Precedent Brake Problems

[TBH015]

I am trying to track down brake issues. I know you can adjust under the floor board and I did that, though I am not confident I did it correctly.

Symptoms:
- Brake pedal doesn't have much resistance when you push it down, and sometimes I have to push it a few times for the parking break to catch.
- Even though there is not much resistance it doesn't take much for the tires to lock up. Like 0 to 100. Then when I release and reengage it doesn't seem to lock up. As I am typing this it may be possible only the driver side back tire is locking up? I am remembering thinking that may be the case.
- When parked on a hill yesterday, I engaged the parking brake and it locked, but the cart started to roll back a little bit.

I have read some on brakes dragging. I just need to know where to start in order to figure this out. Thanks in advance guys!

[JWreck]

You have a lift?

[Golf cart guy]

You tightened the cable, that's not right.

Get the shoes working first and adjusted, then set the cable play, good to go.

[Fairtax4me]

What year is the cart?

[TBH015]

Originally Posted by JWreck

You have a lift?

Yes and All sports lift. I am guessing it is 4 inches. Maybe 6. Was on there when I bought the cart.

[TBH015]

Originally Posted by Golf cart guy

You tightened the cable, that's not right.

Get the shoes working first and adjusted, then set the cable play, good to go.

How do I do that? Can you explain that process?

[TBH015]

Originally Posted by fairtax4me

what year is the cart?

2008

[Sergio]

This is the procedure All Sports recommends when tightening the u-bolts to properly pre-load the leaf spring:

https://www.buggiesgonewild.com/show...32&postcount=3

Do that before messing with the brake adjustment.


The Precedent manual also calls for the brake cable equalizer free-play to be adjusted to 2 inches +- 1/16" or you will get "Reduced Brake Force":

[Golf cart guy]

the only reason for a cable adjustment is for cable stretch, if you tighten the cable before properly adjusting the shoes, you are inducing cable stretch and you are using less brake pad to stop the car. All of us that have worked on carts have seen the rear leading brake shoe only at the bottom quarter of the brake shoe worn completely out and the rest of the shoe and the rear shoe perfect. Dead giveaway that only the cable had been tightened to adjust the brakes.

[Fairtax4me]

You have to adjust the shoes inside the drums before making any cable adjustments. Back off the cable adjustment you made so there is plenty of slack in the cables.
Take the drums off, clean everything with brake cleaner, sand down any ridge on the inside of the drums where the shoes don't make contact. Spray a shot of lithium grease on the lever mechanism and wipe away any excess. Do Not get any lubricant on the shoes.

Turn the adjuster wheel a few clicks at a time and check if the drum will still fit on. When the drum doesn't fit on anymore, lift the self adjuster tab with a small screwdriver and turn the wheel back the other way about 1/4 turn so the drum will fit. Push on the lever by hand and it should move about 1/4" then stop. If it moves more than that the brakes are still too loose and need to be adjusted out a little bit more.

Once the both drums are adjusted re-install and bolt the wheels back on. Then adjust the cable tension as mentioned above by Sergio.

I think that cart should still have the old style parking brake assembly which can be problematic if it gets rusty. Pull up the floor mat and remove the access cover and use compressed air to get any dirt or junk out of the pedal box. Use penetrating oil to soak the park brake mechanism. Press the pedal about 10-15 times to actuate the mechanism, then use cleaner and compressed air to remove the oil and any junk from the assembly. Lubricate the park brake mechanism with lithium grease or a heavy silicone lubricant like Garage door spray.