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05-29-2021, 08:18 PM | #1 |
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Problem adjusting one of the front brakes
I’m trying to adjust brakes on a 29 Fordor but have run into a problem. The front passenger side brakes don’t adjust. When you turn the adjustment nut clockwise it just keeps turning until it gets to the end and you can spin the tire by hand. If I crank down hard to do another click it will lock the wheel up and that’s as far as the adjuster will go. It’s either free spinning or locked.
I took it apart this afternoon and put two new adjustment arms in the brake assembly but that didn’t make a difference. The adjuster wedge looks good – I didn’t have a replacement for that. The threads on the adjuster wedge were fine and it will thread in all the way. What could cause brakes to not be adjustable? I’m stumped
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05-29-2021, 08:28 PM | #2 |
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Re: Problem adjusting one of the front brakes
First check to see if the rods are adjusted so the arms are at 15 degrees from vertical towards the front of the car. You may have to add a "pill" under the vertical actuating rod, see https://www.snydersantiqueauto.com/P...model-a/brakes
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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. |
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05-29-2021, 08:31 PM | #3 | |
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Re: Problem adjusting one of the front brakes
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05-29-2021, 08:56 PM | #4 |
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Re: Problem adjusting one of the front brakes
First install the rods and adjust them for the 15 degree arm angle. That may be all you need to do. If you still cannot adjust the brakes, add a "pill" or two. The brakes should be adjusted with the rods attached. Once the rods are adjusted to the proper length they should not be changed.
Consider getting some help from local club members with brake experience. Make sure you have not pressed off the conical shaped dust shield for the adjuster by turning it in too far.
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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; 05-29-2021 at 09:11 PM. |
05-29-2021, 09:14 PM | #5 | |
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Re: Problem adjusting one of the front brakes
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I am on this forum asking experienced people for clues to my problem and get insulted by you saying I should contact someone from my local club ??? I want to fix this problem myself if I can.
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05-29-2021, 09:22 PM | #6 |
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Re: Problem adjusting one of the front brakes
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Take off the brake rod and back off the adjusting wedge Remove tire and brake drum, remove bottom two brake springs and move aside Remove operating wedge, takes 3/4, the rod may come down...that ok, just hold it up Pill goes in the top of the wedge, push it in nice and tight Now put the wedge back on and the brake shoes, make sure the rollers are in the wedge correctly Use the brake lever and see how it's working, Brake drum with bearing nut just hand tight, goes on now Put your tire on with just three lugs hand tight Spin your tire and turn out your adjustment till the brake shoes just contact If that feels good take it apart and tighten everything with the cotter pins Put your brake rod back on ...And now you have to adjust the brakes, and that's a different horse.....
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Keith Shawnee OK '31 SW 160-B |
05-29-2021, 09:31 PM | #7 | |
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Problem adjusting one of the front brakes
Quote:
Sometimes, it’s difficult to describe symptoms on a forum, and pictures sometimes are hard to post and then may not be that helpful. (Lighting and shadows can make pictures hard to “read.”) So, having the experienced eyes of an talented club member looking at your car can often help diagnose a problem quicker and more effectively. Just my opinion... Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk |
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05-29-2021, 10:01 PM | #8 |
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Re: Problem adjusting one of the front brakes
If the adjusting wedge is threading in and out, then the top end of the shoes would be going in and out to follow the wedge. If not, then my guess would be that the brake adjusting shafts are not properly seated or the shoes at the bottom are not on the roller tracks and therefore not being held out in the proper position. My 2 cents
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05-29-2021, 10:04 PM | #9 | |
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Re: Problem adjusting one of the front brakes
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05-29-2021, 10:09 PM | #10 | |
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Re: Problem adjusting one of the front brakes
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05-29-2021, 10:39 PM | #11 |
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Re: Problem adjusting one of the front brakes
A shot here from waaaay out in left field. You are turning the adjuster the right way, aren't you?
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05-30-2021, 05:23 AM | #12 |
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Re: Problem adjusting one of the front brakes
Jim,
No insult intended. It is always good to get help from someone who has "been there." A good source of information and a good section on the brakes is included in the Model A Ford Mechanics Handbook, Vol. I, A Complete Guide For Service and Maintenance, available from the vendors for about $36. I recommend you get a copy. I have been working on Model A's for 60 years but I am constantly learning new things. That book was very helpful to me, and I read it last year. The reason to install the rods is so that the wedge is in the correct position to adjust the brakes. Ford intended for the brakes to be adjusted with the rods attached.
