Front Brakes Pictures

[Jim Roach]

Trying to post a picture for the first time.

[Don Coatney]

Jim;

Those look good but I believe they are the back brakes.

[grey beard]

Don C. - On your Plymouth they would be rear brakes, but Jim is right - they are really Pilothouse front brakes - and they look really nice. Jim, be sure to remember to adjust those front anchor bolts with the drum on - it'll take several tries before you have it correct. You have to slide the drom on and check the adjustment, then remove it to adjust it further, until it is just right. Some have counceled that these anchor bolts can be slotted and turned with a screwdriver, but they have never tried to turn a holt that holds the steering spindles and tie rod weigh. Additionally, these holts are drilled for castellated nuts, and likely should not get much extra machining on their ends. Lastly, the torque on these front anchor hgolts is sorta' critical. If they are overtorqued, the front shoes may bind. Waht these bolts SHOULD get is cotter pins.

Just be certain you remembered to put a flat spacer wahser between the inside shoe web and the backing plate on each anchor bolt - this one shows up in the parts stackup picture in the parts book illlustration, and it's critical. JMHO

LOL

[Reg Evans]

Job well done Jim on the picture posting and the brake job. An Ammco 1750 would come in handy right about now. Uh Oh...not that again !

[Dennis_MN]

The Truck Manual which is on the Pilothouse site has a procedure for adjusting the brakes.

We'll see about my attachment skills...

Dennis Sullivan

[Don Coatney]

Don C. - On your Plymouth they would be rear brakes, but Jim is right - they are really Pilothouse front brakes

LOL

Whoops, Sorry!

First time I ever was wrong:rolleyes:

[Guest 51plymouthod]

I'm in the process of a complete restoration of the braking system of my B-1-C and adjusted the front brakes the same way that grey beard did---and for the same reasons: I wasn't going to file a screwdriver notch in those anchor bolts because the hole that the cotter pin fits through is so close to the end of the bolt. That leaves you with 3 choices: #1: get the proper tool (too expensive, assuming you can find one; #2: simply set the minor adjusters

(easy, but you wind up with uneven lining wear); or #3: do what grey beard and I did--which is very time consuming and aggrivating, but it IS a solution.

It involves "guesstimating the anchorbolt setting, removing the drum & redoing it until you've got it right--then doing the same thing with the other shoe on that side. Now, you've got one side done & it's on to the other front Pilot House drum.

It takes some time.

[jschultz]

What type of paint did you use on the backing plate? Is there a heat problem to worry about with paint and brake parts since they can get hot while braking?

[Jim Roach]

I had the same concern about heat but I wasn't sure, so to be safe I used high temp engine paints on all the parts. Thanks for asking, Jim Roach

[Zeke1953]

I'm also in the process of replacing my entire brake system. I got a good price on some spare parts I sold, so I bought an AMMCO gauge. It sure makes the adjustment easy. The link below is to a tech site that shows how to make a basic gauge out of wood. Don't know how well it would work, but might be worth a try.

Does anyone have an opinion of DOT 3 vs. DOT 5 brake fluid? Zeke

http://members.shaw.ca/rjsill/tech.htm

[grey beard]

Zeke,

I am using DOT5 on my B1B since I don't usually get the opportunity to deal with a totally new hydraulic system. I have replaced all the components and lines, so this is the perfect opportunity. My understanding of DOT-5 is that its advantages hold true only if the system is not in any way contaminated with the 3 or 4 variety.

These are the advantages:

Will not attract moisture like 3 and 4 varieties

Makes a perfect atmosphere for rubber to live forever - cylidners and hoses never need reeplaced again.

Will not harm vehicle or garage floor paint

I have yet to hear of the first person to use #5 who subsequentially had to replace any hydraulic parts, even years later. The only negarive I have ever heard about #5 is the potential for it to accuimulate sludge at low points. This seems neglible to me. I have never encountered this problem and if it were a reality, could easily be remedied with a quick flush.

I suppose the biggest probelm of all is making a sign for the vehicles with #5 to keep shade tree folks from adding the old suff and contaminating the system, once you have it all in place. JMHO;)

[Zeke1953]

I've read all I can about DOT 5 and most of it sounds good. The only problems I have seen reported are that it can get tiny air bubles in it when you are bleeding the brakes and they are tough to eliminate. I understand that they cause spongy braking. I also read that the silicone in DOT 5 destroys the pressure activated stop light switches. Have you experienced either of these problems? Zeke