Hey guys, I am working on my model A brakes that are under my T roadster. I sent out my brake shoes to get re-lined and now I can't get my drums on. Are you supposed to get the drums turned as well? I didn't do that. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Sounds like the problem I had with my '37 Ford. The shoes were relined and arced for 12.030 drums an the assumption they would be at least that far out. My drums were all NOS and the drums wouldn't fit over the shoes. Find someone to arc the shoes to your drum diameter (take the drums to the people arcing the shoes for them to measure). Be prepared to have difficulty finding someone to arc your shoes. The air quality boards and OSHA put a lot of requirements off the use of arcing machines. The cost of updating the machines to meet the current standards was so high it eliminated most of the machines. The number of machines was further reduced by the use of disc brakes that do not need to be arced due to their design. The first place to try is whoever relined your shoes. Be sure to arc the shoes and not turn the drums as good drums are getting hard to find. Charlie Stephens
I had Snyders in ohio do the shoes. The drums still measure 11 inches. Before I assembled it, I places the shoes on the drums and they fit real nice. Do they use a thicker lining assuming the drums are worn? Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
If the drums measure 11.000 inches that is probably part of the problem. I assume you measured them with a tape measure, take them to a brake shop and get the real measurement. Call Snyder's with the drum diameter and explain the problem. They (or their supplier) should be able to arc the shoes using the drum diameter. Another problem I have read about on the Model A rear is that the emergency brake lines were too thick causing a problem. Charlie Stephens
Luckily my rear brakes work fine. They are staying untouched. I tried swapping my drums from my coupe to see if they fit and they don't. Very frustrating to pay 80 for relined shoes only to have to find a place to shave material off. Why don't they just supply a thinner lining? Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
have you pulled the adjuster screws out and cleaned them to make sure they are going all the way in? also check that the adjuster is not on a "bump". sometimes you have to rock them back.
Did you ask if they would arc them if you returned them along with the diameter of the drum? It is ok to make a mistake (they should have warned you or gave you a choice), it is how they handle it that is important. Charlie Stephens
Good questions. Pins are all the way in because I can adjust them back and forth and see that they move back and forth. I thought that arching them was just making them touch consistently in the drum? They fit the drums very nicely when I had everything apart. Am I wrong? Won't be surprised if I am. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Put the shoe in the drum,take a say .005 feeler gauge and see if it fits between the lining and drum at the middle of the shoe. If it does fit the lining is tooooo thick. Shoes should have a bit of clearance at either end of the lining and touch in the center area to start. As they wear in you will get full contact. If the lining contacts in the center correctly it then sounds like the shoe adjusters or the pads on the backing plate where the shoe contacts it have issues.
Ok, thanks to a pic on the ford barn it turns put my adjusting wedges were getting caught up. Took them put and chased the threads and now they come out all the way and drums fit well. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
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