'39-'41 brake help

[firerod]

Took my car out for the maiden voyage today and encountered a few problems to sort out. I have '39-'41 brakes all around, fresh turned drums, new shoes that were fitted to the drums. When I push the brake pedal to stop it surges like disc brakes do when they are warped. Any ideas?

[Talkwrench]

If the linings were fitted to the drums properly the only thing I can think of is just adjustment then ..?

[flatheadmurre]

Not properly set up when they turned your drums...or a hub/axle being bent ??
If you turn the drums over by hand and hear they ocassionally hit the linings something is not centered.

[sunshine]

Did you have the new shoes arched to fit the drums it is hard to find a shop to do this.did you center your shoes using eccentrics at the bottom before adjusting .if you go,to search there are instructions on adjusting these brakes . Brake adjusting. Or maybe someone on here can bring up the adjustment procedure.

[19Fordy]

These tell how to adjust brakes.
https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showt...40+ford+brakes
and
http://www.btc-bci.com/~billben/brakeadj

[firerod]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Thanks for the help guys. The linings fit the drums perfectly, I will go back and make sure I have them centered correctly. I can't think of anything else it can be.

[rotorwrench]

Modern brake lathes are not always set up to turn the old Ford drums due to the small diameter through size of the hubs and the fact that very few cars even have drums anymore. If a drum isn't centered up correctly, the cut will make the friction surface off center. This can not be compensated for by any adjustment of the shoes. I'd be wanting to know how those drums were centered up for the lathe.

[flatheadmurre]

Easiest way of finding out if the drum is centered is backing of the shoes then adjust one in so it just touches when drum is turned by hand...if the drag is uneven when turned you are not centered...this is a corse quick check and if it indicates you have an issue get the dial indicator out and measure.

[grumppyoldman]

My 41 did the same thing, like it was pushing back at the pedal, I had drums turned, new shoes, adjusted every way possible. Bent axle was my problem. Changed out axle, got new hubs and drums, works good now, costly but good. Al

[mrtexas]

I gave up on Ford lockheed brakes and never looked back. The repro bendix rear brakes and front discs work so much better and are way easier to adjust.

[JSeery]

I like the bendix f1/f100 option on the front. You can go with the current Lincolns if you don't want to bother locating the original hubs and backing plates.

[firerod]

Found the problem. I pulled both drums and spun them on a spindle held by a vice, both perfect. Put everything back together, adjusted brakes, all good. Went to bolt up my wheels and same thing happened. Turns out the rings I bought here on the Barn to mount Kelsey's to '40 drums are to thin. When you tighten the lugs it distorts the drum. Need to get some thicker ones and should work fine. I bolted up a '40 wheel and had no problems.

[Talkwrench]

Fixed!

[Mart]

Is the wheel fouling on a welded on weight?

Good that you have zoomed in on the cause of the problem.

Mart.

[RobR'35]

Ring thickness dimension needed for support is around .1875" (3/16").
See if your spoke ends where they're peaned to round on the inside, (where the wheel mounts to the drum side)
Are the spoke ends touching (interfering) with the brake drums. If so this is a potential area of distortion.

[firerod]

Ring thickness dimension needed for support is around .1875" (3/16").
See if your spoke ends where they're peaned to round on the inside, (where the wheel mounts to the drum side)
Are the spoke ends touching (interfering) with the brake drums. If so this is a potential area of distortion.

Thanks, the spoke ends are the problem, not the center ring.