Mechanical Brake Tracks & Rolling Pins

[H. L. Chauvin]

Mechanical Brake Tracks & Rolling Pins: (Posted on other Forum also)

1. During Model A Mechanical Brake restoration, many have experienced a mechanical moving parts area within the brake drum area that wears quite a bit, (metal to metal) caused by the movement of the mechanical brake rolling pins,(A2045) on the tracks. These front & rear roller track part numbers are: Front A2011C, & Rear A2011D, more expensive with accompanying bushings & housing.

2. Depending on the amount of wear, & degree of restoration desired, these tracks are often built up with weld & re-surfaced; or, removed & replaced with new tracks riveted in place. As these brake tracks wear, they affect the top & bottom centering of the brake shoes in the drums.

3. In the recent past, some have totally replaced original mechanical brake parts within the brake drums with the more modern Flathead Ted's Front & Rear Brake Kits, by Mr. Ted Spain in New Zealand. Many, even salesmen at Model A parts vendor companies, who own Model A's, report that Mr. Spain's altered mechanical brake system is excellent.

4. Other Model A owners prefer to stay more original & replace worn parts with standard replacement parts offered by Model A parts vendors.

5. After re-building my entire mechanical brake system some time ago, using "standard" replacement parts, (except for installing the more modern front brake floater/equalizer, (A2051F) ), I saw Mr. Ted Spain's square headed brake pins in a parts catalog. They were advertised to be used only on the rear brakes.

6. I then inquired firstly, if these square headed pins could be used in conjunction with "standard" replacement parts, as opposed to only being provided the entire modern kit; & secondly, could these pins be used also for the "front" brakes.

7. The vendors reply to both questions was: "I am not sure."

8. Thinking that these square pins would greatly improve the wearability of the Model A brake tracks & rolling pins, by e-mail inquiry I asked Mr. Ted Spain the same aforementioned two (2) questions.

9. Mr. Spain said these square pins would work with "standard" mechanical brake replacement parts, would also work with a floater/equalizer on the front brakes; & that furthermore, would greatly reduce the wear of all eight (8) mechanical brake tracks. (He also did mention that his total replacement kits, front & rear, would work better).

10. Also, "if" tracks are worn enough to be rebuilt or replaced, one does not have to remove the old worn tracks. One can grind these worn tracks down flat & level, & provide these new square headed pins which can adjust the centering of the brake shoes by turning these pins 90 degrees for each different setting until shoes are centered.

11. These square headed brake track pins contact the tracks with a much larger contact sliding area, (less pounds per square inch), than the much smaller tangential area of the brake rolling pins,(A2045). Then after a little "standard" rolling pin wear and/or track wear, these "standard" rolling pins cease to roll & begin to slide with more pounds per square inch at their smaller contact points on the tracks.

12. Just trying to pass on this bit of trivial information in case some may be interested.