Steering, brake fade

[RichardT10829]

Brand new woven linings oversized and profiled to match the drums which were cleaned up pristine on a lathe. No grease inside that I can see

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by RichardT10829

Brand new woven linings oversized and profiled to match the drums which were cleaned up pristine on a lathe. No grease inside that I can see

Hi Richard,
Don't I recall that your shoe linings were a little too thick and you hand finished them with a sander or something? As Rob says, remove the drum now to see the face of the shoes to check how much contact area you have. Did you renew the hub oil seals?
Another problem with new type lining material is that it is not like asbestos where you could bed them in quick, this stuff will not bed in quickly and can glaze if you try to.

regards, Richard

[motto (RIP)]

I hesitate to respond not being a carrier owner but as Rob suggested, perhaps driving technique has something to do with the problem or perhaps the way the vehicle is used with many turns over a relatively short distance. From what I know of drum brakes any of them will fade if worked too hard so dragging them is a no no and little jabs are preferable. At speed this must be done very carefully as the vehicle will spin out with little provocation.
Driving a U/C is not as easy as one might think. They can be quite treacherous, I know that much.
If the carrier has track displacement, (did they all have it?) is it fully operational and rigged correctly so as you are not relying entirely on the brakes? i.e.;brakes coming on too soon.
How hot are they when fade becomes apparent? They should function ok until they are damned hot.
Just some random thoughts as I am interested in the topic.

David

[RichardT10829]

I apply them with jabs rather than drags. I have noticed last night that when I go to take second the carrier stops (loses it's momentum immediately).... I must be just catching the shoes ? Which I am sure would make them heat up real quick. Also my foot pedal travel is very short before the brakes are applied. ( almost immediately) what sort of brake pedal travel should I have ?

[Rob Beale]

Hi Ritchie

Have you checked the adjustment of the brake linkages is as per the diagram in the manual?
Each of the bell cranks should be set so that they operate from just before right angled to just after, to get maximum leverage.
Try backing off the adjustment of the links to the actuators to give a bit more play and see if the drag when gear changing goes away.

Rob

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by RichardT10829

I have noticed last night that when I go to take second the carrier stops (loses it's momentum immediately)....

Maybe brakes are dragging, did you set up the linkage as per the manual?

[RichardT10829]

Yeah as best I could without the little gauge tools. I have just re adjusted the shoe spacings by torquing them on at 80ft lbs then backed them off four flats... Cured the stopping issue. Took it on a run to the fuel station 1.5 miles up the road which consists of one left turn one right turn and a roundabout got home and a struggle to turn again.... Drums hot ! Again I am jabbing not dragging the brakes on. Going to pull te hubs now and have a look see.

[rob love]

There was a problem with the park brake creeping on during use in the carriers. But you would likely have noticed that by now.

The short jabs is the procedure I was alluding to as being best. When I was attached to an Infantry Battalian, we used to drive the M113A2s the short 200 km trip down the highway from Winnipeg to Shilo. If a driver tried to correct for road crown by merely holding back one tiller bar, you would end up with the overheat light going on for the controlled differential. The correct way was you oversteered slightly, and let the carrier correct itself until it just passed straight away, then you jabbed it again, and again, and again....... Man, the left arm sure got a work out over the 4 hour trip.

[rob love]

Originally Posted by RichardT10829

Yeah as best I could without the little gauge tools. I have just re adjusted the shoe spacings by torquing them on at 80ft lbs then backed them off four flats... Cured the stopping issue. Took it on a run to the fuel station 1.5 miles up the road which consists of one left turn one right turn and a roundabout got home and a struggle to turn again.... Drums hot ! Again I am jabbing not dragging the brakes on. Going to pull the hubs now and have a look see.

The tools are easy to make. Cut the basic shapes as shown in the manual. Use a digital caliper to mark the holes to their correct distance and center punch to mark the hole. Driill them out and weld in the appropriate size clevis pins.

I made my first set over 20 years ago, and was just using them a few weeks ago. Best bet is to make two sets. It will save you a couple climbs into the carrier and under the rear plate during set up.