Brake Rod Length

[CaceyB]

I am having trouble with my front brake rods. I am figuring the cross shaft arms are set vertically at rest. And with the rod eyes set to 51.5" it won't reach. And to make it reach I don't really have much rod left. Does anyone know what is going on here?

[Gary WA]

More than 15 degrees? for a start! what year and vehicle for?

[100IH]

To start with, your photography is excellent. Now, when you retake pic. #2, take your finger and lightly press the actuating lever on the front axle towards the rear (left) until the shoes touch the drum - That is where the 15 deg. is established. Shoes are adjusted out with minimum clearance for freewheeling already. then we can see the amount of gap that exists. Now, on another note, I think that the clevis adjusters are wrong, these appear to have a short loop going out to the hole for the pin. I am sure mine have a good bit longer reach. Often, they have a part# on the casting. Check that against the parts book.

[SeaSlugs]

ideally yes, with the slop removed the front arms should be 15* forward, if not brake rebuilding or pills should be added to achive this - DO NOT GO ON WITHOUT CORRECTING THIS FIRST at straight up and down the wheel should be locked very solid.

secondly I believe the crossshaft should be tilted 15* backwards (if your thinking about the top of the cross shaft arm) to maintain optimal leverage advantage at a medium/heavy braking.

Thirdly it is not uncommon for people to cut brake rods instead of fixing the brakes so after a rebuild back to specs they are now too short.

fourthly the fisheye celvis' look correct for the front. the long hole ones are for the emergency brake system rods i believe.

[robgross1930]

I always restore the brake system to where the brake levers are still slightly forward with the brakes fully applied. This allows a little room for wear on the operating rod and still have good leverage on the lever before it reaches a vertical position, the last position with good leverage.

[robgross1930]

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Can you pull back on the lever enough to engage the clevis to align the holes so you can insert the pin? You can regulate the position of the lever relative to actuating the brake shoes to fully applied position by welding up on one end of the operating rod and grinding it round, or rather just round it off, doesn't have to be perfect. If you grind it off too far, no problem, just put some more weld on it. You can keep working with the length of the operating rod in that manner until the lever is still slightly forward when the brake is fully applied. At that point you will have the strongest leverage and the best brakes.

[100IH]

I stand corrected on the adjustable brake rod eye #2466. If any of them have a ID number on the threaded sleeve, and the number matches, it is correct. Thank you for the help SeaSlugs. Now I can knock the snow off of my boots, went out to have a look at parts book and spare pieces. I do think that the link rod between brake pedal and the brake cross shaft could be altered to get a bit more length though. Difficult to tell in the photo.

[Steve Plucker]

Casey,

Are you aware that there is a Model A Club in Visalia?

They are the Charter Oak A's.

If you want some names and phone numbers...email me at [email protected]

Pluck

[redmodelt]

Could be: push rod too long, too many pills, wedge is hung up, push rod not seated in recesses in wedge or cross shaft. Your eye to eye sounds about right per Les's book and is what I set all 4 rods to start with to.

[Mitch//pa]

Make sure your axles are supported and not hanging

[redmodelt]

Hanging or supported will not change the angle shown in the photos, which is too much.

[bnchief]

had the same problem leave the brake rod to pedal pin out I did solved problem also had 2 pills in mine did not need them problem fixed and so is the sticking brake pedal.

[CaceyB]

The rods are new so they wouldn't be cut down. I think I have one or two pills in there, so I will try removing those. Wish I had rods ready when it was easy to do that. I have to take everything off now.

[robgross1930]

Originally Posted by CaceyB

The rods are new so they wouldn't be cut down. I think I have one or two pills in there, so I will try removing those. Wish I had rods ready when it was easy to do that. I have to take everything off now.

I have always much preferred welding up the end of the operating rod to using those pills. I've seen those pills stacked up and they tend to yield or give a little. Welding up the end of the rod requires practically no welding skill as a bead is not being made, just a deposit. One can do it with an acetylene torch and a piece of coat hanger wire for the filler. An electric arc weld will work easily as well; just weld a little and get off and weld some more. Then a few minutes at the bench grinder to round the end off. Nothing to it and you have solid metal back on the rod like it was when new.

[md8810]

My car had the longer rear brake levers installed on the front. This required longest brake rod length possible. I ordered the correct shorter front levers and they should allow standard rod length.
The pictures appear to show longer levers.

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

I discovered that Minervas' clevises were only engaged by about 3 or 4 threads! (YIKES!)
Disconnected ALL the rods, adjusted the brakes, set up everything PROPERLY from scratch & everything was OK.
Be sure to have jack stands under the front axle & the rear end goody!
Bill Screech

[Bob C]

Originally Posted by md8810

My car had the longer rear brake levers installed on the front. This required longest brake rod length possible. I ordered the correct shorter front levers and they should allow standard rod length.
The pictures appear to show longer levers.

How can this happen when the rear leavers have a larger shaft.
Maybe the were AA arms.