Brakes shudder and clunk

[Mjmsc5]

Have a 71 challenger with drums all around.  While slowing down from high speed (>35 mph) the whole car shudders.  Can't really feel it in the pedal but can certainly feel it in the car.  Even the hood is visibly shaking (no I don't have a shaker hood).  As the car gets slower, around 10 mph, the shuddering goes away and the clunking starts.  The clunking slows as the car slows and if you release the brakes the clunking stops.   It seems to be brake related, but a visual of all the brakes seems normal.  Drums look OK and pads are fairly new.  cylinders show no sign of leakage.  Sometimes the clunking noise appears to be coming from under the console.

[Bullitt-]

makes me think of bad u-joints

[HP2]

Broken shoe retaining pins allowing the shoes to vibrate at speed until they warm up and start catching and grabbing. No personal experience with that, but I could see it happening something like that.

[Mjmsc5]

Thinking of replacing the u joints anyway.  Don't know how old they are.  This car has cragars on it with the oval slot and washer.  Do you think that could be the problem? The wheels are actually wobbling around that slot.

[brads70]

Thinking of replacing the u joints anyway.  Don't know how old they are.  This car has cragars on it with the oval slot and washer.  Do you think that could be the problem? The wheels are actually wobbling around that slot.

easy enough to check, jack up each wheel , spin it and see how true it runs?

[HP2]

If you have the correct depth shouldered lug nuts, I can't see the uni-lugs being the problem. But, the caveat is the correct lugs. If the are too long and allow the washer to flop around, it could do that. If they are too short and not supporting the wheel, it could do that.

[Chryco Psycho]

inspect the front brakes , but serioisly I would be looking at a frint disc swap

[Mjmsc5]

Any good drum to disc conversions for front 14 inch wheels.

[purple1]

I had this same problem with my old 71 Charger (drums all around). Seemed the car was going to shake apart when the brakes were hit. Turned out to not be a problem with the brakes at all, it was bad (worn) front end parts. Check your front end and replace any worn out parts. Has the front end ever been redone? May be time to do all of it if it is original.

SS Brakes has a kit. Says it fits 14" wheels. http://www.ssbrakes.com/commerce/detail/index.cfm?nPID=8804

[acudanut]

 That sure sounds like your lug nuts are loose...Check those first, then look into getting a front disc brakes.

[HP2]

I had this same problem with my old 71 Charger (drums all around). Seemed the car was going to shake apart when the brakes were hit. Turned out to not be a problem with the brakes at all, it was bad (worn) front end parts. Check your front end and replace any worn out parts. Has the front end ever been redone? May be time to do all of it if it is original.

Now I have had this happen to me before. The first mopar I owed, a 68 Road Runner, would start to shimmy and shake really bad any time I went over some RR tracks. Hitting the brakes would sometimes make the condition even worse, almost unmanageable. A rebuild of the front suspension joints solved the problem.

So checking the front end condition overall wouldn't be a bad thing to do either.

[Mjmsc5]

Guess I'll add front suspension parts to my list.

[jimynick]

I've experienced what HP2 was talking about and it was worn out outer tie rod ends. Drum brakes were notorious for "throbbing/pulsing" due to being warped. Do the basics- check lug nut torque(yes, torque them), grab the frt wheels at their sides and try to shake them to check the tie rods. It's easier with the weight off the wheel, but will work either way. Take the drums to someone with a brake lathe and check them for roundness, make sure the shoe anchors are solid, frt and back and then take all of it and chuck it in the garbage can and put discs on the front to cure your misery and save your car/life when that panic stop is required. Good luck! 

[Mjmsc5]

Have all the brake hardware replaced except the drums.  Too thin to turn.  Does anyone know where to buy new drums.  Did any other dodge use the same drums as the challenger.  No one seems to have them for the challenger.
Thanks

[purple1]

Have all the brake hardware replaced except the drums.  Too thin to turn.  Does anyone know where to buy new drums.  Did any other dodge use the same drums as the challenger.  No one seems to have them for the challenger.
Thanks

Lots of other cars to pick drums off of. Something like any 68-71 B or E body drums will work. But I'm with the rest of the posters here if your going to need new drums, think hard about a disk brake conversion before spending your money.