front brake won't retract enough

[Jimczeb]

I am a new owner. 1930 fordor. the car i purchased has new brakes. I cannot get one front brake to retract enough to install and turn the drum. I replaced brake adjusting shafts with new ones. They easily slide in the hole. I have the adjuster cone completely retracted. when i install the shoes the adjuster shafts do not even reach the adjusting cones. I have the brake pedal rod disconnected and pulled completely forward. I cannot get the drum to turn when i install it. The other 3 wheels are turning ok.
Any recommendations?
jim

[CT Jack]

The arc or outer curvature of the shoes must match the the OD of the drums. Remove the shoes and compare them to the drum. If the shoes are larger they will need to be sanded down until they match the drums. Also make certain the ends of the shoes have a small bevel.

[Ordsgt]

Any chance you have the break adjuster shafts in 180 out? Sounds as if the bevel on the adj shaft is opposite the bevel on the cone. That i believe would have your brake expanded too far even in the retracted position. If the adjuster shaft is not making contact with the cone that is a problem. I did have an incident with new Adjusting shafts that would not go in all the way in and had to put them on a belt sander to clean them up so they would go in

[Rob Doe]

X2 on the adjuster shafts post #3.

Pictures would help. Are you certain the roller pin heads are positioned on the tracks. Sometimes it takes a good bump from the hand at the bottom to get them up and on the tracks. From the bottom on the fronts and the side on the rears. The centering tool will help identify whether the shoes are fully on correctly.

The Les Andrews red book Vol I discusses the centering tool near the end of the assembly procedures for front and rear brakes.

[Bill Z]

X 3 on the adjuster shafts. The reproductions I bought where not shaped properly and didn’t allow any up and down movement of the brake shoes to center them in the drums. Compare the originals with the reproductions and you will clearly see the difference.

[Jimczeb]

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Thanks for all of the quick input. I have tried all of the suggestions except checking the shoes against the drum. I will need to take the drum off and get a picture with the wedge cap off. Before i put them on I tested the adjusting shafts in their locations and they moved freely. I lubricated them and I put the brakes back together with the adjusting wedge fully retracted. The the ends of the shafts don't even reach the wedge. If i tap the shoes with a hammer they won't move any closer.
When I get back out there i will pop the wedge cover and get you some good pictures. hopefully, there is something obvious that I am missing. i
been working on cars for over 60 years and this one has me stumped.
jim

[Phil Brown]

If the ends of the shafts will not touch the adjusting wedge when the wedge is backed off what is stopping the shoes/shafts from retracting more ? Most likley there is your problem sounds simple but so is the braking system

[nkaminar]

I am going to go with what Phil Brown said. Is there something in the tubes that the adjuster shafts fit in? Or something on the shafts? Or defective shafts? Try the shoes from the opposite side of the car to see the adjuster shafts go all the way in. Some shafts are made shorter than others and some have been sharpened up and shortened in the process.

[JayJay]

Originally Posted by nkaminar

I am going to go with what Phil Brown said. Is there something in the tubes that the adjuster shafts fit in? Or something on the shafts? Or defective shafts? Try the shoes from the opposite side of the car to see the adjuster shafts go all the way in. Some shafts are made shorter than others and some have been sharpened up and shortened in the process.

Or are the shafts on the shoes backwards? Front shoe on the rear, and visa versa, will cause that. Sounds obvious but easy mistake to make. Don’t ask how I know that.