhooked it already and got it to the side. I'll just put a a union coupler right here and add on and go up to the Wheelwood block.

[00:15:06]Everybody said, "Oh, you can't put a union in." Well, we're going to do her.

[00:15:10]That's what we do. She'll be fine.

[00:15:13]She'll be fine.

[00:15:16]Right, Dad?

[00:15:17]>> That's right.

[00:15:18]>> Dang right.

[00:15:20]My goodness.

[00:15:22]Got that winter weight on still. It's a little hard to be moving around out here, but we're working on her. Wife's got me going to the gym trying to save me.

[00:15:30]We'll see. See what she can do.

[00:15:37]We got it. Put it on. Right, Dad? Let's go.

[00:15:39]>> Before you know it, you're driving it.

[00:15:41]So, my dad says, "Right, Dad."

[00:15:45]>> That's right.

[00:15:46]>> That's right, my man. Grab that 406.

[00:15:52]>> Get that long handle, son.

[00:15:55]Get that long handle, bud.

[00:15:59]>> Ser is for backyard.

[00:16:01]Snap-ons for a guy that makes a living doing it.

[00:16:03]>> I don't have a lot of Snap-On stuff, but this ratchet long handle with the pivot head.

[00:16:07]>> Yeah.

[00:16:08]>> 72 to boy.

[00:16:09]>> Piece of honey.

[00:16:10]>> Oh gosh.

[00:16:13]>> You pull the world if you had a place to stand.

[00:16:16]>> Yeah. Sweetheart, Snap-on, if you're listening, send me free stuff. We'll use it, right, Dad?

[00:16:25]>> Yep.

[00:16:28]>> We got that rebuilt steering column.

[00:16:30]We're going to slide in here.

[00:16:32]O, going to be nice. New drag link, Dad.

[00:16:39]Going to Canada, baby. Cross that border, son.

[00:16:42]>> Been there.

[00:16:47]Let's go, big dog. Let's go.

[00:16:54]What are you clapping pigeons now, bud?

[00:16:57]The old pigeon clap, son.

[00:16:59]>> I'm hoping they see that owl in that tree over there.

[00:17:03]>> She's tight, boys. She's tight.

[00:17:11]It's the old man and me, Dad.

[00:17:14]See? pretty good.

[00:17:15]>> It's the old man in me, buddy.

[00:17:17]>> Down like a goddamn kid.

[00:17:19]>> I got to I got no choice.

[00:17:21]Got to keep >> clean finger. You build these cars.

[00:17:23]>> Got to keep digging, buddy.

[00:17:25]>> Having somebody do it for you.

[00:17:26]>> Got to keep digging.

[00:17:27]>> Well, we did it. We had a productive day today. The old man helped me out the whole day out here like a soldier. So, we appreciate you joining. Thanks a lot.

[00:17:35]We'll catch you next time on South Speed. Tell your neighbors and friends.

[00:17:38]And uh thank you. The Canadian border.

[00:17:40]We're coming, baby. Yeah.