cable brake question, 1937

mumpsimus

mumpsimus

Member
The rear brake has two long bolts that mount the shock absorber. The bottom one has come off the car and appears to be hollow and possibly threaded internally. Does that mean there is a bolt inside the brake drum that has come loose?

thanks,
Pete
 
So the lower shock mount was attached through the backing plate? Not sure I've ever seen that, doesn't seem like a good idea to me! Is there a hole in the backing plate where a bolt would have went into the lower mount?
 
It does have tube shocks. I'm buying the car tomorrow, and am I'm just relaying the info that the seller told me, as I can't see if from here. I'll have to tear into it and figure it out when I get to the seller's house, but I was hoping that somebody might know this setup.
 
Well, pulling a brake drum is no easy job!!! But if there is a loose bolt it there it is going to have to come off. I still find it hard to believe the shock was hooked to the backing plate. Guess the one on the other side would show you what is going on.
 
If you're talking about the 4 bolts that mount the backing plate to the axle, then yes, it must be from an aftermarket tube shock conversion, and the bolt that is missing was threaded into the internally threaded part. We used to see lots of these when we pulled rear ends out of these old Fords when we were kids. And yes, unless something out of the ordinary has happened, one of the original mounting bolts is probably rattling around inside the drum (unless it's stuck someplace).
 
He didn't say much, but that the bolt was the bottom one for the tube shock, and that it was at the rear brake. I suppose Tubman was correct: aftermarket tube shock conversion.

Is there anything difficult about pulling the drum? Should I take any special tools when I go to get the car? I'll search the internet and see if I can find any diagrams of mechanical brakes tonight.

I don't want to drive the car with a bolt bouncing around inside the drum!
thanks guys.
 
The rear drums are often very difficult to pull and requires a special puller. In addition, the nut that holds the drum to the axle is torqued to somewhere in the 200 ft lb range. This is not a on the spot type of job.
 
From your description of the mounts and fasteners; it sounds like '48 mounts (or aftermarket copies).

As J said; it does take a special puller and usually some effort to pull the rear hubs. Many threads on the Barn about pullers.

More than likely you will find the bolt sitting in the bottom of the grease shield.
 
Here's an after market shock set up for a 40 -48 Ford. Might be similar to what you have.
The two bolts you see go thru the backing plate and hold it on.
 

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Thanks guys. I did a quick search and learned about the puller. :(
But the seller has a local shop that is 5 minutes away and they can pull the drum for me tomorrow morning.

Thanks again, and I'm sure that I'll have more questions once I've bought the car.
 
Congratulations!
Just think how happy that car must be having a chance for a new life.
Post some pics when possible.
 
That is the type of bracket I am familiar with and it bolts through the flange of the axle housing. That didn't match the description of a hollow bolt with internal threads that had a bolt coming out of the backing plate into it! Hope everyones interpretation is correct and it is the conventional setup.

Unless the shop is setup to work on banjo rear axles it is more likely they will damage the drum than not. A convential puller will not work (at least that has been my experience). And they are not cheap to replace. If it was me, I would be less concerned about a bolt in the grease shield than having someone mess with pulling a drum that doesn't know what their doing. Banjo rear axles are very unique.
 
The drum can be destroyed using the wrong type of puller. The K.R.Wilson that pulls from the ridge on the drum is the one to use. jmho kerk
 
JSeery said:
That is the type of bracket I am familiar with and it bolts through the flange of the axle housing. That didn't match the description of a hollow bolt with internal threads that had a bolt coming out of the backing plate into it! Hope everyones interpretation is correct and it is the conventional setup.
Click to expand...

Just for information's sake; here's a picture of a couple of banjo axle rear tube shock brackets, the style of bracket on the left is attached with the "hollow bolt" nuts and the stock length Ford backing plate bolts.
 

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