brake adjustment cranbrook/

[bluefoxamazone]

hi, today I have succesfully replaced the seals in the rear axle. With my own built puller it all came apart like a dream...hurray!!!

 

just a question (have been browsing trough the forum but didn't get much wiser so far...)

 

Is there a simple way of alligning the brake pads vs the drum? I guess not everybody has a special tool/measuring device in the shed to do this.

Has somebody made a tool or so that can help with this job? I have done it now with a lot of elbow grease but I was affraid to set it too narrow. So I ended op with a very deep pedal... The car is braking fine but I have to push the pedal far in. (Yes I bled the oil lines)

any suggestions?

 

(has anybody ever drilled two small holes in the front of the drum, made a slot in the adjusting bolts so it can be adjusted with de drum mounted, by means of a screw driver? Just an idea...)would that work?

let me know your thoughts..

Edited August 11, 2016 by bluefoxamazone

[TodFitch]

Lots of threads on this topic. Also an article in the tech section. And I have my own write up on my web site.

[bluefoxamazone]

thanks Todd, very usefull info!! thanks

[Robbo0001]

Tod I wanted to say a massive THANKYOU for your website page, I spent many hours/ days/weeks under our Cranbrook with the brakes and used your written advice to "calm down", when I wanted to blow this thing up.

By the end, I found the best way was..

Wheel off, jack stand under axle, lie under the hub and adjust one shoe on one wheel at a time,

Spinning the drum backwards and forwards each time you move either the upper or lower adjuster. Takes time, but as someone had said already you can eventually feel and hear these things moving, so it gets easier.

Then bleed, bleed, bleed..the old way. Someone pumping the brake pedal.

Cos the vacuum bleeders just introduce more bloody dramas than it's worth..that's my experience anyway

So CHEERS Tod..your Ply33 page kept me sane greatly appreciated mate.

[plymouthcranbrook]

I did my 52 without the special tool and other than a lot of time it has turned out just fine. Good strong pedal, no pulling, and stops well for a 63 year old car. 

[Dodgeb4ya]

^^^^ There ya go.... wear them in ... a couple minor adjustments and you will end up with excellent brakes as long as the lining material is satisfactory.

[dale]

Wonder if drilling a hole in the hub to get a socket on the adjuster nuts would work without making the hub unsafe. Also wonder if loose pads could be the cause of difficulty getting the air out of the system... Think Ill give it a look into.

[desoto1939]

The two elliptical  anchors that are used to adjust the heel of the shoe only has to flat spots on them. They have the flats spots to accept if I remember correctly a 1/2 open wrench so a socket might work but would have to be modified. Also when drilling a hole into the cast iron drum be very careful not to crack the drum and then you are going to need a plug to cover the hole so that dirt and water do not get inside the drum.

 

I have the ammco tool so why go to all the trouble when you can rent it from me. This is not an advertisement for the tool just stating that I have the tool and it can be rented on a loaned bais. Many of the members have used this option. along with several of my other factory miller tools. Why fool around when you can get the job done right.

 

Rich Hartung

Desoto1939@aol.com

[plymouthcranbrook]

The two elliptical  anchors that are used to adjust the heel of the shoe only has to flat spots on them. They have the flats spots to accept if I remember correctly a 1/2 open wrench so a socket might work but would have to be modified. Also when drilling a hole into the cast iron drum be very careful not to crack the drum and then you are going to need a plug to cover the hole so that dirt and water do not get inside the drum.

 

I have the ammco tool so why go to all the trouble when you can rent it from me. This is not an advertisement for the tool just stating that I have the tool and it can be rented on a loaned bais. Many of the members have used this option. along with several of my other factory miller tools. Why fool around when you can get the job done right.

 

Rich Hartung

Desoto1939@aol.com

Probably would have had I had know about it at the time. Still mine work well and I have no complaints. I will admit that the correct tool is always the best way. However there is no way I want to take them apart again to redo it.

Edited August 13, 2016 by plymouthcranbrook

[ptwothree]

Here's what I did:    This allows the brakes to be adjusted externally.  I have since modified this and replaced the small nut with a longer connector nut.  Works great, but, you might catch some heat from some of the elders that contribute often on this site.

 

 

[bluefoxamazone]

Here's what I did:  plymouth black 162.jpg  This allows the brakes to be adjusted externally.  I have since modified this and replaced the small nut with a longer connector nut.  Works great, but, you might catch some heat from some of the elders that contribute often on this site.

