Rear Brakes Are Killing Me

[jrhaelig]

I finally get back in the garage to put the rear drums back on my '39 PU and it's nothing but trouble.

New shoes, new cylinders & the drums slipped on pretty easily.

When I got the hub nut about half way tight the emergency brake actuator lever starts to clank against the heads of the wheel studs.

2 or 3 revolutions and I manage to bust the tangs off of that flat e-brake actuator retainer spring.

Being a hard headed disbeliever I made sure to do it to both sides!

I took the actuator levers off and bent them a bit inward and they still clang.

This morning it dawned on me that I did not tighten the E-brake cable. I bet that in this relaxed position the arm is too close to the outer edge of the drum interior.

I am really hoping that by snugging the cable it will draw the arm to the interior & away from the wheel studs.

What about a more aggressive bend inward?

What about the missing retaining clip?

[V8COOPMAN]

I'll bet 19Fordy will be along here shortly to help you with some pics and diagrams. Realistically, doesn't it sound like you probably have something (on BOTH sides) incorrectly assembled? It would be hard to believe that BOTH of those levers mysteriously bent themselves OUTWARD while you had it apart. DD

[Kube]

I'd like to see a photo of what you have.
It sounds as if you either have something installed incorrectly as V8Coopman suggests and / or the shoes are bent / warped.
By tightening the brake cable, if you have stock 39 brakes, the actuator lever will move the shoes outward. Counter-productive of what (at this point) you are trying to achieve.
I'll be doing a brake job on a 39 this weekend. If you haven't solved the problem by then, let me know.
I can send you detailed photos.

[19Fordy]

Perhaps this will help. It's a 1940 Ford car so the bolt pattern is different. When installing the drum the E-brake cable is relaxed -not tight. Is it possible that your brake shoes and hand brake operating lever are not positioned properly as shown in View C below?.

[Wily Kyote]

"Being a hard headed disbeliever I made sure to do it to both sides!"

Ask your mother if you had a twin brother who is unaccounted for? If yes, look no further... it's me.

Best of luck on figuring out and curing the brake problem.

[peewee2you]

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Note: 19Forty's photo, that the short shoe is toward the rear of the drum and is the shoe that the emergency brake uses.

also ensure that your emergency brake is fully released.

[peewee2you]

Did you do anything different with the drums, like replace them or get them turned and the wheel bearing was removed, which would allow the drum to move farther inward possible causing the clanking, of the wheel studs. Just a thought.

[jrhaelig]

Well I found the problem.

Turns out it all started with the disassembly. When I pulled the rear drums the guts were so frozen that it bent the brake shoe clips and the E-brake hold down spring.

When it pulled the clip outward it pulled the shelf outward toward the drum so when I reassembled - the new position caused the actuator arm to clank on the rotating drum.

A little heat, a hammer, and I pushed the shelf flatter. No more clank!

This is the shelf before I pushed it back.

[mrmoose]

It's wonderful when we figure these things out on our own...and modify with heat and hammer as needed. Congrats and relax now.....it is after all, the weekend!