Brake Lining - AA Truck
- Thread starter Ned1
- Start date
Stew Masche
Senior Member
Ned,
There was a place in Minneapolis, MN where I bought brake lining a few years ago, they sold it by the foot. I believe the business was called 'Brake Parts Warehouse' maybe you can find then on line. Another idea would be to check with large truck repair shops in your area. Many of these shops re-line brakes, and have a supply of lining on hand.
Hope this helps.
Stew
There was a place in Minneapolis, MN where I bought brake lining a few years ago, they sold it by the foot. I believe the business was called 'Brake Parts Warehouse' maybe you can find then on line. Another idea would be to check with large truck repair shops in your area. Many of these shops re-line brakes, and have a supply of lining on hand.
Hope this helps.
Stew
Tom Wesenberg
Well-known member
If you just do one side, are you sure the coefficient of friction will match the other side?
SeaSlugs
Well-known member
check your local semi truck repair places or bus garages. They still rivet brake linings onto semi brakes and my local place didn't carry the correct width but they had one 3/8" wider than AA needed width. They said all they usually do is rivet the wider piece on as usual and trim the excess off with a saw even with the edge of the brake shoe.
The truck is a 1930 AA stake body that was used by volunteer fire company to haul water. My neighbor's father bought it in 1960 to use on the farm. It has been in a barn since my neighbor got sick 20 years ago. He is not doing well and a couple of us got it out of the barn and got it running. I have taken my neighbor for rides around the neighborhood.
It appears to be a low mileage vehicle with the original engine. The brakes show almost no wear. However, the axle seal on the right rear side failed and the entire RR brakes are coated in gooey, black differential grease. I have everything off of the RR to clean it. What a pain.
I plan to do both sides before it goes out of the neighbor hood. It is a shame the seal came loose, otherwise the brakes are great.
It appears to be a low mileage vehicle with the original engine. The brakes show almost no wear. However, the axle seal on the right rear side failed and the entire RR brakes are coated in gooey, black differential grease. I have everything off of the RR to clean it. What a pain.
I plan to do both sides before it goes out of the neighbor hood. It is a shame the seal came loose, otherwise the brakes are great.
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Tom Wesenberg
Well-known member
I would use a syphon sprayer and gas to clean the goo out of the lining. The syphon sprayer is less than $10 at Harbor Freight and you save $2 with the 20% coupon.
BTW, I sure envy you guys that live in the country, like that nice rural setting pictured.
BTW, I sure envy you guys that live in the country, like that nice rural setting pictured.
Ned,
Closely inspect the wheel bearing contact surface on the bottom of the axle. This may indicate why the seal failed. Also look for a groove in the axle shaft where it may have contacted the rear axle housing. These 3/4 floating axles have a habit of breaking axles if loaded heavily for many miles. Hope yours is OK!
Closely inspect the wheel bearing contact surface on the bottom of the axle. This may indicate why the seal failed. Also look for a groove in the axle shaft where it may have contacted the rear axle housing. These 3/4 floating axles have a habit of breaking axles if loaded heavily for many miles. Hope yours is OK!
Purdy Swoft
Well-known member
Lacquer thinner will clean the grease and oil off the lining. Lacquer thinner removes all oil even the lowest cost kind that is sold at Walmart. It will take several going overs but a gallon will more than be enough and will cost probably less than twenty dollars. There is probably too much gear oil in the backend. The way that I was taught was to put the gear oil in when the vehicle was on level ground . Don't fill to the top of the plug. when you stick the first joint of your finger in the fill plug hole , if you can crook the first joint and touch the gear oil that will be just right and probably won't get on the brake lining even if the inner seal isn't real good. This fill method applies to the transmission as well on both the model A and AA .
I checked the "oil" level in the differential by taking out the upper plug and it is over filled with a black, gooey "oil" that just didn't run out. It has probably been in there for 60 or more years. I plan to drain it, flush with kerosene a couple of times, refill, run it for a bit and drain and refill again.
The transmission had a sticky, brown oil that will also be replaced.
The truck had been sitting for 20 years. Never was left outside so it has surface rust but no rust through. Right now, it will be left as a survivor with just the work to make it road worthy done. The tires had red paint from whenever the fire department painted the truck, probably in the 40's or early 50's. They all held air.
I did some research on the stake bed and believe that it is a TT bed that was probably taken from a TT truck that the AA replaced.
The transmission had a sticky, brown oil that will also be replaced.
The truck had been sitting for 20 years. Never was left outside so it has surface rust but no rust through. Right now, it will be left as a survivor with just the work to make it road worthy done. The tires had red paint from whenever the fire department painted the truck, probably in the 40's or early 50's. They all held air.
I did some research on the stake bed and believe that it is a TT bed that was probably taken from a TT truck that the AA replaced.
The seal had come out of the end of the axle and was floating. Looks like someone may have had the brake drum off and pushed the key too far in, catching the seal. The bearing contact surface shows no wear and the axle shaft looks good.
Everything so far points to a low mileage truck. The lettering on the hood for the fire company is readable and under it you can see the words "Conowingo Hydro Plant". That is a hydroelectric dam that is not too far from the fire company. I'm going to contact them and the fire company to see if I can get more info.
I haven't figured out the lineage of the seat, looks like it was cobbled together. Has old decals for the York Body Company that is still in York, PA.
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Purdy Swoft
Well-known member
If youdecide to clean up the lining, I would first remove the worse heavy oil with gas or mineral spirits and then use lacquer thinner to remove the rest for best results. Mineral spirits and gas are less expensive and by first removing the worse build up will give the lacquer thinner a better chance of doing the best job. I have used this method many times over the years with good rersults.
I have taken about 450 photos so far to document the truck. Plan to do as little as possible except to make it road worthy.
The engine runs well, no noises, no vibration and doesn't leak a drop of oil after 84 years. Doesn't appear to have ever been opened. The exhaust manifold gasket was leaking badly and the manifold had some pitting so they were both replaced.
I believe the lower radiator hoses were the original ones. Even though they were in really bad shape, you could still see the red stripe.
We removed the seat to cleanout a mouse nest and assorted crude. Turns out the seat was only secured to the frame by two small brackets, one on each side. The one on the left was missing both 1/4" bolts to the frame, the one on the right only had a nut on one of the 1/4" bolts. Looks like it had been that way for a long time.
The engine runs well, no noises, no vibration and doesn't leak a drop of oil after 84 years. Doesn't appear to have ever been opened. The exhaust manifold gasket was leaking badly and the manifold had some pitting so they were both replaced.
I believe the lower radiator hoses were the original ones. Even though they were in really bad shape, you could still see the red stripe.
We removed the seat to cleanout a mouse nest and assorted crude. Turns out the seat was only secured to the frame by two small brackets, one on each side. The one on the left was missing both 1/4" bolts to the frame, the one on the right only had a nut on one of the 1/4" bolts. Looks like it had been that way for a long time.
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