Maybe someone can help me, I have a 1972 Cutlass convertible drum brakes all around, I just put new wheels and tires on the car and while doing this noticed some play in the right side wheel bearing. I tightened it up, only a slight turn on the nut basically one notch for the cotter pin. Now the car pulls to the right when the brakes are first applied, I have very little experience with front drum brakes.So any help would be appreciated, is it only a matter of readjusting them?

 

First, I would go back and loosen the wheelbearing nut one notch and see if that doesn't eliminate the pulling to one side.

Second, I would familiarize myself with the proper method of tightening the wheel bearing nut. It's not just a matter of tightening "until it feels right." There is a procedure in the chassis service manual that involves tightening to a proper amount of torque and then backing off a certain amount. Some play is normal.

 

i dont think its the bearing, try loosening it again? probably the adjusters are out. try backing up and jabbing the brakes, the auto adjusters should kick in.there are openings in the backing plate to adjust them manualy

 

Thanks guys, If a little play is normal than I will first try backing nut off to where it was, then adjusting brakes .

 

Why not?

Why would his brake adjuster go out of adjustment because he put a new wheel on? Were things ok as far as pulling to one side before the new wheels/tires were put on? Were they OK after they were put on but before he tightened the nut? That's the way I took his post.

It seems to me that if things were fine before he tightened the wheelbearing nut and the car is pulling to one side afterwards, the thing to do first to determine the source of the problem is to undo the thing you just did.

 

because typicaly a tight bearing is always gonna pull, its possible tightening the bearing stood the wheel up a bit and now the brake is out of adjustment

 

After reading these replies I should clarify, When I removed the old rim and tire I noticed the play in the hub and tightened it before driving the car, so it is possible that this could have affected the braking. In the morning I will back off the nut and if it isn't raining drive the car.And post the outcome, for future work what would you recommend as far as service manuals. I just recently got this car and it does need some minor work. Thanks

 

I would take both front hubs apart, inspect, repack the bearings and reassemble properly. It only takes a few hours and then you are sure that all the bearings are good. If it were loose for a long period of time it may have affected the wear pattern on the shoes. When you tightened it up it made everything square and now the shoes need to settle back in to wear properly..

 

Self adjusters notoriously often don't......self adjust. They live in a hot and dusty environment and often don't get enough maintenance.
It could be the work you did made the right side adjuster move a little and now the left side is out of whack.




Roger.

 

Read the sections in the Chassis Service Manual about adjusting the wheel bearings and the brakes, as implied above, then, as stated, pull the wheels, inspect the brakes, free up and lubricate the adjusters, clean, repack, and inspect the bearings and races, and put it all back together the right way.

You'll be glad you did.

- Eric