+like the solution but isn't it much easier to take a sawblade and cut a slot (few mm deep) at the end of the bolt to be able to turn it with a large screw driver? Wouldn't that do the job also? grtz

[Don Coatney]

Probably would have had I had know about it at the time. Still mine work well and I have no complaints. I will admit that the correct tool is always the best way. However there is no way I want to take them apart again to redo it.

The best way to insure then adjustments are done correctly is using the special tool. This insures that the shoes are contacting the drum evenly. It is possible to have good pedal and feel when only making contact with a portion of the shoe for a short time as pictured below. Suggest you pull a front drum and mark a shoe with hash marks using a sharpie. Re-install the drum and drive a hundred miles or so. Then pull the drum and inspect the shoe for even ware.

 

[desoto1939]

Here's what I did:  plymouth black 162.jpg  This allows the brakes to be adjusted externally.  I have since modified this and replaced the small nut with a longer connector nut.  Works great, but, you might catch some heat from some of the elders that contribute often on this site.

But on my 39 Desoto the two eccentrics are on the very bottom of the backing plate and are tightened via a castle nut and also locked in place with a cotter pin especially on the front wheels. I assume you have the setup that has the double wheel cylinders.  So it looks as if you might have welded the nut ontot eh eccentric.

 

Rich Hartung

[_shel_ny]

Wonder if drilling a hole in the hub to get a socket on the adjuster nuts would work without making the hub unsafe. Also wonder if loose pads could be the cause of difficulty getting the air out of the system... Think Ill give it a look into.

I believe the more practical approach to that is where some have cut a slot in the end of the anchor bolt that is accessible on the back side of the backing plate.

 

There were some posts in the past about doing that.

 

Quote from a thread

 

I found the suggestion on the Forum in the "technical tips" at the home page. Look in the tool bar to the left and you will find "technical tips". A LOT of good information there!! I cut a slot in the anchor bolts. This allows for adj of the heel of the shoe with the drum on. Here is a pic of mine. If you look closely at the anchor bolt you will see the slot. It is a great help. I still found it a bit of a challenge to adj properly. Having to make the adj with the screwdriver was easy. The difficult part was tightening the anchor bolt without moving it.

 

There was no picture as it had probably be moved since 2010 when the thread was running.

 

Another poster provided another idea:

 

As an footnote to the brake adjustment section, I would like to mention that if you file wrench flats on the brake shoe anchor bolts so you can adjust them from the backside with the brake drum in place, you may want to consider going with thinner nuts instead of the originals. I ran into a problem on a few of mine where after you got the anchor bolt adjusted right where you want it, when I went to tighten it, the bolt would spin with the nut a little which would screw up your adjustment setting before you could tighten the nut and lock it into position. Since the original nuts are so thick there is not enough of the bolt sticking out beyond the nut to hold it in the correct position while you tighten it. So I went to the hardware store and bought new thinner nuts so I could hold the anchor bolt in the correct spot while I tightened the nut.

[desoto1939]

Edit by moderator: Offers for buy/sell/rent should be by personal message or by placing ads in the classifieds.

[Niel Hoback]

You could also remove the nut and use a hacksaw with two blades to make a slot in the end of the bolt to adjust with a large screwdriver.

[Niel Hoback]

  My Ammco 1750 came with adapters for "55 Chevy truck brakes".    !?!? 

[Plymouthy Adams]

  My Ammco 1750 came with adapters for "55 Chevy truck brakes".    !?!? 

guess they figured one time in the course of selling trucks they should offer at least one model that would have the ability to stop...E. Nuff Said

[ptwothree]

But on my 39 Desoto the two eccentrics are on the very bottom of the backing plate and are tightened via a castle nut and also locked in place with a cotter pin especially on the front wheels. I assume you have the setup that has the double wheel cylinders.  So it looks as if you might have welded the nut ontot eh eccentric.

 

Rich Hartung

Welded to the eccentric....yup.  I tried the slotted approach and found too many clearance issues with the spindle and difficulty locking down the eccentric while keeping the adjustment.

 

I agree that using the proper tool is the way to go.  The next time I have an extra $2/300 dollars doing nothing and find one for sale, I'll buy it.

[Plymouthy Adams]

it's only money.......