The Ford Barn

Paul Howes · 07-12-2025, 07:40 PM

I put new shoes on the front, new drums, new bearings. I was unable to adjust the drivers side. I ordered new adjustment wedge & brake adjustment shafts thinking many years of wear. With the wedge adjustment all the way out I had to hammer the drum on. Not crazy but just to get it on. Even with the wheel on I can’t turn it. What am I missing?
Paul

Big hammer · 07-12-2025, 09:52 PM

Compare the old brake adjusting shafts to the new ones, carefully, I ended up using the old shafts.

Bob C · 07-12-2025, 10:15 PM

Were the drums turned after mounting to the hubs? Were the brakes shoes ground to fit the drums?

nkaminar · 07-13-2025, 03:31 AM

Shorten the new brake adjustment shafts by 1 mm. Keep the same angle and shape.

Paul Howes · 07-13-2025, 06:59 AM

Drum, shoes fit perfectly. I just couldn’t get them to adjust. The break adjustment shaft and wedge were the only things I changed. I did use American made. It’s got to be something simple.

nkaminar · 07-13-2025, 07:33 AM

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Just shorten the brake adjustment shafts by 1 mm. They need to be the same length and the correct angle. I rounded the tip of mine slightly. They don't need to have a sharp end. Simple.

nkaminar · 07-13-2025, 07:39 AM

One other thing to check is the proper angle on the brake arm. It should be 15 degrees forward with all slack taken up so that any more movement will cause the shoes to expand. Check it with the brake rod unattached. Adjust with the pills (shims) under the rod that goes through the king pin. After the arm angle is set, adjust the brake rod so that it attaches with no movement in the arm.

Richard Knight · 07-13-2025, 09:09 AM

Have you checked the shoes for concentricity. Very important.

Will N · 07-13-2025, 09:27 AM

I have to ask...are you sure the adjusting shafts are on the right way? The long side faces outward, the short side inward so that the beveled end sits flush against the conical adjusting wedge.

bobbader · 07-13-2025, 03:07 PM

Many folks don't realize that turning the adjusting wedge all the way out until it stops does not guarantee that the adjusting shafts are resting on a low spot on the wedge. my rule of thumb is to turn the adjusting wedge all the way out until it stops and turn it slightly back in until you hear it "click" (once or twice) , indicating that both shafts have "fallen" into the low spot on the wedge. It's amazing how far the shoes can spread if the shafts are resting on the high spots of the wedge.

07-12-2025, 07:40 PM	#1
Paul Howes Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: florida Posts: 18	Brakes I put new shoes on the front, new drums, new bearings. I was unable to adjust the drivers side. I ordered new adjustment wedge & brake adjustment shafts thinking many years of wear. With the wedge adjustment all the way out I had to hammer the drum on. Not crazy but just to get it on. Even with the wheel on I can’t turn it. What am I missing? Paul

07-12-2025, 09:52 PM	#2
Big hammer Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Land of Lincoln Posts: 3,431	Re: Brakes Compare the old brake adjusting shafts to the new ones, carefully, I ended up using the old shafts. __________________ Don't force it with a little hammer tap, tap, tap get a bigger hammer tap done

07-12-2025, 10:15 PM	#3
Bob C Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: So Cal Posts: 9,360	Re: Brakes Were the drums turned after mounting to the hubs? Were the brakes shoes ground to fit the drums?

07-13-2025, 03:31 AM	#4
nkaminar Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Western North Carolina Posts: 5,873	Re: Brakes Shorten the new brake adjustment shafts by 1 mm. Keep the same angle and shape. __________________ A is for apple, green as the sky. Step on the gas, for tomorrow I die. Forget the brakes, they really don't work. The clutch always sticks, and starts with a jerk. My car grows red hair, and flies through the air. Driving's a blast, a blast from the past.

07-13-2025, 06:59 AM	#5
Paul Howes Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: florida Posts: 18	Re: Brakes Drum, shoes fit perfectly. I just couldn’t get them to adjust. The break adjustment shaft and wedge were the only things I changed. I did use American made. It’s got to be something simple.

07-13-2025, 07:33 AM	#6
nkaminar Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Western North Carolina Posts: 5,873	Re: Brakes Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Just shorten the brake adjustment shafts by 1 mm. They need to be the same length and the correct angle. I rounded the tip of mine slightly. They don't need to have a sharp end. Simple. __________________ A is for apple, green as the sky. Step on the gas, for tomorrow I die. Forget the brakes, they really don't work. The clutch always sticks, and starts with a jerk. My car grows red hair, and flies through the air. Driving's a blast, a blast from the past. Last edited by nkaminar; 07-13-2025 at 04:21 PM.

07-13-2025, 07:39 AM	#7
nkaminar Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Western North Carolina Posts: 5,873	Re: Brakes One other thing to check is the proper angle on the brake arm. It should be 15 degrees forward with all slack taken up so that any more movement will cause the shoes to expand. Check it with the brake rod unattached. Adjust with the pills (shims) under the rod that goes through the king pin. After the arm angle is set, adjust the brake rod so that it attaches with no movement in the arm. __________________ A is for apple, green as the sky. Step on the gas, for tomorrow I die. Forget the brakes, they really don't work. The clutch always sticks, and starts with a jerk. My car grows red hair, and flies through the air. Driving's a blast, a blast from the past.

07-13-2025, 09:09 AM	#8
Richard Knight Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2021 Posts: 243	Re: Brakes Have you checked the shoes for concentricity. Very important.

07-13-2025, 09:27 AM	#9
Will N Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 1,251	Re: Brakes I have to ask...are you sure the adjusting shafts are on the right way? The long side faces outward, the short side inward so that the beveled end sits flush against the conical adjusting wedge.

07-13-2025, 03:07 PM	#10
bobbader Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Huntington, NY Posts: 352	Re: Brakes Many folks don't realize that turning the adjusting wedge all the way out until it stops does not guarantee that the adjusting shafts are resting on a low spot on the wedge. my rule of thumb is to turn the adjusting wedge all the way out until it stops and turn it slightly back in until you hear it "click" (once or twice) , indicating that both shafts have "fallen" into the low spot on the wedge. It's amazing how far the shoes can spread if the shafts are resting on the high spots of the wedge.