rdmace1956
Member
Spent a little time on weekend getting a 41 Mercury back on the road. Restoration is about 5 years old and it has sat for well over a year. I only get to 'visit' this car a few times a year. So I collect some parts and drive several hours to play in the shop with it. This is my first post but I have read the forum on and off for about a year.
I am new to the world of these old cars, may late father-in-law was a master mechanic and so did things instinctively without much in the way of books or manuals to guide him.
Brakes were weak but came into it after I added fresh fluid and bled the system good. In June I had worked on the car to get it started and found the master cylinder had run dry, I added fluid but did not get the brakes to pump up on that visit. This time I found that it had held fluid OK for several months and still looked dry everywhere. I actually thought I was going to have to change out the master cylinder but so far all seems well there. Good stiff pedal.
My question is on the emergency/park brake. The cable had been tightened as far as it will go and two 'slack devices' are already on the cables but the brakes are barely dragging when the umbrella handle is full up. When I turn the drums by hand I can feel a very light drag of the shoes as I would expect.
I did not get a chance to pull the drums to look but I suspect the shoes are in nearly new condition. Should the park brake be strong enough to be used as a real emergency brake? If I find the shoes are OK, should I try to get a new set of cables to install? I do not know if any of the brake cables were replaced as part of the restoration.
I am new to the world of these old cars, may late father-in-law was a master mechanic and so did things instinctively without much in the way of books or manuals to guide him.
Brakes were weak but came into it after I added fresh fluid and bled the system good. In June I had worked on the car to get it started and found the master cylinder had run dry, I added fluid but did not get the brakes to pump up on that visit. This time I found that it had held fluid OK for several months and still looked dry everywhere. I actually thought I was going to have to change out the master cylinder but so far all seems well there. Good stiff pedal.
My question is on the emergency/park brake. The cable had been tightened as far as it will go and two 'slack devices' are already on the cables but the brakes are barely dragging when the umbrella handle is full up. When I turn the drums by hand I can feel a very light drag of the shoes as I would expect.
I did not get a chance to pull the drums to look but I suspect the shoes are in nearly new condition. Should the park brake be strong enough to be used as a real emergency brake? If I find the shoes are OK, should I try to get a new set of cables to install? I do not know if any of the brake cables were replaced as part of the restoration.
