1964 Rambler Classic brake grabbing

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   Looking for some ideas.

1964 AMC Rambler Classic 770 V8 287

All brakes are working but the front right is extra sensitive.
As you get close to stopping the front right grabs hard.
During braking you can feel the front right pulling.

Where might I try first?

Thanks!!

Michael and Karen

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1964Rambler022321 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Apprentice Joined: Feb/25/2021 Location: Williamsport, P Status: Offline Points: 39	Post Options Post Reply Quote 1964Rambler022321 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: 1964 Rambler Classic brake grabbing Posted: Jul/07/2021 at 1:13pm
	Looking for some ideas. 1964 AMC Rambler Classic 770 V8 287 All brakes are working but the front right is extra sensitive. As you get close to stopping the front right grabs hard. During braking you can feel the front right pulling. Where might I try first? Thanks!! Michael and Karen

Goodtimes Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Apprentice Joined: Oct/27/2020 Location: Wisconsin Status: Offline Points: 124	Post Options Post Reply Quote Goodtimes Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Jul/07/2021 at 2:44pm
	First check brake adjustment and adjust per service manual, check for leaking wheel cylinders (backing plate and drum lip would look wet) brake fluid acts as a lubricant when it gets on brake shoes, left front wheel cylinder could be leaking causing right front brake to do all the work, causing the pull.
	69 AMX 290 4spd leather 68 AMX 390 A/T 70 front

troutwilly Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Addicted Joined: Sep/14/2007 Location: Carriere, MS Status: Offline Points: 992	Post Options Post Reply Quote troutwilly Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Jul/07/2021 at 11:08pm
	Could it be one of those cases where the brake shoes were installed backwards....leading shoe on the rear instead of the front and trailing shoe on the front?
	Bill O. 70 AMX

tomj Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Addicted Joined: Jan/27/2010 Location: earth Status: Offline Points: 7544	Post Options Post Reply Quote tomj Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Jul/08/2021 at 12:24am
	Yeah... context. Did this suddenly start after working right for years? Did you just do some brake work? Is it a new car to you? Etc.. what went on before.
	1960 Rambler Super two-door wagon, OHV auto 1961 Roadster American, 195.6 OHV, T5 http://www.ramblerLore.com

FSJunkie Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Addicted Joined: Jan/09/2011 Location: Flagstaff, AZ Status: Offline Points: 4742	Post Options Post Reply Quote FSJunkie Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Jul/08/2021 at 2:48am
	You'll just have to pull both brakes apart and thuroughly inspect them for anything that is out of order or different from side to side that would cause unequal braking. It could be something really obvious like an adjuster failing to operate properly or damaged brake shoe linings. Or, it could be something really hidden that you must be very attentive to detail to find. I fought a brake pull on our 1965 Ambassador for YEARS until I decided to pop the boot off the wheel cylinders and measure them. The parts store sold me two different size wheel cylinders even though they were the same part numbers on the boxes! You have to really watch for things like that.
	1955 Packard 1966 Marlin 1972 Wagoneer 1973 Ambassador 1977 Hornet 1982 Concord D/L 1984 Eagle Limited

First_Gear Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Addicted Joined: Jan/18/2010 Location: Mukilteo WA Status: Offline Points: 644	Post Options Post Reply Quote First_Gear Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Jul/13/2021 at 10:27am
	Did you swap the right and left adjusters? One screws clockwise and one counterclockwise. They both look the same. It's easy to make a mistake. Also might need to bleed air out of the system. I had grabbing brakes on my nova and after I bled them the problem went away.

1964Rambler022321 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Apprentice Joined: Feb/25/2021 Location: Williamsport, P Status: Offline Points: 39	Post Options Post Reply Quote 1964Rambler022321 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Jul/14/2021 at 12:43pm
	TroutWilly - That is what was found when we brought it home a couple months ago. The shoes have since been put on correctly. Is it possible since they were put on wrong to begin with they started wearing wrong when driven by the previous owner and now, though on correctly, thy are causing this grab? First_Gear - Don't know about the adjusters. The previous owner did some crazy things with this. I will try bleeding them. FSJunkie - Great idea taking them down and inspecting them from the ground up. If bleeding does not work, I will give this a try. About your problem years ago, I wonder if the factory put the wrong wheel cylinder in the box or it was a screw up by a guy putting things back in boxes at the part store? I would not have thought to compare sizes. You are believing all is well coming new out of a box. TomJ - We just picked up the car this past March. It was bad then. We took it to our garage to lift it and check them out. He found the shoes on backwards. When the shoes were corrected they still grab but not near as bad. What was the previous owner like? The car kept stalling out after a mile or so. Let it set for a couple minutes. It starts back up. Fuel problem!! Checked the fuel filter. It was in backwards!! It now runs good. It is that darn stopping that is getting in the way!! All great ideas. All of them. Things I would have never thought of. Should have time soon to take the brakes apart. I will do both at the same time and compare what I am seeing. Will let you know. How do I insert a pic of our baby? Hyperlink?? 1964 AMC Rambler Classic 770. 2 door hardtop. No pillar. White top over aqua/teal/green/blue(??) body!! Cragar rims with straight pipes underneath each containing a small muffler to give it a nice growl!! Thanks everyone for your thoughts and ideas. Michael

troutwilly Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Addicted Joined: Sep/14/2007 Location: Carriere, MS Status: Offline Points: 992	Post Options Post Reply Quote troutwilly Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Jul/14/2021 at 10:18pm
	Michael, -Don't know about the shoes wearing-in one way and then still not working correctly when corrected. I had that problem on a Metropolitan I had. Switching the shoes solved it. And I think I was the one to install them incorrectly, well, I know I was. - As First_Gear recommended, check those adjusters. You seemed to glaze over that and go into bleeding, which has nothing to do with the adjusters. - And how about the roundness or run-out of the drum. Another thing to check. - You'll need 30 points to post a pic. You're half way there.
	Bill O. 70 AMX

troutwilly Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Addicted Joined: Sep/14/2007 Location: Carriere, MS Status: Offline Points: 992	Post Options Post Reply Quote troutwilly Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Aug/04/2021 at 12:21am
	Been a couple weeks. How you making out? I came back to this post because I just read an article in my April "Street Scene" magazine (NSRA). It was in the safety inspection editorial. Anyway, same situation you seem to have. It turned out to be corrosion on one of the wheel cylinder rods/pistons. The rod/piston would not retract back into the housing causing the shoe it operated to already be too close to the drum, and in turn, causing that wheel to brake earlier and harder than the others. So check your wheel cylinders, even if they've just been replaced. And if you find corrosion you'll know they really weren't replaced. Moisture in the system seemed to be the cause of the corrosion, remedied by bleeding the entire system every two years.
	Bill O. 70 AMX