E brake drags

[Russell Reay]

Just finished installing left rear brake assembly--all new parts except shoes. Shoes are nearly new--woven linings, lots of material above the rivets. With the adjusting wedge backed off all the way, the (new) drum barely contacts the shoes. With the e-brake band in place, the drum goes on hard, and it takes effort to turn it when the axle nut is tight (NOT torqued yet). If this were a newer brake set-up (1940s+) I would just run it as-is knowing that the lining would quickly wear in so the drum would spin freely. BUT, being a model A should I sand the e-brake band so it turns freely before torquing the axle nut and adjusting the brakes?

[Dennis Pereira]

Did you try adjusting the brake rods? and how's the return spring.

[Russell Reay]

Originally Posted by Dennis Pereira

Did you try adjusting the brake rods? and how's the return spring.

All new springs, including the big one, rods not connected

[Dennis Pereira]

Originally Posted by Russell Reay

All new springs, including the big one, rods not connected

The driver's side is dragging on my all-new parts brake job if it was running, I think a short drive might help.

[nkaminar]

Here is what I did. The edge of the emergency brake shoe was rubbing on the drum. There was a witness mark on the inside of the drum. I added a spacer (the shim stock cone that goes on the axle). Still rubbing so I put chalk marks on the shoes and sanded where the marks were rubbed away. I did not check the concentricity of the emergency brake shoe but that is something that could be done. I also noticed that it is easy to not have the emergency brake shoe mounted correctly so that it was cocked.

[bobbader]

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You haven't given a whole lot of info on what exactly has been done to the brake system. New Drums?????? Backing plates rebuilt?????? New Roller tracks?????? Anything new in the ebrake hardware ????

But here goes ................... Easiest thing to try is disconnecting emergency brake rods and try again. Next step would be to switch drums from one side to the other. If all that fails to change things, you could switch ebrake bands from one side to the other. If this step yields the same result, I'd look into a bent ebrake carrier plate on the left side.

BTW, not saying axle shims are out of the question but you suggest it's hard just getting the brake drum to go on. A shim will not affect that scenario.

Or .............. give us more info/pictures.

Good luck

[Russell Reay]

Originally Posted by bobbader

You haven't given a whole lot of info on what exactly has been done to the brake system. New Drums?????? Backing plates rebuilt?????? New Roller tracks?????? Anything new in the ebrake hardware ????

Or .............. give us more info/pictures.

Good luck

I think you could say the backing plate is rebuilt. Blasted, painted, threads cleaned per red book, plus new adj wedge, matched shafts, new roller tracks, new cam and camshaft, e brake carrier, restored seats on baffle, all new springs and clevis pins, new drum (iron) and hub. As before- shoes and e brake band are nearly new so did not tamper. The drum slides over the shoes nicely, but binds as it goes onto the band, so edge rubbing against inside of drum is not an issue. I can see that the band can easily be cocked a little, so I tried to be sure that didn't happen. I will try swapping drums and/or chalking and sanding. Will keep you posted.

[Russell Reay]

Update--I put everything together on both wheels--about 6 times. There was drag even without the ebrake band installed and the service shoes wiggling. I concluded that the drag is due to the tight new hub seal.

[lrf]

Les Andrews 1st book states on page 1-43, paragraph #6, "there is a left and right hand carrier plate for the e-brake" Also I believe you can install the ebrake band incorrectly, the band has placement protrusions which are off-set. Keep driving that "A". LRF