brake adjuster dust shields

J

Jazzer

Junior Member
Hello We are new owners of a late 31 coupe. We got to drive it about 350 miles this past fall, sometimes around the neighborhood with more children in the rumble seat than approved.
When we got the car it was running on an auxiliary gas tank which was removed and cleaning the original tank commenced with longer and longer rides around the block which circuitously is about one mile. It now can be driven with confidence as long as a new filter and the assorted items are along for a quick but safe roadside change. The exhaust manifold must be respected.
The brakes worked well enough that I was never scared by their response to any situation that occurred during the 350 miles but I did notice that they would kind of hang just a bit when pulling out.
Just about time the weather was going to be the deciding factor to putting the car away for the winter I noticed a broken anti-rattle spring on the right front, replacing the spring revealed that the brake operating arm went from 15 degrees front to 5 degrees front before doing anything and was the wrong way before the brake was locked.
Taking the drum off everything looks like new but greased 40 years ago when the car was (I was told) restored. Other than relubricating everything and adding a pill to the operating wedge no parts need replacing but now I need to install the new dust shields and am wondering if there are any tricks as it appears that the edge of the adjuster housing where the dust cap sits may have been peened over a bit.
So after all that can anyone suggest how to install adjusting wedge dust caps.

Thank you,
Jay
 

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I have always just postioned them, sometimes lightly tapping them to hold them there, and then whacked them with a rubber mallet. This is situational though, and depends on what you’re dealing with in terms of condition of parts and pieces.

You didn’t ask, but I’d suggest you get rid of that fuel filter and rubber hose. It’s a fire hazard. If you have rust particles in your tank, which you shouldn’t since you have worked on it, you can put a pencil filter in your shutoff valve, and that will work fine.
 
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I take a drift and slowly work the edge back out till new one can be installed. When installing them, I only stake 3 or 4 spots around the edge to hold it in.
 
I am not familiar with what is being called brake adjuster or adjusting wedge dust caps/shields. Does anybody have a photo? I doubt my car has them. thanks.
 
J Franklin said:
I am not familiar with what is being called brake adjuster or adjusting wedge dust caps/shields. Does anybody have a photo? I doubt my car has them. thanks.
Click to expand...

The circled part is the dust shield, the part behind it is the wedge.
 

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Ok, I have them in place, I'm getting old. I've had my car since I was 14 yo. I have worked on the brakes a few times at least. Can't always find things right in front of me sometimes, just ask my wife!
 
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My "approved method" for the easiest way to install them is to place them inside of a large socket that supports the cap only around the perimeter. Use a ball-pein hammer to tap into the concaved section to increase the crown (-which decreases the circumference of the outside of the cap). Once the cap circumference has been decreased, the cap will fall right into the counterbore. A couple of taps on the crown of the cap will flatten the convex and increase the circumference size wedging it into the counterbore of the A-2040 Brake Adjusting Bracket.

FWIW, the finished counterbore size of the A-2040 Bracket is 1.215"-1.218 according to the factory print.
 
Hello,
Today this was made from a piece of 1.5 dia. round , the small diameter 1.115 in. X 7/8 in. lg.then a ramp to the next step which is 1.215 in. The small diameter just clears the threads in the adjuster housing and is long enough that it is stable the large diameter is just shy of a new dust-cap dia. Bucking the backing plate on a piece of aluminum the device was tapped (hammered) into the backing plate.
The adjuster was so peened over a snap ring could have been installed, the home-made drift opened it up and the new dust cap fit nicely. I am thinking a small bead of black rtv plus staking it a few places
The photo with the rubber fuel line was taken when we first got the car, only a gallon or two of gas was in the tank at any time being it blocked up so frequently. I bought 36 fuel filters online for @ $10.00 and went through them quickly some fell apart before my eyes. The previous owner provided a kit that includes a sediment bowl and metal lines which are now in place.
Thank you,
Jay
 

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Brent, I like your method, if I would have read your post this morning I wouldn't have made the drift. There is a chance of damaging the lip of the adjuster housing with the drift.
Jay
 
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