Hi folks I'm having trouble getting my brakes set up on my 47desoto I do not have access to the special tool Being as I'm In England even the old boys in the old garage locally do not have any ideas Is there a trick to setting the brakes without the tool? Thanks in advance
Helpful has got to be better than stabing in the dark! Or pumping the brakes evertime you need to stop Thanks 31 dodger I'll give it a go as soon as I get time Sent from my E2105 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I have done them both with the tool and without. These brake shoes when relined or new, and drums surfaced, now face another dilemma arcing the shoe to the drum , with a drum arcing machine. This gives instant great brakes, usually. Or you can go by feel, drive the car, let shoes wear in and seat and minor adjust them periodically. Get a "service manual" and read about th methods to achieve this. go here for more info, help and details... www.p15-d24.com
I can get a pedal within a couple of pumps of the pedal Sent from my E2105 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Adjust those brakes, and you want to feel a slight drag, all of this and re bleed brakes if the pedal pumping has to be done for hgh pedal. Start with the major adjustment, the shoe anchor adjusters, adjust on each drum until a slight drag, then adjust the minor adjuster, slightly, if the drums starts to spin without drag, go and slightly adjust the major adjusters, then back to the minor adjusters for a final tweak. They are both cam concentric, so they go up and own and or in and out as they turn a full revolution. Or do what I have done in the past, on the major adjusters, point the arrows on the rear drums toward each other, then adjust the minor adjuster till drums are dragging, on the front point each anchor arrow pointing out from the shoe they anchor, then do a minor adjustment till brakes drag, pump the brakes and see if they still have a drag at each wheel(s). Then drive for a few hundred miles, and do a minor adjustment, they will wear in and seat, then you should have real nice brakes, those are a 11 inch brakes, with dual cyls up front, they stop pretty damn good..
If you want really good brakes start by contouring the linings to fit the drum. You will have to take the shoes off, put them in the drum and sand off the lining where they touch until they touch the full length of the shoe. Brake shops used to have a machine to do this but that was a long time ago. Then with the shoes on the backing plate you have to adjust them until they fit in the drums exactly but with .010 clearance. That is the reason they had the special adjusting tool, or home made equivalent. I have thought of drilling a small hole in the drum and using a wire feeler gauge.
Rusty what you are stating is what i said, and its the correct way for great brakes immediately, we still have a shop or 2 that can arc shoes, so maybe England might too. I have done it my way, with no .010 precise clearance, and brakes were fine, they will need to wear in and seat, if they have not been arced to fit...
I've done what Rusty suggested on my Plymouth 30 U. I drilled a 10 mm hole in each drum and used a piece of wire as gauge Sent from my SM-G930F using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Nielsk: I'm presuming you drill the hole on the edge of the drum This way seems to be the easiest solution Sent from my E2105 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Yeah exactly. Picked the idea up from an old mechanic. He told me they always did it like this Sent from my SM-G930F using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
The Jalopy Journal
