levers and knees
 

Wow, a simple picture of the underside of my model A, and at least a couple of comments concerning my upside-down rear brake levers have started what seems to be a monster job.

When I finally realized that someone had put the wrong side backing plate on the wrong side of the rear axle, I just stripped everything off that axle. I’m really good at taking things apart and figured that it was best to start all over from scratch.

What a complicated mess. I’m finding out crap that I never wanted to find out, and my knees are screaming at me to stay off of them. They sure didn’t say Happy New Year to me this morning. Even with elastic knee braces, they don’t like cement floors at all and don’t want to work well as a result. They show their dismay by snapping and popping a bunch, and once in a while just decide not to support anything above them.

My god, it’s 2018 and I’m still here bitching about my knees. Mom and Dad would have said, “Shut up, some people don’t even have knees.” That’s a pretty disturbing thing to hear when you are too young to know what they’re talking about.

I hope you are all around throughout 2018 so you can bitch about your knees as well.

Mike

Re: levers and knees
 

Jack it up more,,,, Get a scooter seat,

Re: levers and knees
 

I have found that a thick piece of styrafoam insulation helps a lot when either on your knees or laying on your back when down at chassis level.

Re: levers and knees
 

Knee Pro knee pads.
Best ones I've ever come across.
https://www.kneepro.com/Products/the...-iii--4-colors

Re: levers and knees
 

I did mine at the end of August when it was over 100 for a few days. At least I didn't do it in July when it was even warmer and didn't cool down at night. My garage gets south and west exposure so I had to wait until night to do my brakes. Sweat streaming down my face trying to wipe it aside to see. I don't know which is worse. A hot, sweaty situation or a cold one. Frankly, I would prefer hot. I have poor circulation and cold does not work well for me. My knees are OK but my back is messed up. Oh, the joys of working on these cars! If we didn't have these things to complain about, it would be our wives or kids or something. Just think of the service we are doing to our families and fellow men by taking our frustrations out on Model A brakes!

Re: levers and knees
 

I had knee surgery December 1st it was supposedly supposed to lay me back for a week well when they got into it they had to remove some muscle around the hardware they were removing and it has been a slow painful recovery. Last Friday I feel real good and go to the license bureau to tag my 49 Ford after that's done I did a few errands and as it was going to get so freaking cold we moved as much into the shop as we could and all the tractors around so we can plug them in. I went to bed that night feeling real good about myself lo and behold the dog has to go outside at 6 a.m., so I get up to let him out and my off set foot feels like I broke it. I mean this burger just hurts to beat hell so I stay up off of it all day. Then yesterday I started putting the ice to it lots of ibuprofen and ice and this morning I can walk on it not good but I can walk on it all I can say is what the hell? I would like to meet the SOB that didn't know gold from rust cuz I haven't seen anything golden about getting older

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Re: levers and knees
 

Bill, if you look on page 42 of the owner’s manual, you’ll see the picture of the rear brake in figure 28. The alignment of the e-brake shoe and lever is sure different from the way mine looks. The way the e-brake shoe fits on the plate, and the position of the bar where the two ends of the e-brake shoe come together is not where mine is. The control lever for the e-brake shoe is down in fig. 28, where mine are up. I can’t see any way those levers can be turned so they’re down instead of up.

What am I missing?

Mike

Re: levers and knees
 

Posted photo by Tom W. take a careful look and compare to yours.

Re: levers and knees
 

Your e-brake carriers are on the wrong side. Just swap the e-brake carriers.

Re: levers and knees
 

Wingski,

Find a club member with a rear axle half that you can borrow. Stand it on the banjo end or lock it down in a vice and assemble your backing plates either sitting or standing.

Attaching the finished backing plate to your axle will require some creativity to catch that last bolt but less time annoying dem knees.

Best, JB

Re: levers and knees
 

It appears to be upside-down to me. I rotated your picture to compare to Tom's picture. They have either been rotated when installed or are installed on wrong side as others have already said.

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/pictu...ictureid=39492

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/pictu...ictureid=39493

Re: levers and knees
 

I use these https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_s...=301K880SQ1F8Q for kneeling and stadium seat cushions. Pretty nice on aluminum bleachers in the fall!

Re: levers and knees
 

I went through a similar problem with a "rebuilt" front axle assembly I bought a while back. It wasn’t until a few months later I installed the assembly and realized for the brakes to work, the brake rods had to push the front brake lever. Believe me, there was a lot of head scratching before I figured out the kingpins were reversed. So I feel your frustration.
Like others a good work stool with tool/parts shelf underneath and a 2” thick piece of foam rubber will make the job much more tolerable.

Re: levers and knees
 

All of you guys over 60 have more money than you know how to spend. I'm only 54 and not as wealthy as you fellows but i do have empathy so I will share some knowledge to help you with your knees.

If any of you appreciate my sharing of this knowledge you could probably buy two for a better price and give me one, you know, to show your gratitude. :D

https://youtu.be/4d69VmX45qw

Re: levers and knees
 

History, that thing is remarkable. It gives me faith in being able to work on cars and equipment a lot longer than I ever expected.

I am so impressed, thank you,

Mike

Re: levers and knees
 

I've had both knees replaced, and bought a pair of the kind of knee pads that volleyball players wear. Any sports store has them.

Re: levers and knees
 

You're very welcome and I hope it's something that would work for you. It's been awhile since I looked into one so hopefully the price has came down. I want to say it was priced at $10,000. I could be wrong on that. Somewhere on the $1500 range and I'd have one. The Chinese will have one cheap soon I'd reckon.

Re: levers and knees
 

Re: levers and knees
 

Maybe off of the knee topic. My wife request for a Christmas present this year an "Electric Table". The used office equipment stores sell used draftsman tables and office work stations that go up and down with a push button. They use an AC electric motor and a linear actuator for the up and down motion. She wanted it for her sewing machine so she could also sew standing up when her back aches. It can then go down to the correct height for use while sitting. Neat item for her use.... Around $300.

Re: levers and knees
 

I have a pair of blue Trace brand sports knee pads. They have a round opening in back and are super comfortable when I’m standing up. If you wear the things over your pants, they will even stay up in place. However, if I kneel down on them or even bend my knees past a certain point, they cut off circulation to my lower legs. I’ve still got really muscular legs because I walk so much. Maybe my legs will shrink a little as I get older, and I can use them.

But hold on, maybe if I bought a pair that were a little bit bigger, they’d work.

Go figure,

Mike

P.S. You guys bitch and moan about Chinese products, but I’ll betcha that Harbor Freight would sell something like the Human Hoist for a lot less than $12,500. Wouldn’t that be neat?

Re: levers and knees
 

I won't ever be buying one at $12,500.00. I think the owners will not make much on this unless they change what they are doing. Maybe license it to someone who can get it made cheaper but still a quality product. They'd do well to take it to shark tank maybe. After the r/d is finished that thing can be made for not much money. If the Chinese can do it and its reliable and cheap, I'll have one. $12,500.00 ???? Pffffft!!!

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I have done some flooring and I wouldnt make it an hour without knee pads. Home Depot has some cheap ones I like.

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I Know right? Crazy

I'd say, ... $700.00 should kill it.

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It looks like C&H has a hand in it and I have never bought a tractor part from them it hasn't been totally outrageous it's just you got to have it

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