Dragging to one side

[Sammy]

Hi there, 

after a lot of work on my brakes - new cylinder, hardware, shoes, hoses, going back to old drums, 
the car still drags to one side. Does this for years now, but I hoped to get rid of it after all is new / changed.

When starting the engine and every part is cool the car brakes perfectly, totally straight.
Once the car heats up it drags to the left heavily, even if I didn't brake a lot. 

So my thought was: The brake line to the front right is very close to the exhaust flange.
Maybe I have a problem that it heats up the brake line and fluid too much and so 
braking power decreases on the right?

Did somebody have this problem and maybe a heat shield around the brake line would help?

Thanks everybody.
Sammy

[Tony and Ginny 429]

Sammy

What condition is your front suspension in ? 
Worn parts could be a big part of the problem and will need to be replaced 

Do you have a lot of slack in the steering wheels feel around the center ?

Most any auto shop will tell you what you need to be replacing thinking they are doing the job - get an estimate for free 

If it pulls to the left it means— the right drum brake shoes need  to be adjusted closer to its drum 

The two front brakes need to have approx the same drag on them when adjusted 

On these Cadillacs after adjusting the brakes thru the slot on the front of the drums ( not the norm ) you need to put the tire back on the rim with two lug nuts 

Note a spot on the tire and give the tire a  good spin 

When the tire makes a full turn and stops at the spot  it started the break is adjusted correctly 

You may have to make your adjustment and then take the tire on and off until you get it right 

After you get it right take the car out for a 5 minute drive to warm the brakes 

When you come to a stop sign when you remove your foot from the brake the car should creep forward slightly showing the brakes are not adjusted to tight or binding once hot 

When  the brakes get hot they are acting odd which has nothing to do with being close to exhaust pipe heat 

As you said —you have no adjusting slots on your replacement drums I am not at all sure how you are making your brake adjustment 

If the brakes are new run the car up to 50 MPH and stop hard a half dozen times allowing them to cool in between stops 

Hope that helps some 

Keep me posted 

Enjoy 

[Sammy]

Yes as I wrote I did all this, alignment several times, brake in new shoes etc etc
If the alignment wasn't correct it would drag to one side at any time, if cold or warmed up.
But it brakes perfectly straight when brakes are cool and escpecially when engine and exhaust are cool.
The problem I got is when the engine heats up - not necessarily when the brakes are hot.

[Tony and Ginny 429]

I do not see any correlation  between the engine temp —to the brake shoes  and drum temps 

They are separate items and one does not effect the others  heat level 

Getting the drag the same on the front brakes when adjusting them should correct the problem with the pulling to one side 

You could be having a problem with one of the self adjuster in the stock brakes not working correctly - are they clean 

Try backing up the car— and then slamming on the brakes a few times 

That is how you get the stock self adjuster to adjust the brake shoes tighter when needed and might make the adjustments in the front brake to drum surface more equal if the self adjusters are working correctly 

Easy to do so worth a try 

You may need new brake springs if you do not know there replacement history to pull the shoes back to were they SB and not be dragging on a drum 

Enjoy 

[Sammy]

Not temperature of the drums and shoes is the issue, braking fluid seems to be boiling when its heated up by exhaust.

Yesterday I went to a shop for motorsport and they recommended some heat shield around brake line near exhaust manifold. 
Maybe it's not at a proper position anymore.
Think I will give it a try.

[3ft7bqmb7dryo]

Just reposition the brake line. 

[Tony and Ginny 429]

Russ

Like your thought and saw it after I wrote my post 

Could be a simple fix if exhaust heat  could be his  issue in his case 

Enjoy 

[Tony and Ginny 429]

Sammy 

I am here more than one time a day since 2006 - sometimes 3or 4 times 

No one ever said anything about any heat shield around brake lines that I have experienced 

You just might be on to something in your own case 

Do try using the self adjusters to see if they help make the pulling better 

How old is your brake fluid as that may make it  possibly boil more than  exhaust heat 

It SB changed every two years but I don’t do that either 

I did not see you say you changed the brake springs to be sure they are pulling the shoes off the drum and not dragging them on one side or is that a part of the hardware you listed 

The  spring metal could be heat fatigued from age and miles 

I have been doing the brakes on all my own cars including my 64 Convert for 60 years 

You are not answering some questions or responding to my suggestions I ask so I can only help to some degree without those answers 

So just some advice I feel I can offer due to my own experience with the subject for a long time 

Enjoy 

[Sammy]

Sorry I didn't want to offend you in any way.

Like I wrote I changed brake parts several times, even wheel bearings and all springs.
Did a lot of adjustment, even taken the automatic adjuster out on the side it drags too. 
No success.

But as it changes once the car heats up there has to be another issue, maybe the brake lines don't sit properly anymore as they should be so the problem with overheating brake fluid occurs.

As I only got a simple floor jack it's not that easy for me to relocate them and if they bent I have a major issue here in my area in Germany - the shops around here are not familiar with this kind of work.

I'll try it with a heat shield and if this helps I can rent a lifting platform and try to relocate them.
I never had an issue like this before in all over 30 years working on my cars, but I hope to get it fixed this way.

[Tony and Ginny 429]

Sammy 

OK —let us know how you make out 

It’s the difficult repairs to trouble shoot  that I enjoy knowing  the most about for my own purposes and my own repairs 

I have read all the details you have posted in the past on the subject 

I do not get offended easily  at all but answering my questions will help me help you 

Owning my 64 since new and having a drag racing back ground (  lifetime gear head  ) just trying to give all some direction from my own personal experience to get her done 

What is the condition of the rest of your front suspension ?? 
I could not live with the front wheels pulling for 10 minutes —-so I feel for you regarding this subject 

Keep us posted 

Enjoy