'36 Brakes Still Don't Work...

[gmc1941]

The one thing that hasn't been discussed is the rods and the service brake shaft. If any of these rods have ovaled holes or the pins are worn you maybe not applying equal pressure on certain wheels. After listing of all the possiblities no one has brought this to your attendtion. You need to do a COMPLETE brake check not just bouncing from one area to another. You'll be surprised on what you'll find. It's better to be a complete *** than a half *** mechanic.

 

[Enbloc]

New car and braking system.

Everything on the braking system is new or rebuilt from the pedal assembly through the cross shaft to the rods and all the way to the wheels.

 

[38 coupe]

Are you sure you have the correct wedges? I read a story where the incorrect wedges caused problems and was hard to diagnose since different years look very similar. I wish I had a better suggestion. I sure hope you don't go to hydraulic.

 

[Enbloc]

Are you sure you have the correct wedges? I read a story where the incorrect wedges caused problems and was hard to diagnose since different years look very similar. I wish I had a better suggestion. I sure hope you don't go to hydraulic.

I'm sure I have the right ones. There is a very small difference between '35/'36 and late '36. Don't know the reason why?

 

[Enbloc]

Pictures...

RH front brake. The one I feel is at fault.

All the shoes look like this, with even contact over the whole surface.

With the nails in place you can still see that the link is still sitting to far onto the shoe . You can also see where the link was digging into the shoe before.

I have found that all the shoes sit in the link on the angle with contact only be made on the very bottom of the link leaving a noticable gap between shoe and link at the top.
Is this correct?

 

[gmc1941]

One more thing to throw in is; if you have way of placing a block of wood or a fixture that could put pressure on the brake pedal at different increments to see were the individual wheels lock up or stop turning. The Model A people have such a device. This way you can tell if the brakes are adjusted properly or evenly and will show which wheel rod is is pushing or pulling evenly. Just another person putting there 2 cents in. Gordon

 

[gmc1941]

More of my 2 cents, have you tried switching brake drums on the front? This may tell if you problem is the drums.

 

[Enbloc]

One more thing to throw in is; if you have way of placing a block of wood or a fixture that could put pressure on the brake pedal at different increments to see were the individual wheels lock up or stop turning. The Model A people have such a device. This way you can tell if the brakes are adjusted properly or evenly and will show which wheel rod is is pushing or pulling evenly. Just another person putting there 2 cents in. Gordon

This is how I've been setting them up already. I try to get them even front to rear or get the fronts to bite just before the rears and evenly side to side and front to rear.

More of my 2 cents, have you tried switching brake drums on the front? This may tell if you problem is the drums.

I haven't will try tomorrow.

I've tried now to get the shoes chattering and then disconnected the rh front then reconnected, then dis-connect the LH.
It doesn't matter which front you dis-connect the chattering will stop??
My thoughts of it being the RH side are not true it seems.

So why when I reduce the braking to the front does it stop but under normal adjustment the problem returns?

 

[Ed Pitts]

Looking at the Green Bible, it looks like there was a different link in 1936 used for a wedge with the part # 68-2041. It has a shorter outside part that fits around the brake shoe. I wonder if you have mismatched links and wedges? The part # shown for the link is 78-2042 that goes with 68-2041. From your picture, it looks like you have the link part #68-2042. This is on page 30. Ed

 

[Enbloc]

Looking at the Green Bible, it looks like there was a different link in 1936 used for a wedge with the part # 68-2041. It has a shorter outside part that fits around the brake shoe. I wonder if you have mismatched links and wedges? The part # shown for the link is 78-2042 that goes with 68-2041. From your picture, it looks like you have the link part #68-2042. This is on page 30. Ed

Checked this also.

I have '35/ealy '36 style wedges, links and adjusters.

 

[Enbloc]

Enbloc, if all else fails and it sounds like you've done about everything, hydraulics work very nicely.

Our '36 pickup has hydraulic brakes, the fellow I bought the truck from put them on. They stop you REAL quickly work great.

I don't doubt it.

If I knew I was going to have this much trouble I'd have fitted hydraulics.

 

[gmc1941]

But just think how much you (and us) have learn about your vehicle. And we or you didn't have to pay for the phone calls. Sometimes it feels good to help sombody across the pond. Cheer up you could have bought a new car.

 

[George/Maine]

Pictures...

RH front brake. The one I feel is at fault.

All the shoes look like this, with even contact over the whole surface.

With the nails in place you can still see that the link is still sitting to far onto the shoe . You can also see where the link was digging into the shoe before.

I have found that all the shoes sit in the link on the angle with contact only be made on the very bottom of the link leaving a noticable gap between shoe and link at the top.
Is this correct?

