brakes

[adk4x4]

If any brake work was done in the past, and it was done without noting the arrow direction on the wedge block between the shoes at the top then it could be pointing in the wrong direction which is easy. I did it on two and the braking power was crap. After flipping the blocks it was like night and day.

[Mikel]

One of our members in Belgium is putting a M715 body on a J10 frame and drivetrain, with 44" tires and an AMC 401.

I've always thought that he would be better off with the M715's original axles vs the J10's Dana 44's, since the brakes are so much larger, even taking the J10's smallish front disk brakes into account. I had a '78 Cherokee with 38's and I wasn't impressed with the brakes. I would not want to drive it with 44's.

What do you guys think?

[brute4c]

How far do you have to push the pedal before you get any braking?

Do they pump up or no?

[Dan Mac]

I just bought my first M715 and with stock brakes that work quite well.I have built many gladiator p-ups in the past and had that problem with one I had.After replacing everything else, I realized that the master cylinder was the wrong one for that truck and, although it worked well, it simply didn't hold/move enough fluid for that size of brakes.

[amphi]

I just bought my first M715 and with stock brakes that work quite well.

I see you are in Portland. Did you buy one of these from GSA?

[randyscycle]

One of our members in Belgium is putting a M715 body on a J10 frame and drivetrain, with 44" tires and an AMC 401.

I've always thought that he would be better off with the M715's original axles vs the J10's Dana 44's, since the brakes are so much larger, even taking the J10's smallish front disk brakes into account. I had a '78 Cherokee with 38's and I wasn't impressed with the brakes. I would not want to drive it with 44's.

What do you guys think?

I think that if you put axles with brakes designed for a much lighter truck under and M715 you will definitely lose some braking ability. Add to that, the fact that you then increase the weight of the wheel/tire assemblies by going larger, you have now cut the ability of the brakes to shed any speed by a large margin.

Kind of like an XJ Cherokee vs a ZJ Grand Cherokee. Same axles under a significantly larger vehicle. The Grand never stopped as well as the XJ.

[brute4c]

One problem people have had with swaps in the past is that the rod from the pedal to the master needs to be lengthed for the setup they swap to. Until they do this, its half pedal or more travel until any brake efect can happen...sure would make the brakes seem bad...

[airborne]

Jon, THAT is something i will check. I've done everything but the wheel cyl's, so hopefully that will get this back to a street truck. I still would like to boost the brakes. Thanks guys for all the input AGAIN!

[randygar]

Ours stops great, after new wheel cylinders, new master cylinder, several new lines, and adjustments all around...

However, it always jerks the steering wheel slightly to the left, even after replacing just about everything.

--Randy

[brute4c]

Airborne, let us know if you get it or you need more...bad brakes are a recipe for bad things...usually expensive things too!

Randygar, possibly the adjustment is a little off...the preferred method we use...and maybe you already do...is to tighten the shoes on one drum all the way against the drum...then back them off until the slight drag setting is there...COUNT the number of clicks you made on the star wheel.
Go to the next drum, tighten just like the last wheel and back off the exact same number of clicks...repeat twice more and that will get you pretty good.

Hitting the brake pedal every so often to make sure the brake shoes stay centered is good...