speaking of torque settings ....

[harmony]

I was just reading the thread that desoto1939  started on the torque setting of the axle nut and I found the link that Todfitch supplied, about torque setting for the Plymouths to be a great source.  Would it be safe to assume that the category "46-53 Plymouth" also applies to the Chryslers of those years as well?

 

I was curious about the torque setting of the brake shoe anchor bolt nuts being 55-75  which is a broad range.  I'm wondering what the average persons "hand torque" might be, using a wrench that is about 10 inches long?  Would it be in that ball park?

 

I recently reconditioned my entire brake system.  I took out those anchor cam bolts and on the threaded end I cut a kurf about 3/32" wide and 1/8" deep. Then I made up a custom tool using an old socket and a piece of flat stock steel and welded them together making somewhat of a slot driver.  I adjusted my brakes before installing the drum to about .009 th. clearance.  Using the anchor bolts 2 flat sides (9/16" wrench)  to set the anchor bolts and then after I installed the drums/wheels I used my new tool to mico adjust the anchor bolt until it started to slow down the rotation of the wheel as I spun it. Then I backed it off a tiny bit.  So I'm pretty sure I am within specs of .006-.012 th. 

 

I'm not sure about the Plymouths, but the Chryslers have a felt washer on that anchor bolt, which I impregnated with grease.  Then wiped off any access as specified in the service manual.  

So now that I have that anchor bolt right where I want it, it's time to torque it down, from the backing plate side.  I'll use a box end wrench ( 7/8") and then my new tool to keep the anchor bolt from turning.  Is "arm strong" torque ( until you fart) tight enough to match 55-75 lbs. ?

I'm kind of curious about how that felt washer effect the torque?  There is no sense having it there, if 55-75 lbs. crushes it and seats that cup washer that holds that felt washer, against the brake shoe.  That would defeat the purpose of the felt washer.

 

Here's something else that is interesting and I wonder if anyone has a theory.  Of all the anchor bolts on the car (8), 2 of them have castle nuts and cotter pins.  Why those two?  They are the bottom anchor bolts on the front wheels.  

 

I omitted the obvious above, that being, that there isn't enough room to get a 3/8" drive torque wrench plus a socket on most of the nuts because the king pin is in the way on the front.  On the back I think there is enough room, but one would run the risk of changing the adjustment and not knowing it.  I'm talking about once you have the wheel back on so at that point you can't see the orientation of the anchor bolt, or hold on to it with a 9/16" wrench.  However one option I just thought of is using a crowfoot on a torque wrench.  The offset that the crowfoot gives might be enough to get past the kingpin and be able to use a torque wrench.  Yes I know that there is a formula to compensate when using a crowfoot on a torque wrench.  Or set it at 90 degrees.  But since the torque setting has a large range ( 55-75) It's probably not necessary to drag out paper and pencil to work it all out.  I'll experiment tomorrow. 

But it's starting to sound like a two person job.  One on the torque wrench and the other holding the anchor bolt from turning with my handy dandy new slot socket tool.  Which by the way is 1/4" drive because there wouldn't be enough room (depth) if I had made it to fit a 3/8" ratchet.  

Edited January 27, 2022 by harmony
further explanation

[Bryan]

Don't know exact, but depends on the size of the bolt how much force I'd put on it.  Little 1/4" bolts be careful. The bigger ones that you probably can't break off and with a 10" wrench probably as tight as you can get it. When doing my Dakota rear end carrier caps, with the torque wrench then following up with a normal wrench to see how tight they were, I couldn't budge them. With the crowfoot maybe about 50.

[Sniper]

Been my observation that the FSM isn't overly generous with torque specifications.  So when they actually hand them out there is probably a good reason they did so.

 

If you use the crows foot and shoot for the 55 ft/lbs setting it'll be a bit higher, but less than the 75 maximum, so the math is already done for you, sort of.

 

 

[desoto1939]

the nut on the anchoe eccentric get loos then when you apply the brakes you willget a brake chatter becasue the brake shoes are vibrating and moving.  I had this happen on my 39 desoto.  The mechanic fixed th eissue.

 

Rich Hartung

[harmony]

The crows foot will work just fine on the end of the torque wrench.  Plus there is enough room to put the crows foot at 90 degrees to the torque wrench so I won't have to use the math equation to compensate.