If your Jeeps brakes really were "dodgy", they would squeel something fierce. They used to say of the old M37s:" If they didn't squeak, they worn't working".
If I insult your mechanical skills, please forgive me, but here goes:
-First, are the shoes adjusted fully. A major adjustment requires that the bottom adjusters be turned outwards ( Front one clockwise, back one counterclockwise, like a sprinkler). Back them off a smidgeon, and then adjust the uppers the same way and just back off so theres a bit of drag. The manual calls for feeler guages for this operation, which is even better.
(I saw a guy change 2 airpacs and 3 master cylinders on a M35Cdn cause he hadn't done a major adjustment.)
- Is the master cylinder adjusted so there is just a bit of freeplay before the pedal starts to move the piston? Too much freeplay and you won't get full use of the pedal...no freeplay and you will get buildup of pressure and the brakes won't release.
-If the shoes are new, have they been arced to the drums? If drums have been turned, the shoes may not have the correct curve to mate up to the drums.
-If the above is correct, have you bled from the furthest wheel from the m-cyl first to the nearest wheel last?
-Lastly, take it somewhere and have them bled with a bleeder ball. If they were bled by pumping the pedal, this is not nearly as effective as a bleederball.
If all the above were done properely, then perhaps it is the M-cyl as suggested above. All we ever had in the CF were Wagner, and 2 pumps of the pedal certailnly would not have been acceptable.
The old 9" brakes on the early Jeeps weren't that bad, and once the shoes mated up to the drums, could provide reasonable stopping power. The best brake systems are the 11" oversize brakes as were issued on the 1971 M38A1Cdn3s. They were self adjusting, and could stop on a dime.
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