Half dead brake pedal

[Flightman91]

So I'm changing my brakes and I've never touched drums before. I tried to adjust the screws to I had a little drag on the wheels. But I don't have any brakes till about half way down the pedal. Do I just need more adjuster or do I have a bigger problem?

[1972hiboy]

Just a tad more background info here. What exactly did you do to the brakes? So far all we have is you put new rear brake shoes on the back?

[Flightman91]

I changed the rear shoes and had taken one front drum apart but the shoes were fine so I closed it back up.

I did also have the rear end out of the truck if that makes a difference. So the hose that connects to that is new.

Also I took out one of those old brake controllers that was plumbed into the brake lines.

Yes I have bleed all the brakes, three times now.

[1972hiboy]

Did you machine the drums or replace them when you did the shoes?

[Flightman91]

I did not. They were machines 8k miles ago. I only changed the rear shoes because the left ones had gotta soaked in oil.

[MadMike]

So I'm changing my brakes and I've never touched drums before. I tried to adjust the screws to I had a little drag on the wheels. But I don't have any brakes till about half way down the pedal. Do I just need more adjuster or do I have a bigger problem?

On the rears keep adjusting them til they begin to drag.
If the rearend is a floater make sure that the rear bearings are snugged up not letting the hub have any slop in the 6-12 O'Clock position.

On the front verify the wheel bearings are properly snugged up. No need for them to drag, you just need to take the slop out of them, same as a rear floater.
Adjust the fronts til they begin to drag.

Don't worry about the drag, as long as it doesn't prevent the wheel from spinning. This is a preference, you don't want them to drag-drag, just enough that you know the majority of the slop is gone and the brakes will bite when you depress the pedal.

Back in the day they used to arch/radius the shoes to better fit the drums. A DIY is kind of left to leave them a tad snug and let them wear in.

Put the wheels back on and find an empty road to back up on. Backup and brake hard a few times, this will get the auto adjusters to self adjust if they are not seized, teeth are not worn, and properly lubed. You did make sure the pads on the backing plate were smooth and not grooved/worn. This will cause the shoes to hang up.

If when you tighten up the adjusters the pedal comes back you are heading in the right direction. Verify that there is no excess slop with the brake pedal pushrod and MC, adjust accordingly.

Go for a drive and get some heat into the shoes. Pull over and check that all the drums are warm, fronts will be a bit warmer than the rears. But if any drum is cold then it is not functioning.

Don't forget to check the adjustment on the parking brake cable. You don't want the cables to be tensioned when the brake is off, you want the slack removed, but you don't want them sloppy either.

[locknload]

So I'm changing my brakes and I've never touched drums before. I tried to adjust the screws to I had a little drag on the wheels. But I don't have any brakes till about half way down the pedal. Do I just need more adjuster or do I have a bigger problem?

On the rears keep adjusting them til they begin to drag.
If the rearend is a floater make sure that the rear bearings are snugged up not letting the hub have any slop in the 6-12 O'Clock position.

On the front verify the wheel bearings are properly snugged up. No need for them to drag, you just need to take the slop out of them, same as a rear floater.
Adjust the fronts til they begin to drag.

Don't worry about the drag, as long as it doesn't prevent the wheel from spinning. This is a preference, you don't want them to drag-drag, just enough that you know the majority of the slop is gone and the brakes will bite when you depress the pedal.

Back in the day they used to arch/radius the shoes to better fit the drums. A DIY is kind of left to leave them a tad snug and let them wear in.

Put the wheels back on and find an empty road to back up on. Backup and brake hard a few times, this will get the auto adjusters to self adjust if they are not seized, teeth are not worn, and properly lubed. You did make sure the pads on the backing plate were smooth and not grooved/worn. This will cause the shoes to hang up.

If when you tighten up the adjusters the pedal comes back you are heading in the right direction. Verify that there is no excess slop with the brake pedal pushrod and MC, adjust accordingly.

Go for a drive and get some heat into the shoes. Pull over and check that all the drums are warm, fronts will be a bit warmer than the rears. But if any drum is cold then it is not functioning.

Don't forget to check the adjustment on the parking brake cable. You don't want the cables to be tensioned when the brake is off, you want the slack removed, but you don't want them sloppy either.

Wow, great info. I just picked up a 70 and am having the exact same issue as the OP. I can't remember when I had drums last so this helps me get started, thank you.