[Purdy Swoft]

I don't have experience with Teds floaters, I have read some of his posts in the past and I am impressed that he knows his business where leverage is concerned.

If you haven't already invested in the floaters, here is a few tips on setting up original brakes, the way that I do. If you don't live in the mountains, original steel drums will be good if they are worn about .035 over 11 inches and not more than .050 over 11 inches. I never have steel drums turned, Ford didn't recommend it. Turning the steel drums will remove surface hardness . Usually people have problems setting up the center service brake cross shaft . With the brake pedal to cross shaft rod set with the pedal at the top and propped, I adjust the clevis at the pedal so that the plunger at the rear end of the rod is against the center cross member, where it holds back the plunger on the brake light switch. The service bullitins says to allow 1/16th inch clearance between the plunger and the crossmember to prevent squeaks. I have never had a problem with squeaks and my method gives an extra 16th inch of adjustment on the front brake rods. I've heard of some running out of threads on the front rods where the clevice connects , when trying to get the 15 degrees foward slant on the front brake levers. Adjust ALL of the free play out at the brake rod clevis before installing the the brake rod clevis pins. In other words, with the slack pulled back on the brake levers, you should just be able to just slide the brake rod pins in to place. I prefer the woven brake lining, I feel that they give better friction againce the drum for better stopping power. I grind a taper on the leading and trailing end of all of the brake lining, after it is riveted to the shoes, from the ends of the nlining almost all the way to the two rivets at each end of the shoes. Without grinding a taper at the leading and trailing ends of the lining, can and will cause difficulty or inability to get the drums over the shoes. You have to work with the brake tracks to center the shoes. I usually build up the worn tracks with weld, where they are obviously worn. Installing new repro tracks is NO guarantee that the shoes will be centered and will take just as much work to center. I save time and money and weld up and grind my tracks on the backing plate without removeing them. In the past, I made centering tools out of old worn out hubs and drums. I now have the centering tool that is sold by most model A venders. Some type of a centering tool is an asset for setting up the brakes. Centering will require welding and grinding or bending the ends of the tracks up or down to set the position of the shoes. When I refer to centering, this means that the shoes need to fit to the backing plates in a way that will give equal clearance arround the inner circumferance , between the drum and the lining. I have found that when possible, it is best to replace each shoe to the same place that it was removed. In other words don't remove all of the shoes and mix them and the pointed adjusting shafts that attach to the upper end of the shoes, up. I have had good luck useing the roller pins from Snyder. Remember that the larger round head of the roller pin must fit and ride on the brake tracks. In other words the cotter pins will face the outside. If the brake operating pins that extend through the king pins to the lower front brake wedge isn't bent, I build up the worn ends with weld and grind and chamfer as needed. The book calls for a 7 1/4 inch length for the operating pins. depending on wear of other parts , it may be necessary for the pins to be slightly longer , this will help get the 15 degree foward lean for the front brake levers Don't worry about exact degree. I set the right front lever at about 11 oclock and the left at 1 oclock . I lay the bent brake rods on an anvil and hammer them straight. I either weld up the eyes of the brake rods and drill them back to size or use oversize brake rod clevis pins.The rear brakes will usually require replaceing the rear brake camshafts, bushings and sometimes cams. I always replace all of the brake springs. I don't use brake spring pliers. I hook the spring to the rivet and shoe and use the shoe as a lever to pull the shoe in place and get the head of the roller pin so that it rides on the tracks.Its not real easy, but if the head of the roller pin isn't rolling on the tracks, it just won't work and you probably won't be able to get the drum on anyway. Its not rocket science. Model A brakes are the simplest brakes that I know of . You just need mechanical ability and common sense . Its not so that everything must be replaced. Thicker cast iron drums will be better in mountainous country but good steel drums will work fine otherwise. Its good to have a little free movement at the service brake cross shaft bushings to allow for flexing of the frame. I use the split brass bushings. This isn't all of the minute details but should give general ideas. I have found with common sense adjustments, mostly to the brake rods will usually give brakes to model a's that have none or very poor brakes.