new brakes

[trains420]

i put some new ebc brakes on, and there squishy. they don't stop me on a dime like my old brakes, which im sure where stock, did. they where worn out and i had to replace them, i heard ebc where good, and i got them. i put both sets on, and i was pretty sure i put them on right, then they where squishy, i took the front tire off twice and checked, and the first time, they looked right, and i cleaned out the drum, and checked to see if they where slick or anything, and they weren't, and put them back on. right before i was getting ready to park, i heard a weird clinky sound, i heard something hitting. it felt kinda weird too, so i slammed on the rear brakes and stopped. i thought i hadn't lined up that thing on the drum. i checked the front brakes again, and i think they weren't lined up on the left thign, not the round thing, the thing that twists sideways when you pull the brake lever. they weren't sitting even on it. i put them on, they where on all the way, and i put the tire back on. had someone hold the front brake as i tightened the tire down, i got it almost tightened on, and when it got where it was putting pressure, i had them hold the brake lever as hard as they could. round the brakes, i was told that. and the front brakes are still squishy.
i just got these brakes, what's going on. both the front and the back are squishy, they used to lock up the tires, and squeal, i need that kind of braking. the front tire would slide, i can't stop, i need good brakes. what do i do?

[elitedio]

That is dangerous.
Hard to help someone with it. Are you sure the parts are the correct ones? Do you have them assembled correctly?
My guess is that if everything is a go then you have worn drums and your new linings are not matching the shape of the drums.

[Fishman43]

Squishy as in the brake lever engages and the brakes don't work? Or squishy as in the brake lever pulls all the way to the grip? Could the adjustment nut just need to be tightened down some?

[trains420]

i asked someone else what do i do when i put on drum brakes, and they said, sand the sides, and make them round. so i did. i haven't went back out to check. i'll come back later and say how the brakes go. i checked the drum and it does have a groove where the brakes hit, and then in the back, it just seems like it was higher, and made taht way. i checked the old brakes, width to teh new ones, and they look the same. they look the same width. i got the right brakes for my scooter, and had someone check to see if i put them on right. they said they where right, and we pulled them to make sure they where on all the way. i sanded the sides down a little, and maybe they'll brake better. the front makes like a clink sound when i pull the brakes, like somethign really stopping, but then, coming off. the back, they started squealing the tire when i stopped, then they'd get squishy again. and not stop me good. then they'll go back to working and squealing the tire. its like they'll work most of the day, then not work for 15 minutes, then go back to an hour and a half of squealing the tire, then they'll be squisy again for like 20 minutes. i haven't rechecked teh back brakes. i wasn't for sure if i was getting them on right. it was getting dark, and i hurried and put them on.

[maddog]

The problem you have is the brake cam needs to be sanded & greased, drum brakes will break in after about 50 mi. disk brake edges should be sanded which prevents squeel, back in the 60's/70's brake pads were burnished to match the drum.

[trains420]

i put a little grease on the round thing, and the flat black thing the pads go on, what part is the cam, and sand it, where. i'll talk to someone else and find out. you mean the cam, the part that pulls when you pull the brake lever. grease it? sand it? i'll grease the front one cause i know wehre it's at. the little handle? i'll check it out.