Placement of jack stands

T

tintin

Junior Member
Hello. I am a new member and a new owner of a 1929 Ford Model A Coupe in the Kalamazoo, MI area.

I have to adjust the brakes and have looked at various videos on how to do it. With the adjustment nuts turn in all the way, the wheels are still not locking. I think the next thing is to adjust the brake rods.

I will lift the car using hydraulic jack under the differential and the front axle and then place jack stands. Should I be putting the jack stands under the axle or on the frame? I have 4 2-ton jack stands which can extend up to 17".

Am I on the right path to adjust the brakes?
 
I would suggest putting them under the axles. That way the body weight is on the springs and the brake adjustments may be more accurate.
 
Perfect. Thanks.

Is adjusting the brake rods the correct thing to do or should I open the brakes to check the pads first?

Are there any instructions anywhere that I can refer to? I am thinking of loosening the adjustment nuts probably half way out for making finer adjustments before I start adjusting the brake rods.
 
If you place the stands under the frame the front and rear axle will hang unloaded, changing some of the geometry of the brake rods, a slight bit but some. You might want to pull a drum( front easier than rear) and check the facing on the brake shoes also.
 
I agree with the jack stand placement on the axles. When I adjusted the brakes the rods didn't change enough to matter. I did rely on the friction test (braking after the adjustment to check for equal pressure) and made the final adjustment. Good luck.
 
tintin said:
Hello. I am a new member and a new owner of a 1929 Ford Model A Coupe in the Kalamazoo, MI area.

I have to adjust the brakes and have looked at various videos on how to do it. With the adjustment nuts turn in all the way, the wheels are still not locking. I think the next thing is to adjust the brake rods.
Click to expand...

If you have turned the wedge all the way in and your brakes are not locked I would pull a drum and check the thickness of the brake lining before getting into the brake rods. Doesn't sound right.
 
You need a designated puller for the rear drum/hub removal. Do a search if not already aware of procedure. Also, disconnect the brake rods in your case since all adjustments are an unknown. then adjust the wedge adjuster in to lock the wheel to find contact. The rods are last thing to dial in after the lining meets the drum, then backed off for clearance to roll free. Read the posts in the advanced search. Thousands of tips and involved procedures explained.
 
Would suggest obtaining the Ford Service Bulletins Complete, which give a lot of info. / dwgs..from the factory. Available form the vendors, ebay, etc.
 
Are there any clubs in the Kalamazoo, MI area where I can rent/borrow a puller from?

If I have to buy, can you please suggest a good website?
 

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Brake work is not an essay question or a guessing game. Get ahold of a good book, like Les Andrews's red book, and read how to do it properly. Get local experienced Model A help if you can. You are dealing with literally life and death here.

Oh, and always block your wheels and have a secondary support system so if the jacks or stands slip you don't get squashed. I am especially careful when I have all four wheels off the ground (which I try to avoid).
 
Doing brakes is a good first date with your A, the brakes are easy once known and Les Andrews book is a good place to learn. While you have the car up it is a good time to make sure all cotter pins are in place they are there for a reason, Ford never wasted a penny.
 
Thanks everyone. I should probably find and join a local club before taking on this work as a new owner and also invest in a couple of books and tools.
 
tintin said:
Thanks everyone. I should probably find and join a local club before taking on this work as a new owner and also invest in a couple of books and tools.
Click to expand...

Yes, exactly!

I'd start with the previously mentioned Les Anderws book "Model A Ford Mechanics Handbook Vol. 1". Any of the major A parts suppliers should have it.

The Service Bulletins are nice to have, but I'm sure someone in a local club will have one to lend you.

For tools, just keep to the normal stuff for now. Again, the local club members will have tools you can probably borrow. Then you can decide on what you really need to own for yourself.

Finally, and most importantly, Have Fun! :)
 
Some Model A Guys DON'T loan books, cuz they NEVER get them back!!--Ask me how I know?---TOOLS are the same way !--Just because they're Model A Guys, doesn't necessarily mean they're TRUSTWORTHY.
I may sound ******, but that's REAL LIFE.
Bill Hard
 
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