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Brake shoe spring colors matter?

Jonk67

Jonk67

Well-Known Member
Ok, second try getting this post up hope i don't dbl. Finally got the brake parts together for my 10x2 drums, pins are longer than 1.75" shoes...Does it make a difference which color springs go F/R, have the shop manual that denotes primary/secondary spring but doesn't say if it's blue/green. They don't look any different thickness/strength wise? Please tell me I have the correct short shoe facing forward also.
IMG_2509.jpg


Here's where I'm at now, SLOW progress, did get that rt. suspension back on though.
IMG_2506.jpg

Thanks, Jon
 
Please tell me I have the correct short shoe facing forward also.
Click to expand...

Everything looks good to me.

Prior to installing thenew brakes, did you inspect the backing plate for a groove worn into it? This is a very common occurance with these old cars. The inner edge of the brake shoe will wear a groove into the backing plate that will eventually cause the shoes to catch during movement.

It's not a bad idea to make sure that:

1. There is no groove.

2. Apply a light coat of grease to the backing plate to keep the shoe sliding smoothly.
 
Thanks Dave, I smoothed the 'ridge' as best I could so they (hopefully) won't catch and did lube that area (6 spots) with a dab of wheel bearing grease along with the cable guide.
Jon
 
Not sure I can help with which spring goes front and rear, but I will tell you something my dad taught me a long time ago, ALWAYS replace brakes one side at a time so you can use the other as reference.

Looking at your picture though, I think the front spring may be upside down, i thought the ends of the blue and yellow both pointed in the same direction? The spring kind of looks distorted the way it is with no pressure on it.
 
Here's what mine looks like and it's worked great.


100_0045.jpg
 
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Yeah my top front blue spring sits funny but I can't rotate it any other way, if I 'flip' the end that goes through the shoe then the 'hook' would not lay into the hole. I traded my old 8" drum/drum for a 9" so I don't have an opposite side to refer to, but I do have the shop manual, unfortunately the '60's were in black and white only :sur
Thanks all, on to the left side tonight,
Jon
 
Uhhhh, thanks John :craz



You and Dave need to write for Leno :lol
 
Mark, you also have two front shoes on.

100_0045.jpg



You should have one large in the rear and one small up front like this.

4_30_10_09_7_09_50_1.JPG





Yes, I can be picky. A car that won't start is one thing, a car that won't stop is a much bigger problem
 
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John, Specifically what part? According to the manual, it looks correct. Maybe I'm misunderstanding you.
 
The bottom spring hooked from the adjuster lever to the front shoe. Yours is black, Mark's is blue.

It should go in like the top springs, with the entire half loop (on the bottom of the spring) inside the shoe. I can see your half loop, I can't see Mark's. Your spring has been twisted to get the hook end to go in the adjuster lever.
 
You guys are great, thanks for all the good examples of what not to do :craz
Finally got off the chat box last night and assembled the left side along with new emer. brake cables (both sides).
Went fine except the auto adjust tension doesn't seem tight enough, doesn't 'click' when I turn the adjuster (rt. side did) like it's not pulling tight where the lever sits on the teeth. Here's a few pics if ya'll see anything odd or obvious?

I can push my finger on the cable and force it tighter (but cable has no obvious slack), the cables were the same part# and appeared identical. Will this correct itself once I start using the brakes and everything 'sets' you think?
Thanks, Jon
IMG_2517.jpg

IMG_2515.jpg
 
I had one adjuster arm that did not sit just right to turn the wheel. I ended up tweaking it just a bit so it sat where it would work. I bent it in a bit at the lower bend. Worked just fine then.
 
"AzPete" said:
I had one adjuster arm that did not sit just right to turn the wheel. I ended up tweaking it just a bit so it sat where it would work. I bent it in a bit at the lower bend. Worked just fine then.
Click to expand...

That sounds awfully familiar to me...
 
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