39 ford rear emergency brake cable

[Gary in Mozarks]

Seems like I read somewhere on here that the reproduction brake cables were to long? I bought the 122 inch reproduction cable from Macs. Will this be ok or should I do something to it before I install it?

Thanks
Gary

[V12Bill]

I seem to recall that the 1939 pickup had an early and late emergency brake cable that varied by 2".

[PeteVS]

The problem that I faced was that the SPRINGS were toooo long! Back in another thread, some of us were hoping that someone with an original cable (not NOS) would measure the spring so's someone could have some made up. Dimensions needed would be: OD, wire dia, number of turns and the free length. If anybody reads this and could help with the dimensions, please post them! Thanks!!

[Gary in Mozarks]

Originally Posted by PeteVS

The problem that I faced was that the SPRINGS were toooo long! Back in another thread, some of us were hoping that someone with an original cable (not NOS) would measure the spring so's someone could have some made up. Dimensions needed would be: OD, wire dia, number of turns and the free length. If anybody reads this and could help with the dimensions, please post them! Thanks!!

Are we talking the spring inside the drum? Ive got the original cable still installed in my 39 (broken) I can measure the spring tomorrow and let you know.

Gary

[PeteVS]

Originally Posted by Gary in Mozarks

Are we talking the spring inside the drum? Ive got the original cable still installed in my 39 (broken) I can measure the spring tomorrow and let you know.

Gary

Yes! The spring that pushes the lever back when the brake is released! If you can get the dimensions, I'll try to look in some general spring catalogs to see if there's anything close to the Ford spring, or perhaps a couple of springs "stacked up" that will do the job. Worse comes to worse, I may be able to get a couple made up. I know Richard Lacy was looking for this info also. Thanks!! (Spring OD, wire diameter, number of turns and "free" length.)

Only trouble is if you can get good springs, one of the balls will have to be cut off, drilled out and brazed back on, unless the new spring can be "turned" onto the new cable. (Not fun taking an improper spring off the cable either!)

[Karl Wolf]

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How about using a Nicopress stop on the end? I have not tried one on the e brake lever in the drum- the square ends may not sit nicely... I used the Nico press fitting on the made up e brake cable for my roadster... Karl

[Kahuna]

Carl
Are those the ends that are crimped on?
Thanks
Jim

[Gary in Mozarks]

OK I have the numbers

The original spring is 4 1/4 inches long. The wire size is approx .039 (I only have a caliper to measure it with) There are approx 44 coils. The OD is .265

The reproduction spring is approx 7 1/2 inches long, with 56 coils in it. The wire size seems to be about the same.

I guess its possible the old spring has compressed over the last 70 years but not by that much.

I don't see that you need to replace the ball or spring. I wouild think you could snip 12 coils off the new spring and spirial it off the cable without removing the ball and you should be good to go.

Gary

[Richard (EV8G)]

The new springs are not only too long, but they are waaaaay too stiff. I dropped the ball on this problem, as my contact at Mac's had asked me to provide an original spring sample so the problem could be corrected... although there were still a million or so (?) incorrect (Taiwan) cables in the pipeline at the time...

Removing the improper spring from the cable will involve some serious work
with diagonal cutters... which is now required to shorten the incorrect spring so it can be compressed enough to install the 91A-2113 retainer. Installing a
new correct spring without removing one of the balls does not seem possible?

I will make another attempt to confirm the above measurements against an
original cable (if I can find it...) and get the info to Mac's so maybe someday
this problem will be resolved at last!!!

[barnfind08]

I checked the length of the springs on several n.o.s. cables including the 21A rear and it is 5 7/8" long not counting the little washer. Richard have at it. Oh ya when installing 40-42 drums on 34 spindles do you just use another B-1195 to take up the space so the cotter pin will be in the nut slots? Thanks Fred Richard just answer on this forum if you will. People will need to know.

