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When I took apart my rear brakes, I found that there were reinforcements on the shoes. After discussion with Fred Kanter, we determined that the reinforcements are not correct. I've attached a couple views of the rear brakes, could anyone tell me if what they have is the same? I have two theories:

The whole e-brake assembly is incorrect

-or-

The bolt holding the e-brake assembly onto the shoe is not correct, and was put into the car when the wrong shoes were put in.

Thanks!

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Ken, you may not have a problem if the connecting link moves freely on the pivot bolt. The pivot bolt is a stepped shoulder bolt, and as long as the shoulder depth matches the width of the link the link should move freely. If not you have a problem. Also the reinforcements on the brake shoes may not be a problem either so long as the width of the shoes fit the depth of the stud. The extra width the reinforcements add on each side does not affect the centering of the shoes. I had my rear brakes apart a couple of years ago to service the bearings and seals, but did not take any photos. I think you are ok even if the style of the brake shoes is not exactly the same as those that came with the car originally. Maybe others here can offer some comments and suggestions. I am enjoying your project.

(o{}o)

Ken: I have attached a couple of pictures of the rear brakes on my 1937 120 (which should be the same set-up as your 115). Hope these help.

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I seem recall, many years ago, buying a set of rear brake shoes for a 22nd series Custom 2206, and the counterman saying they were the same as some Ford truck. Well, they were ALMOST the same except for some extra web thickness somewhere on the shoe that I had to grind or otherwise cope with. Don't recall the details but it was no big deal and those shoes are still on the car.

patkick, it looks to me like the primary linings on you Packard are of a different length, not a matched set. Just an observation.

(o{}o)

JW: You are a keen observer. That is why relining my brakes this coming winter is on my to-do list. I already have the lining, I just have to mount them on the shoes and fit them to the drums.

Thanks for the input.

Packick

Thanks Packick for the photos and everyone for the thoughts. I solved the problem by putting spacers (on each side of the shoe) on the bolt holding the emergency brake to the shoe. The reinforcements were approximately 0.095" but they were pretty damaged from being chiseled off the old shoes. A 3/8" flat washer was 0.67" thick, so I ground off one side slightly to clear the shoe, and voila!

For the record, I hate assembling drum brakes. Or anything with a spring, really. I have brake drum pliers- must be a REAL nightmare without them.

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Ken,

I couldn't agree more about pliers and springs on brake jobes. My tool of choice, even over brake pliers, has always been a pair of large Vice Grips. Placed between the loop and the spring section they work great.

I often find people use the brake pliers incorrectly. It is the handles of the pliers that do all the work, not really the jaws. I can get a spring on or off in about 3 seconds using only the respective handle end.

Kev,

Agree completely with the primary and secondary springs. The part of the job that always turns the air blue around me is trying to hold everything in place while trying to get the first spring or two on, like on the retaining pins.

Break text. While surfing through the forum today I came across a reference to setting the anchor pin eccentric properly on reassembly. What is the proper orientation for this eccentric? I tried to adjust the brakes using the major adjustment in the service manual, but couldn't get 0.010 at both ends of the secondary shoe without binding the drum on a different portion of the shoe, so I just got the clearance the same at both ends with the drum not dragging.