It's deceptively tricky to set up old side-pull calipers on chrome steel rims - dealing with flex, binding calipers, noise, pad types, etc. Often you're making a series of compromises in set up until it is just acceptable. If your brakes work reasonably well and are quiet or mostly quiet, then you're doing well. You fix the "little problems" one at a time until finally, usually, you've fixed the "big problem" by fixing all those little ones.