Re: Brake question

Posted by Ross On 2012/4/13 15:14:54

Since you have all new shoes, I suggest also doing the major adjustment. The anchor pin at the top of the backing plate is eccentric and can be used to center up the shoes within the drums. This makes up for wear and variations. There is an elaborate procedure in the manuals that I have soundly ignored for the last 200 brake jobs or so. Here is what I do and it has worked quite well for my customers and for my own Packards:

Loosen the big 15/16th locknut a turn, and be sure the high part of the adjusting screw is generally toward the rear of the car. Tighten the starwheel til you can just hardly turn the drums. Turn the 7/16th adjusting screw back and forth til the drums turn as easily as possible--you have just centered the lining up within the drums. Sometimes the drum starts to turn so freely you have tighten up the starwheel some more clicks and try again. Then tighten up the locknut good and tight and back off the starwheel til the wheel is just free. This proceedure will assure best possible contact between the linings and drum and minimize wear-in time.

All but maybe 3% of my lifetime driving has been in cars with drum brakes and I have learned that keeping the shoes close adjusted gives long service life and better braking.