Brake Shoe Arcing

[v8nut]

I have found the best way to arc brakes shoes (If you don't have a proper machine to do it) is as follows. This applies if the shoes need a larger radius (or if you prefer, diameter) this is usually the case as the drums get turned to a larger and larger diameter. First find a heavy anvil. Then get a very heavy ball peen hammer. Mine is about 4 5/8" front to back of the head. It is marked *A4B for whatever that is worth. Place the web of the brake shoe on the anvil and give it a few very hard blows near the center with the ball peen end of the hammer. This will stretch the web and tend to make the shoe straighten out which gives it a larger radius. Try the shoe again in the drum. If it still rocks, repeat the hammer blows. I have had good luck with this method. It is fast, it is cheap, no dust, no loss of lining thickness. Jim in San Jose

[HCO41]

Stangblue, why would you take material off the top and bottom (ends). Unless I 've missed something, when the drum is turned (larger inside diameter), wouldn't the center of the shoe be higher and rock on the drum?
Has anyone ever used a press to do this?
Howard

[George/Maine]

I have always chamfered the both ends of lining on bench grinder. On a straight angle depth 1/8" back 1/2".
They will brake in ok.

[john in illinois]

We have a Napa store that does a lot of large truck brakes. Trucks still use drums. He has arced several club members model A shoes.

John

[AnthonyG]

Still being fairly new to the Early Ford V8 game, 2 yrs or so ( previously a motor head and machinist from the mid '60's to mid '70's ) I hadn't heard of arcing brake shoes's. I skim cut the drums on my '35 and installed new shoes as I would have done on any of the '60's / '70's cars i'd worked on. Didn't really think about it and just broke them in the same way with easy braking and slow going for a while. Did notice a little more muscle required for a couple hundred miles but fine after that. Was I just lucky? Is it that big a deal? Generally the same set-up as the '60's / '70's cars but mechanical? Sorry for the ignorance on the matter, just trying to understand why the normal wear-in as with the newer shoe'ed cars is a problem?

[JSeery]

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Originally Posted by AnthonyG

Still being fairly new to the Early Ford V8 game, 2 yrs or so ( previously a motor head and machinist from the mid '60's to mid '70's ) I hadn't heard of arcing brake shoes's. I skim cut the drums on my '35 and installed new shoes as I would have done on any of the '60's / '70's cars i'd worked on. Didn't really think about it and just broke them in the same way with easy braking and slow going for a while. Did notice a little more muscle required for a couple hundred miles but fine after that. Was I just lucky? Is it that big a deal? Generally the same set-up as the '60's / '70's cars but mechanical? Sorry for the ignorance on the matter, just trying to understand why the normal wear-in as with the newer shoe'ed cars is a problem?

Same thing, arcing them just shortens the brake-in period. Increased shoe contact area increases braking force and reduces braking effort.

[ford38v8]

Tony, I grew up in the 50's when only the rich kids could afford to have a shop do their brakes. Nobody in my recollection ever did anything but install the new shoes from Pep Boys and return the old shoes for deposit refund. Nobody had their drums turned either, and our new brakes would last at least until we either blew the engine or broadsided some old fart.

[HCO41]

I'm a 50's era driver and do-it-your-self fixer too. Never heard of arcing until this post. Thought I might try it until I read the last three posts. That's the way we all did it, in fact turning the drums was heard of but seldom done in our era. (We also had a little more umph in our legs).
Howard

[B-O-B]

I worked in a Flying A,& a Atlantic Richfield station in the early 60's in L B Cal & we had a brake doctor in both stations. We always arced the shoes to the drums. Brake jobs were pretty reasonable then also. We also checked tire pressure, cleaned the windshield & checked the oil without the customer having to ask for it. Habit I guess but while driving today I generally notic peoples tires with low air pressure. You would be amazed at the ones you see with a door ajar, low tire or burned out taillights.

[ford38v8]

Originally Posted by B-O-B

I worked in a Flying A,& a Atlantic Richfield station in the early 60's in L B Cal & we had a brake doctor in both stations. We always arced the shoes to the drums. Brake jobs were pretty reasonable then also. We also checked tire pressure, cleaned the windshield & checked the oil without the customer having to ask for it. Habit I guess but while driving today I generally notic peoples tires with low air pressure. You would be amazed at the ones you see with a door ajar, low tire or burned out taillights.

Bob, Please understand that without implying anything about you, in my experience of the good old days, Service Station employees were encouraged by the owners to sell products and services by any means possible. This of course would mean overfilled crankcases, fan belts needlessly replaced, and a host of other more creative "sales" techniques, a couple of the most popular being the "dead" battery cell, and the "free" brake check.

[klawockvet]

Hmmm? I've been using the Ford automatic brake arcing machine for years. I think it was standard on all Ford cars until the advent of disc brakes. I take a new set of shoes and install them. Then I drive the car for a while and readjust the brakes. I think they are automatically arced to the drums when the brakes are applied. Its worked for me for the last 59 years. LOL

[B-O-B]

Alan could happen & I think 60 minutes did a show on it where they squirted oil on shocks BUT not where I worked. We had plenty of work doing it honestly & mostly repeat customers.

[Kube]

Ya know, there are of course numerous ways to do any particular job. While many approaches will work, some are simply better than others. I had a lot of formal schooling in automotive repair and had been certified (ASE) in brake repair.
I would never have thought to do a drum brake job without turning the drums and arcing the shoes. Was it necessary? No, of course not. Did I turn out optimal brake jobs? Yes, without question.

[AnthonyG]

Feeling better know knowing many changed the shoe's and took for granted a break-in period either not knowing or not bothering to arc the shoes and just broke them in till they made full contact, as did I. Initially after reading the first 10 or so posts thought I'd missed something in my glory motor head mechanic years, lol. The discussion was / is interesting and really quite informative. I go along with Alan and think as many of the practices at the Carfixer's garage that while the Idea and the practice was theoretically sound it was a bit of over-kill by the ford dealers and local Carfixers to get a few more bucks or justify the price for the brake jobs. Being an old machinist I'd love to see the machine though.

[B-O-B]

Well to each his own but I will continue to check my drums for out of round & turn them & arc the shoes to fit.That is the way I was taught. Did you folks ever notice your brake pedal moving in & out a bit when you applied them. Basically on mechanical brakes.

[ford38v8]

Bob, You are of course correct, and we do need every advantage we can get to protect ourselves and others while driving these mobile museums.

[Chisel]

Originally Posted by AnthonyG

Being an old machinist I'd love to see the machine though.

Picture of Ammco 8000

[Don]

Was in Hillsville WVa.last week at a old service station a guy had restored and had every piece of old automotive tool and machinery of the 30 to 60 and I saw that very machine,didn't think to ask if he would sell it..

[Kurt in NJ]

Brake doktor on 1930 Chrysler -- great for fixed anchor shoes, centers and arcs at the same time

[JSeery]

Originally Posted by Kurt in NJ

Brake doktor on 1930 Chrysler -- great for fixed anchor shoes, centers and arcs at the same time

That looks like a cool setup!