Front End Brake Job

[Slopey1939]

Hello,
Can anyone direct me to where I can find a video or printed matter with instructions on a brake job (front end) for a 39 Fordor sedan. Can't find anything in manuals or youtube.
Thank you,
Dave

[19Fordy]

These books will help.
https://www.google.com/search?q=1940...hrome&ie=UTF-8

[Slopey1939]

Thanks much Fordy, I will take a look.

[Ggmac]

Older Motors manual anf the many Ford manuals in reprint are available

[Terry,OH]

Search this web site for more info.

[19Fordy]

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Installing the front brakes is really quite easy. Take photos and notes as you take things apart. Do not use serrated vise grip pliers to pull the springs as the jaws will leave little nicks in the spring that will weaken it over time. Use smooth jaw pliers wrapped with tape.
Read this thread and all internal links.
https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showt...st+1940+brakes

It's been a long while but I think this is the procedure i used on front brakes.
1. Turn the oblong adjusters on the bottom so that the 2 dots face inwards toward each other.
2. Turn the top adjusters inward to move the shoes inward away from the drum.

3. Remove wheel bearing grease cap, cotter pin, nut, notched washer, outer bearing and drum should pull off by hand.
4. Unhook one end of the brake shoe tension spring.
5. Remove the big nut on the lower adjusters with the dots and gently tap out the pin from the back. This pin holds the brake shoes in place.
6. Gently pull out the top of the brake shoe from the wheel cylinder and slide out each brake shoes from its little spring spring retainer.

When you install new shoes you will need to do a major brake adjustment.

You don't have to remove the wheel cylinder to install new shoes.

[bbrocksr]

Originally Posted by 19Fordy

Installing the front brakes is really quite easy. Take photos and notes as you take things apart. Do not use serrated vise grip pliers to pull the springs as the jaws will leave little nicks in the spring that will weaken it over time. Use smooth jaw pliers wrapped with tape.

Use brake spring pliers.
Bill

[tubman]

When I was first learning to work on cars, my dad gave me a tip on brake jobs : Do them one side at a time. DO NOT take both sides apart first. Then you will have something to look at if you get in a bind. It may be a mirror image, but I've never seen a car with two different brake setups on the front.

The specialized drum brake tools (the aforementioned pliers and the other tools) are probably the cheapest and easiest to find items at garage sales. I'll bet I have at least 7 brake adjusting tools in my "junk tool" drawer.