Re: BigKev's 1954 Packard Clipper Deluxe Sedan

Posted by Owen_Dyneto On 2008/12/18 10:33:42

I'm a bit leary that it will function properly as shown. The spring above the self-adjuster is typically "bowed" just a bit over the notchwheel, so I believe that ideally the spring should be a bit shorter and mounted to the lower hole. When I ran into this on a Bendix mechanical brake job, I just took the old spring to the local brake shop which matched it very closely to a current part.

I also see that both the primary and secondary shoe return springs seem to be identical which normally isn't so. Usually in order to get the "servo" action, the primary shoe requires a weaker spring so that it contacts the drum first and then applies greater force to the secondary shoe. This is why the primary lining is either shorter or of a different composition than the secondary shoe, though we often have to do without that these days.