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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. |
05-30-2021, 05:57 AM | #13 |
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Re: Problem adjusting one of the front brakes
Yep
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05-30-2021, 06:12 AM | #14 | |
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Re: Problem adjusting one of the front brakes
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05-30-2021, 08:38 AM | #15 |
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Re: Problem adjusting one of the front brakes
Possibilities:
Is the passenger side steel drum turned out too much? Are brake shoe linings on passenger side too thin? Could the holes in the brake shoes where roller pins attach be worn oblong? Roller pins have groove in them? A-2042 BRAKE SHOE ADJUSTING SHAFTs (the ones with 45 degree angle on end) worn or holes oblong where they attach to brake shoes? Photo will not attach - forget the photo... Last edited by Benson; 05-30-2021 at 08:47 AM. |
05-30-2021, 09:43 AM | #16 |
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Re: Problem adjusting one of the front brakes
Jim
I’ll first start off by saying brakes are one of my staples and specialties. If your brakes won’t adjust it could be several things. From your post it sounds like the wedge is moving in... am I correct in that. Sometimes the threads in the backing plate get bad and stripped out and won’t let the adjuster work well with the resistance of the shoes anchors (a-2042). Disassembly and diagnosis here is probably necessary. I would suggest pulling the drum off and watching and feeling the shoe action while you rotate the wedge in and out. If they are stock wedges ( non flathead teds design or other ) there should be no lock nut on the outside unless it was missing. This have a floating type which you probably don’t have but in mentioning just in case.... If you pull the shoes off by pulling the lower end of the show outward away from the wedge and slightly out to remove and then the other side you can remove the lower springs and then fold the shoes together slightly to remove the upper spring. Remove the shoes. Screw the adjuster all the way in and it should eventually force out the adjuster cap. A slight tap when it’s almost fully in may be required to tap it out. If there’s all kinds of impacted grease and dirt that will make them nit work correctly. Inspect the ends of the shoe anchor (a-2042) and wedges and threads. If the threads are bad in the backing plate you will need another backing plate. If the wedges don’t have good ridges the adjuster wedge will need replacing . Most don’t replace or restore all the necessary components when doing a brake job so poor brakes and poor adjustment are some of the most common issues of complaints. Brakes can screech to a stop when done well and properly restored and adjusted. See what’s going on and hopefully you will find the problem. Front brakes are much simpler to deal with than rears. Always adjust the wedge first with drum and wheel on before you adjust and install the brake rod. Yes rods do need adjusting to dial things in once major brake work is done. Normal service adjustments for wear ARE done with the wedges. It’s amazing how many cars have aweful brakes! It’s in part because many don’t know what they are doing ( I don’t mean that unkindly but by knowledge and experience) and it is also a costly job. Hope this helps a little. Larry Shepard |
05-30-2021, 09:50 AM | #17 |
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Re: Problem adjusting one of the front brakes
BINGO !!!
The brakes now adjust ! Last night when I posted this I was completely exhausted and frustrated. Today fresh and with the tips I got from this post, I was able to fix the problem. I have a bunch of spare parts I bought from someone so I dug through them this morning and found some "pills" , dust covers and most importantly a nice adjusting wedge. I took everything apart and cleaned and inspected all the parts. They looked pretty good with no out of round pieces. I think the new adjuster wedge (on top) did the trick but the pill I added was without a doubt needed to properly adjust with a 15 degree tilt. Thanks everyone for all your help. Putting the pills on were a breeze with the step by step provided here. Most importantly by doing and redoing that side of the brakes I became fairly confident with that procedure and those components which is my goal.
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05-30-2021, 10:04 AM | #18 |
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Re: Problem adjusting one of the front brakes
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05-30-2021, 12:56 PM | #19 |
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Re: Problem adjusting one of the front brakes
Jim,
Congratulations. Job well done. Thanks for the feedback.
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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. |
05-30-2021, 03:25 PM | #20 | |
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Re: Problem adjusting one of the front brakes
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