Rear brake shoe adjustment

[Mertz]

I’m starting to put some things back on the 40 Plymouth truck.  I have the axles installed and backing plates attached. I checked for axle end play on the passenger side and got .0075 so I took out one of the 3 shims. Now it is so tight it won’t move but I’m attributing that to the cold weather for now. I checked the manual for brake adjusting procedures but I don’t have the gauges they are using so I started by turning the anchor bolts at the bottom so see if the shoes would rub. I can turn it completely 180 degrees and they won’t touch. I can turn the upper adjustment so the wheel locks but I have no way of knowing if the geometry is correctly. These are new shoes. Is there a preset on the bottom adjuster that gets me in the right position?  Mine adjust from the inside. The manual shows them being adjusted from the outside. 

[Mertz]

I found a description on this site how to adjust the brakes by tightening the minor adjuster and then moving the anchor adjuster to release the contact. This seemed to work well. I also found a tool that was made by someone to make a final check. I’m not a welder so I built one out of wood which I am good at.  I used the same principles. I used a nail as a pointer which made a sound when dragged across the shoe. It would change tone if it barely scraped to a slightly harder contact. Found that one shoe needed a slight adjustment and the rest were right on. 

[Mark G]

what model truck are you working on I working on a WC is it the same for mine?

[Mertz]

1 hour ago, Mark G said:

what model truck are you working on I working on a WC is it the same for mine?

It’s a 1940 Plymouth half ton. I think yours would be the same. 

[Mark G]

I love your shoe angle checker very high tech that's is next on my list on my 46 WC I'am working on I'm guessing the axle end is threaded never really looked LOL been working on engine related stuff what did you use for the frt brakes

[Mertz]

I used this on both the rear and front brakes. The wood is not threaded but has a very tight fit. I could have used the nut but it worked well without it. 

[48jumpdoors]

On 1/27/2022 at 2:44 PM, Mertz said:

I found a description on this site how to adjust the brakes by tightening the minor adjuster and then moving the anchor adjuster to release the contact. This seemed to work well. I also found a tool that was made by someone to make a final check. I’m not a welder so I built one out of wood which I am good at.  I used the same principles. I used a nail as a pointer which made a sound when dragged across the shoe. It would change tone if it barely scraped to a slightly harder contact. Found that one shoe needed a slight adjustment and the rest were right on. 

hey there Mertz, I am trying to adjust my brakes on a 48 Plymouth car which is similar to what you have here, and saw here that you are using a tool to do so. You said that you tighten the toe adjustment (minor adjustment) until it make contact and then loosen the contact with the heel/anchor adjuster? are you talking about the contact of the tool on the brake lining? Im here in WA. as well up here in Oroville.

[Mertz]

I used my homemade tool to check that the shoes were equal distance around the spindle and therefore hitting the drum equally. It takes several attempts to get it right. I believe it was turning the the heel adjuster until it contacts the drum then turn the big eccentric until it spins freely. Then do it again until you think you are close. Then I pull the drum and put my tool on and check to see if everything is equal. If not I make adjustments until they are and reinstall the drum. I spin the drum and if I hear equal drag I know I have it right. If not I make a minor adjustment on the baking plate adjusters. Hope this helps

[kencombs]

Search for 'threaded shaft collar' at Mcmaster-Carr, or similar online store.   You can use one of those in the right size to replace the nut on your tool.   Or, modify your nut using that design as a guide.  Drill and tap a setscrew hole and saw a split into the nut.  But, it's kind of tricky to drill at an angle like that so close to the edge.   If you have a welder or can braze one can add and 'ear' on the nut to use for the clamp.

 

In any case, the result is a nut with no play in the threads once clamped.

[Dodgeb4ya]

Check that the shoe linings fits each drum accurately at toe and heel  (.006") for imediate extra firm brake feel and high pedal height......pic shows no clearance at toe and hell...wide incorrect gap in middle of lining possibly causing brake squeal or and toe/heel high temp glazing.

If shoe fit is poor this can result in longer wear in, weak brakes and poor pedal feel performance and pedal height.

[Mertz]

The manual calls for 0.012 tow and 0.006 heel. I don’t know how you would measure the gaps with backing plates in place. The manual uses two tools, one to measure the drum and the other to measure the shoes. 

[48jumpdoors]

I ended up cutting slots in the major adjustment anchor bolts on the nut side/ back side of the backing plate. I took out the anchor bolts and put them in a vise and cut the slots. The slots are in the inside and are not visible unless you crawl under the car and look. As far as adjusting the shoes I loosened the anchor bolts and while the drum is on I spin the drum and adjust the anchor bolt/major adjustment/heel with a screw driver from the backside of the backing plate using the slots that I cut with a hacksaw until I have drum stoppage and then back off just a smidge (scientific term) and then I move to the minor adjustment on the same shoe and do the same thing. I  then move to the other shoe and do the same thing. Took me about 10 minutes to do one hub assembly. This prevents the taking on/off monkey business of the hub that the factory requires. I know that this will not be proper for a lot of folks but but if it works and is safe then thats good for me. This procedure/tip by the way was given to me by fellow member Sniper who I will gladly give the credit. 

[Mertz]

That is about what I did but didn’t need to cut slots. I then took off the drum and used my tool to make sure the pads are concentric around the axle.