I don't think the RL will have a 2 piece cross shaft. Mine hasn't, it's the earlier solid bar type. The problem is beachside of wear in places like the cross shaft bearings, the cross shaft moves back and forward as well as rotates. This applies one of the rear brakes before the other. You can balance it out if you have either adjustable cables or those cable adjuster things.

The RL certainly has a one piece crossshaft.

But effectivley so too do many later cars where the outer tube corrodes onto the inner.

As alan notes, you need to eradicate all play to have best chance.

Thanks folks. The back brakes are coming on evenly and making almost identical skid marks. It is the fronts that are uneven and causing the 'pulling'.

Any disturbance of the linings will unbalance until fully bedded, which may take ages even if fitted to the drums. Anything done to shoes? Has behaviour suddenly developed?
Very small grease contamination causes grabbing and strong braking.

Under light loading the front probably predominates. Under heavy braking transfers to the rear which may then be main influence, dominating, possibly countering any front bias.

Customary to set front with slight lead. On stands with brake lightly applied, is there a notable difference side to side in front. Can temporary adjust the fronts for a huge lead then check to see if front really the problem

Location: Auckland, NZ

Unless somehow you have lubricated the linings on one side. My guess is the cable is a little fat for the ali casting on the brakeshaft and is binding.

Take the cable off and if it is tight, ease the casting with a round file.

You may or may not be interested in this. Rosengart altered the design of the Ali yolk and fitted a circular fitting , the same groove but this allowed braking whilst still steering as the cable could still effectively pass through rather that be gripped by the yolk.

Location: Oakley hants

The new brake cables are 5mm whereas originally they were 3/16" (4.5mm) The extra thickness makes the operation of the 'whiffle tree' front compensater less efficient as the cable will not bend as easily and it can bind in the groove.
It sounds as if your brakes are pretty good!

Circa 2" -50mm will measure tomorrow

Location: Oakley hants

In the US, 3/16" cable is still easily available. I'm not sure about how the brake cable is swaged, but I could supply the correct diameter cable if anyone is interested.

Location: Sunny Seattle

If everything else is in good order the front brake quadrant or swinging compensator (whiffle tree in Jack French speak! ) should swing in the direction of the front brake that grabs first and transfer the braking load to the opposite side thus balancing the braking effort. Once the cable is centered on this the swinging should do the compensating not the cable sliding back and forth around the quadrant. It should still work OK with the cable static in the groove, in my opinion, so long as the quadrant is reasonably parallel to the front axle in plan view.

Location: Wellington NZ

The fundamental problem with the front whiffle tree compensator when using the thicker 5mm cable is that it is not possible to achieve a straight run of cable between the compensator and the brake lever, due to the stiffness in the cable. If you try and adjust the front brakes to make the cable straight, the brakes will be applied. There will always be some bend in the cable that has to be taken up before the brakes are operated.

Location: Richmond, Texas

The cable needs to centre itself in the quadrant and to do that needs to be able to slide. Once aligned all should be well.
If the front cable is adjustable and it needs to be altered needs to be altered the cable will have to realign again. This usually takes a little while to happen as it will be kinked in the old position.