Brakes: First post and first problem

[Alex122]

Hi, I'm Alex I'm 19 years old and I recently bought my first volvo amazon. It's been a brilliant car but I've been having this issue with the front brakes. As the car is a 64 it has drums. And under heavy braking the brakes are vicious and tend to lock up. If you break lightly they are absolutely fine. I have removed both drums and checked them the pads etc seem fine, the only thing being some mild scoring on the drum. Could this be fixed with the adjuster, or is there something I am missing?
Thanks

[jimbolya]

Hey buddy, will leave those more knowledgeable than I to answer your brake question...

But Welcome!

I'm 'just' up the road from you in Godalming, if ever you fancy meeting up, I have a '64 Amazon Estate.

Happy motoring!

P.S - post a pic or two so we can see you 'zon!

[Derek UK]

This isn't uncommon but can usually be minimised by good adjustment and maintenance. Clean everything out in there, dust etc. BEWARE, asbestos dust, so use a mask if using an airline. Check for leaking brake cylinders and replace if needed. Put a small angled chamfer on the each end of the shoe material. Carefully grease anywhere that metal rubs on metal. Use proper brake grease**. Unless the drum scoring is really bad it can usually be ignored but there are limits! Adjust the shoes according to the book. An extra person on the brake pedal is useful in balancing both sides.
If you've only had disc brakes before the braking feel and how you use the brake pedal is a bit different. These drum brakes are what they call "self servo" which means that they add a bit of extra pressure to the braking as you push on the pedal. Can mean that they can feel a bit sudden until you get used to it.
See George's thread here about his PV drum fronts.
http://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showthread.php?t=223538

** More than you need to know here - http://www.tirereview.com/brake-lubricants-101/

[Alf ista]

Welcome to the forum Alex. You will get great advice here. Pics of your car please when you get a chance.
Hugh.

[123GT-AMAZON]

Hi ya Alex

If you don't like the brakes I would recommend up grading them to disc brakes , you just switch out the whole stubs and pop in the disc brake ones and plum up the caliepers big difference in the brakes I'm not a fan of the drum brakes at the front unless it's a special car or rare early one then upgrade is the way forward if it's all shot and your having trouble with them .

Just piece of mind as if you go through say a ford you could have brake fade or a flooded area plus a dam site easier to maintain with disc pads lol

Welcome to the forum and happy motoring in your Swedish amazon

Kind regards
Robert.w

[Underdrive]

I'm surprised it still has front drums on a '64.

[c1800]

So am I, I had a '62 with front discs.


http://www.volvoclub.org.uk/prof_120.shtml

[northNH]

No surprise here, drums were still used on some models and markets through the end of '64, though not in USA/Can.
ALL dual carb sedans from '62 on used discs, but your watered-down single carb cars (we were spared those in USA), and perhaps some wagons continued using drums 'til Volvo used up every last set before the major upgrade in '65.

As far as keeping drums go, as Derek says, nothing wrong with them if the time is taken to keep them maintained and adjusted as intended. Especially "proper brake grease...", make sure you know what he means, and where.
I had a '60 with drums for years and never killed, or even hit, anything.
Well, there were some erratic squirrels...

I will admit I would rather drive an Amazon with drums than behind a guy with them.

[Alex122]

Thank you very much for your response! I will definitely get onto that!
Many thanks!