Guys,

This one is stumping me, my 99 Legacy wagon with disc front and drum rear brakes gets excessive brake pedal when I am cornering and when I am at a stop and shift into reverse. I also noticed as I drive in reverse with my foot on the pedal, the brake pressure in the pedal occasionally increases, the pedal will rise.

Let me tell what I have done recently to see if this sheds light, I replaced the front calipers and pads, no problem then. I replaced the rear brake cylinders and shoes. Then I replaced the drums also. I noticed the problem a few days later. I have completely bled the system, I have adjusted the self adjusters and sharpened the edges on the star wheel and the lever.

My question, Is the leading shoe different on the drivers side different from the passenger side? Is the trailing shoe different also? I know on the older cars you had to be careful when replacing the shoes, but if I remember, the shoes for each side are identical.

I am going to take the drums off again, if I can and see if the shoes are identical, I think they are.

Anyone who has had this problem, please chime in. There is also a proportioning valve, I do not know the symptoms of a bad one and the master cylinder seems to be working fine also.

Help, Help, Help, I deliver mail in this craft and brakes are really important as they are on every other car.

Thanks,

DanO:confused: :confused:

I dont know what the problem is, but yes the shoes on the rear are the same, Iam also a mail carrier so I get to take them off enough to remember. One test you can do is with the car off pump the brakes and then hold them and start the engine, the pedal should then move towards the floor if it dont it may be a brake booster problem. Also you might want to check the brakes line with some soapy water in a spray bottle as you have some one else pump the brakes.

Guys,

This one is stumping me, my 99 Legacy wagon with disc front and drum rear brakes gets excessive brake pedal when I am cornering and when I am at a stop and shift into reverse. I also noticed as I drive in reverse with my foot on the pedal, the brake pressure in the pedal occasionally increases, the pedal will rise.

Let me tell what I have done recently to see if this sheds light, I replaced the front calipers and pads, no problem then. I replaced the rear brake cylinders and shoes. Then I replaced the drums also. I noticed the problem a few days later. I have completely bled the system, I have adjusted the self adjusters and sharpened the edges on the star wheel and the lever.

My question, Is the leading shoe different on the drivers side different from the passenger side? Is the trailing shoe different also? I know on the older cars you had to be careful when replacing the shoes, but if I remember, the shoes for each side are identical.

I am going to take the drums off again, if I can and see if the shoes are identical, I think they are.

Anyone who has had this problem, please chime in. There is also a proportioning valve, I do not know the symptoms of a bad one and the master cylinder seems to be working fine also.

Help, Help, Help, I deliver mail in this craft and brakes are really important as they are on every other car.

Thanks,

DanO:confused: :confused:

You might be getting pad knock-back from worn out wheel bearings, the rotor may be pushing the pads back into the caliper - causing the extra travel. In this case, the problem would be your front bearings. I don't know if the same thing will happen with drum brakes, it would be a different from the disk brake reactions.

Virrdog,

Guess what, I am having a front bearing replaced as we write this, there is some sloppiness, didn't think that would affect the brakes, we will see after the new one is back on the car, thanks.

DanO:)

Virrdog probably hit it on the head. Report back when you get the wheel bearings replaced.

There is a caus and effect chain, and the wheel bearings can cause weirdness in the brake pedal if they are really sloppy. If you still have the problem, test the brake booster (i may not have a net connection for a few days thats why i suggest it now).

 

 

nipper

Guys,

I want to thank you guys, that's why this site rocks !

I cahnged the entire hub assembly cause my race, bearing were all spent, I got a used sterring knuckle assy, installed and no bearing play and no brake problem, as of today.

I took it out for a test ride, all seems to be god, the pad knock back thing was it, I will be delivering mail in the car on Thursday, we'll see what happens.

I learned a new problem and solution again, I am thankful to the input, Nipper and Virrdog, good job.

DanO:banana:

Thats a new one for me also my two mail Subaru's have over 500,000 miles on them between the two and I never had this problem and have had to change many front bearing, but I never had a bearing be total gone so they was not much play in the hub. Glad to hear you have it fixed.

Guys,

I want to thank you guys, that's why this site rocks !

I cahnged the entire hub assembly cause my race, bearing were all spent, I got a used sterring knuckle assy, installed and no bearing play and no brake problem, as of today.

I took it out for a test ride, all seems to be god, the pad knock back thing was it, I will be delivering mail in the car on Thursday, we'll see what happens.

I learned a new problem and solution again, I am thankful to the input, Nipper and Virrdog, good job.

DanO:banana:

Just a follow up, the car is riding smoother than ever, the brakes are working perfectly.

I ended up replacing the entire steering knuckle with one from a local junkyard. The hub assy. was spent and the bearing was also on my unit.

After installing the used setup, there is no play, no vibration and the brake pedal is solid.

Just a note, I drove this car for about 6 months with the bad bearing/hub problem with absolutely no noise from the assy. I noticed the sloppiness while I was rotating the tires. The brake issue arose only one month ago, guess I would never had learned about pad knock back if I replaced the bearing 6 months ago, ahha, a silver lining, something learned can be something taught.

Keep on informing guys.

 

DanO:burnout: