[Deb Mac]

An old thread but I am resurrecting it. In my battle with my new to me TM, the Kobayashi Maru, now that the plumbing is done, I have started on brakes and bearings.

Bearings and races are pristine, smooth as glass, grease is still nice and thick and sticky. No signs of water, grease seal very well intact! No wobble in the wheel in any direction.
Surface rust on the back plates and mechanisms, but everything moves the way it should. Magnets are both in great shape.
Brake shoes hardly have any wear on them. I know the PO didn't go far when he traveled and the condition of everything shows it. But...

The shoes on the curb side are both cracked. Street side are fine - some fine hairline, which according to that pdf from Dexter, should be fine. But the curb side are definitely more than hairline, so unfortunately, I am going to have to replace the brakes. Drums are great so I'm just going to do the actual brake assembly on both sides, and leave the bearings alone.

I am going to contact Dexter to find out what they say the cause would be. I am thinking just time affecting those acceptable hairline cracks.. These are the original brakes (along with the original tires) so it isn't a huge surprise that I have to replace them.