[Gary in Mozarks]

Originally Posted by Richard (EV8G)

The new springs are not only too long, but they are waaaaay too stiff. I dropped the ball on this problem, as my contact at Mac's had asked me to provide an original spring sample so the problem could be corrected... although there were still a million or so (?) incorrect (Taiwan) cables in the pipeline at the time...

Removing the improper spring from the cable will involve some serious work
with diagonal cutters... which is now required to shorten the incorrect spring so it can be compressed enough to install the 91A-2113 retainer. Installing a
new correct spring without removing one of the balls does not seem possible?

I will make another attempt to confirm the above measurements against an
original cable (if I can find it...) and get the info to Mac's so maybe someday
this problem will be resolved at last!!!

Richard, A new spring can be installed on a cable without removing the ball, Its not easy but it can be done.

You need to bend the first loop of the coil wide enough to get it started over the cable then spiral it on sorta like putting a key on a key ring. (does that make sense?)

You can remove a spring the same way.

You might leave the new spring one coil long and then when installed just snip that bent coil off.

If you have trouble breaking the coils, put a little nick in the spring with a cutoff wheel and it will snap off.

I am personally going to cut off 12 coils and see how it works
Gary

[Richard (EV8G)]

Thanks for the measurement on the spring.

To install 40-42 or later to 48 hubs/drums on 32-34 (or most 35's) spindles, you need a bearing spacer, and on 32-34 spindles, you need to REMOVE the stamped grease ring that is pressed onto the spindle center. The X-2000 kit includes an alleged spacer, along with a too-thick and brittle piston ring to make up the center hole difference. The spacer is actually a valve seat of approximately the correct thickness and ID/OD. My DLX-2000 kit includes the CORRECT bearing spacers that are a slight press fit (unless the spindles are worn) so it will not rotate. It provides the bearing spacing AND a surface for the later grease seal to ride on. 1936 spindles (and apparently some later 1935 spindles) have a thicker seal boss and so do not require a spacer. My kit also includes a flanged spacer to install in the inside of the brake plate
to make the center hole fit the (smaller) spindle and to reinforce the holes
where notches need to be filed in order to use the 4 original 3/8" bolts and the
original (round) grease shield. Note that the new Bendix brakes are available
in the smaller (32-36) bolt pattern, so only the bearing spacers are required as per above.

[Richard (EV8G)]

Gary: Thanks for the suggestion... Richard

[barnfind08]

I used your spacer and a little lock tight slid the drum on and installed 1 washer and then the nut. The cotter key was missing the slots so I installed the second washer. TaDa. Thanks

[Richard (EV8G)]

Originally Posted by barnfind08

I used your spacer and a little lock tight slid the drum on and installed 1 washer and then the nut. The cotter key was missing the slots so I installed the second washer. TaDa. Thanks

Are you using the original "long" nut or the later "short nut"???

[barnfind08]

You got me there. Ill check that out, but right now have to get back to work. Fred

[PeteVS]

Gary:
Thanks for the spring dimensions. Tomorrow, I'll look at the cable I installed in a '48 rear. I didn't think to take any measurements before I installed it although I did cut it down in length (one turn at a time- not fun) and it seems to work fine.

UPDATE: I measured the wire to be about .048 and the spring OD to be about .240. I think I cut the length to be about 5.5".

[Gary in Mozarks]

Today, I cut the spring at the 13th coil and spirialed it off the cable. The shortened spring is now 6" I very carefully used a cut off wheel to cut through about half the diameter then sniped it with side cutters.

Here is a picture of the surplus spring almost off the cable (three more wraps to go) I hold the spring with pliers and bend the end loop out enough to go around the cable then rotate it backwards till its off the cable. When you get right down to the last coil and there is nothing to hold you may have to snip that one too.

Hopefully that will take care of the problem.

Gary

[barnfind08]

O.K. Richard you got me. I went out to my building with the front ends and took a few caps off. The 36 on back to 32 have a longer nut. The 37 on up take a shorter nut. I took one off (34) and the cotter key fits in the slots. We are home free. Fred