I would like to guess at this but any pictures of these brakes the both shoes are the same A530 is short on bottom.I think it should look like the other side full brake.Seeing they push out they should be the same.
I think your brakes are mixed up,or made wrong.
My 2 cents.

 

[FlatheadTed]

,Did you get instructions with the floaters and what dealer did you get them from.

 

[gmc1941]

Enbloc, I know this becoming a pain in the ***. Do you have access to the Green bible? If so check page #30 to match the parts. If you don't can you diassemble the right front and take photos of the parts so you can get more guidence and show the part # you purchased. I've several problems with certain complanies with parts that are either miss marked or mislabled they had no clue what was supposted be in the package. One item it took six times for a trans part. NEXT

 

[FlatheadTed]

I think you will have the same problem with hydraulics certainly if you run it with half the lining missing ,I posted a photo of a 3/4 shoe with the lining that we removed ,all 4 off a 32 because of all the chattering ,The problem was a mediately solved . Also as you mentioned the ends of the metal shoes have been cut of .your are about 1/4 short were it contacts the link ,this will cause floaters to run out of thread ,You should put the floaters back on get the ends of the shoes welded up .fix the rear (short lining ) then you should have very good brakes.I have at a picture of how much you have cut of the shoes .I have done a lot of research on how to get these brakes working.You need to address the previous .

 

[FlatheadTed]

I see you have new springs these are often miles to strong ??

 

[ken ct]

Looking at the Green Bible, it looks like there was a different link in 1936 used for a wedge with the part # 68-2041. It has a shorter outside part that fits around the brake shoe. I wonder if you have mismatched links and wedges? The part # shown for the link is 78-2042 that goes with 68-2041. From your picture, it looks like you have the link part #68-2042. This is on page 30. Ed

I was thinking that too i know there was a change in brake hardware in 36. 2 diff styles. He may have a mismatch of parts.ken ct.I think you hit it ed. ken ct.

 

[Enbloc]

I would like to guess at this but any pictures of these brakes the both shoes are the same A530 is short on bottom.I think it should look like the other side full brake.Seeing they push out they should be the same.
I think your brakes are mixed up,or made wrong.
My 2 cents.

Yes, I have a leading and trailing shoe. As already mentioned I have tried them both ways with no luck.
I have also moved by long shoes into one side and both short shoes into the other.
Again no differnece.

,Did you get instructions with the floaters and what dealer did you get them from.

The floater kit came from Macs. It had "instructions" but they were very sparse and full of errors.

Enbloc, I know this becoming a pain in the ***. Do you have access to the Green bible? If so check page #30 to match the parts. If you don't can you diassemble the right front and take photos of the parts so you can get more guidence and show the part # you purchased. I've several problems with certain complanies with parts that are either miss marked or mislabled they had no clue what was supposted be in the package. One item it took six times for a trans part. NEXT

Yes I have a Green Bible and have checked all parts. As I said earlier, they are all '35/ early' 36.
Apart from the springs all parts are good originals.

I think you will have the same problem with hydraulics certainly if you run it with half the lining missing ,I posted a photo of a 3/4 shoe with the lining that we removed ,all 4 off a 32 because of all the chattering ,The problem was a mediately solved . Also as you mentioned the ends of the metal shoes have been cut of .your are about 1/4 short were it contacts the link ,this will cause floaters to run out of thread ,You should put the floaters back on get the ends of the shoes welded up .fix the rear (short lining ) then you should have very good brakes.I have at a picture of how much you have cut of the shoes .I have done a lot of research on how to get these brakes working.You need to address the previous .

As posted above I have moved the front shoes as an experiment. Both long shoes went onto one side and the two short shoes went on the other. There was no change what so ever to the braking or the problem of chattering.
I might try moving all the long shoes to the front and the short ones to the back.
The rear has long and short shoes as well and they haven't given any problems. If the short shoes are at fault, why only on the front?

I can see the difference in the ends of the shoes. Why would someone cut the ends of the shoes off!?!

I see you have new springs these are often miles to strong ??

I've tried both original springs and repro springs. Problem persists with both.

 

[George/Maine]

You haven,t tryed everthing yet.LOL
If your backing plates are the same.
What i would do is swap them,and if you can get 2 long shoes the same,I don,t know if you can swap them.Pair them up and get them the same camfer even or get new shoes.Check spindle right side for wear.Now take the drum from other side.Adjust brakes and try.
The wedge should be at rest and adjust at top with slite drag.
The shiney a530 shoe is hitting the drum could be bearing wrong,drum problem. Try and see. Good luck.