Trans mounted E-brake adjustment.

[OUTFXD]

Jacquiline has a dragging E-brake.  I jacked up one side and turned out the adjustment all the way out but it still drags.  Having to work outside in a gravel drive in the weather is a less than ideal place to go experimenting.  Is there a vertical adjustment or shims or any other way to adjust it?

 

Thanks in advance!

[desoto1939]

You shoudld have a service manual for your 46 Plymouth. I know in my service manual for my 39 Desoto it shows you the adjustments and tells you the amount of space that should be between the brake band material and the drum.

 

My setup is different than your so suggest that you get the service manual for your car. You will be surprised with how much other info you will discover about your car.

Rich Hartung

desoto1939@aol.com

[Sniper]

there are four adjustments, at least on my 51.

 

 

[rallyace]

When I did mine, it took me all of about 15 minutes to make the adjustments (ok, it was while the trans was out of the car). It is not a difficult task. Make sure the rear wheels are in the air as being able to turn them helps when checking for any dragging and follow the instructions that Sniper posted. Bring a cotter pin with you when you crawl under the car as you will very likely have to replace the one on the passenger side adjustment. Having a helper saves a ton of time.

[harmony]

First of all I'm going to assume that your 46 Plymouth has the same mechanism as my 48 Chrysler.

I'm guessing that it wasn't taken apart recently?  If it was remember that the two springs are different lengths.  One is 3/16" longer than the other. Put them in wrong and nothing will line up and the adjustments won't make sense.

 

Refer to the picture I added for adjustment instructions below

To adjust the shoe, the first step is to turn the bolt on the right side of the assembly, where the A is and the arrow until there is a gap of 18-20 th. or there abouts between the drum and the lining. That bolt is spring loaded and it is fastened to the right bracket that mounts on the right side of the transmission.

Next adjust the nut (B) on the bottom of the long bolt going through the centre of the two springs until the top portion of the lining is about 18-20 th. away from the drum. This will compress or expand the upper spring (C).

Next adjust the 1/4" long machine screw.  It has a slot on the bottom ( not shown) for a screwdriver.  Place a 7/16" wrench on the two nuts on the top and adjust it until the bottom portion of the lining has a 18-20 th. gap between it and the drum.  This will compress or expand the bottom spring (E)

 

If you decide to remove the whole assembly from the transmission, be aware of the two bolts that hold the bracket to the transmission.  The top bolt goes all the way through into the transmission cavity.  On that bolt there will be a rubber washer with a chamfered profile to it.  You'll also see the same chamfer on the start of the hole in the transmission plate. The lower bolt doesn't go all the way though.