32 Project - Rear Problem

TomT/Williamsburg

TomT/Williamsburg

Well-known member
I have a 42 Ford truck open drive center section w/3:54 gears, 36 bells, and I have all new races, bearings, and seals. During my 2 trial runs to resolve the T5 ****** problem, I was hearing a noise fromt he right rear that sounded like a loose brake shoe or something. It only happened on about 1/2 a revolution of the drum, or I only heard the noise 1/2 of the time - it was not constant.

So I removed the drum and I see that there are like wear or rub marks (clean metal) on half the inside "rivets" (for want of a better word) - see first pic - you can see rivets that are rusty to the left and then ones that show bare metal on others - see second pic - that goes about 1/2 way around.

I also noticed that I was a little light on the grease in the bearings - I will take care of that. My plan is to swap sides with the drums, seeing if the problem follows the drum.

My holdup in this is my air wrench is not cooperating and doesn't have enough horsepower to get the one drum off using the puller. I'm picking up a new, more powerful air wrench today and we'll see what tonight brings. If successful, I'll button things up with the drums swapped tonight and we'll try it out Thursday eve right after work - with open headers I can't fire the beast up late.
 

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Do the brake shoes on that side show the signs of rub there too? If so are you using older Lockheed/Ford shoes or Bendix type as used with Lincoln Zepher backing plates.

Kerby
 
If what I,m looking at the end of the turning of the drum.
Looks like when the drums were turned they didn,t go far enought.You could also grind the shoe back.
 
Tom the only part in the drum that would rub on those rectangular pins is the emergency brake actuator lever, that I think clips under the brake shoe retainer spring on a 46-8 backing plate if it is loose it will rub on the drum because the return spring pushes it reward and out.
 
Thanks for responding, guys ...

Dick - I do have the park brake setup installed - I will check that out - thanks!

ford1 - it does not appear to be and I did check them before installing them however many years ago (it's been a 7 year project) - I will continue to monitor that possible issue.
 
DICK SPADARO said:
Tom the only part in the drum that would rub on those rectangular pins is the emergency brake actuator lever, that I think clips under the brake shoe retainer spring on a 46-8 backing plate if it is loose it will rub on the drum because the return spring pushes it reward and out.
Click to expand...

That was my first thought, I've had the exact same thing happen to me. It's possible to install the lever without it being tucked under the clip.
 
I stripped one side of my hub puller - damn - on the one drum that's not giving me trouble - figures, right? It's got to come off though as I'd hate to have to deal with it when I'm on the road sometime.

But, I think I'll ream out the threaded ends in the two halves and put the two bolts in from the back side and weld them up to the halves - should work the same I would think. Just another minor setback .....

On a positive note, I did get my exhaust pipe, mandrel bends, etc, to make up my exhaust - first time for me - should be fun!
 
DICK SPADARO said:
Tom the only part in the drum that would rub on those rectangular pins is the emergency brake actuator lever, that I think clips under the brake shoe retainer spring on a 46-8 backing plate if it is loose it will rub on the drum because the return spring pushes it reward and out.
Click to expand...

If he does have 46-48 brakes, they (unlike the 39-42) do not have anything for the lever to tuck under. They used longer pins and some wavy washers that are supposed to keep the levers where they belong. Only the shoe goes under the spring clip.

You recently posted on another thread about the springs on the handbrake cable being too long, causing the cable to pooch out (usually against the inside of the drum) and that could be the case here. Not only are the springs too long, but the coil/wire size is WAY to stiff, so have to trim the spring length so the spring only
compresses a minimum amount so can install the 91A-2113 clip between the sring and inner end of the tube. As you wrote, this will ensure that the levers fully return when the handbrake is released, but that the cable will not become deflected and rub on the inside of the drum.

AND He definitely needs to procure an ABV-156 hub puller!!!!!! The big tip-off came when the impact wrench was mentioned...
 
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Richard - well, I played with both drums today as my hub puller mod worked great - and I have used this setup on rusted out hulks and got the drums off. It might be the other tool is better but this is what I have at the moment. I will research the part number given.

As far as I can see/determine, the park brake lever/mech is where it's supposed to be and not rubbing on anything.

What I did find was that the shoe on the side with the noise had two raised areas on the outer edge that extended beyond the normal surface. I ground those down to be level with the rest of the surface. I beleive that was what was hitting the nipples on the inside of the drum. For what ever reason I could not swap drums from side to side. The one drum, the one on the right side that was making the noise (right rear - pass) just would not go on the driver side. After two hours I gave up and put it back on the side it was on. I did grease the heck out of both drums and reinstalled the axle keys as they both fell out once the drums were removed.

The big news is - no noise. Whatever of the several things I just mentioned that I did must have worked - it stops well and I was even able to drive it up to the gas station - what a feeling, let me tell you, to have resolved this issue. So, it's on to the exhaust, completion of the rear window so I can reinstall the top and do a couple minor interior things, and fix several problems like no horn, no speedo, the mech fuel pump quit working (I have an electric one as a backup installed) and no gas gauge. All in good time.

Thanks again one and all for your ideas and suggestions - it's really comforting to know you have the Fordbarn at your back to help "talk through" problems and get them resolved - Fordbarn to the rescue!
 
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