Brake Adjustment 1936 Mechanical

B

billybronco1

Well-known member
Okay today I wanted to do a quick brake adjustment on my 36 with mechanical brakes, as I noticed my right front wheel does not turn by hand "super tight" the left has too much drag and the rears spin freely. I attempted to move the adjusters with a small wrench, no movement at all. I always use to have trouble adjusting my model A can't remember to turn clockwise or counter clockwise to back off? And do I need a long persuader bar or wrench to move these adjusters?

I plan to pull all the hubs at a later date but will have to get the fronts backed off before they will ever come off. Supposedly the car has recent brake pads but it still does not stop.
 
Very nice diagram I will save that to my library, Vanpelt seems to have a lot of good documentation. I made special tool #1 and was able to adjust the right front, just needed to back off one click (counter clockwise). As for the rears the adjuster does not do anything on the right and frozen on the left but they are free wheeling at least so hopefully the hubs will come off without too much trouble
 

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billybronco1 said:
As for the rears... hopefully the hubs will come off without too much trouble
Click to expand...

A rear hub/drum removing tool is typically used. I'm pretty sure VanPelt rents them if you can't come across one (just checked, $25 for two weeks, pg. 36 of the .PDF catalog). Great volumes on the subject in the old posts. When they come off easy is the time I become scared!
 
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Once I open these up I'm sure I will have plenty of questions, I will have to research brake floaters, not sure what they are.
 
I did do some research on the brake floaters, got mixed reviews but sounds like worth trying for the money. I did find two different types available not sure which one to buy.
Both at Macs one seems more basic than the other, with less parts.
 

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billybronco1 said:
I did do some research on the brake floaters, got mixed reviews but sounds like worth trying for the money. I did find two different types available not sure which one to buy.
Both at Macs one seems more basic than the other, with less parts.
Click to expand...

Flathead Ted on this site makes and sells them.
 
Adjust the mechanical brakes EXACTLY like described in the Ford
service bulletin. You will have to take a wrench and stop a number
of times and adjust them so they all lock up the same. They will slide
all 4 wheels at 40 MPH. They are safer than Hydraulic brakes because
a line can't break. Have good grease seals and sand the glaze off of
the linings. G.M.
 
I use an infrared thermometer to adjust my 35 Phaeton brakes. I drive it a while and then measure the temperature of the drums. If one it too hot I loosen it. If one is too cool I tighten it. When they are all about the same I think they are adjusted about right. Jim in San Jose.
 
So this week I plan to pull all the drums on my 1936 and see what's going on with my brakes as they don't work so well and I have a rubbing noise in the left front every once in a while. I'm reading the instructions on how to adjust the brakes over and over and not sure I understand the sequence. Is it true you adjust the emergency brake rod clearance first, each wheel rod length second, then the final adjustments on the backside of the brake plate? I want to fix everything to the factory spec before I invest in brake floaters if needed.
 
Pulling and inspecting pins for gouges and wear, and rods for straightness (most are bent and they don't transmit force properly) and worn eyelets will need doing, and might be better done first?

If the cross shaft is original it's probably got slop in it too.

Did you source a drum puller?
 
When you talk about pins and eyelets this probably will all make sense once I dig into this, but are you basically talking about all the rod end connections?
 
Each brake rod connects to each wheel with a pin/cotter pin combination. The pins wear and are no longer round. This end of the rod has a turnbuckle like adjuster with a stop nut, and wear in the turnbuckle doesn't introduce slop that can't be adjusted out.

Unfortunately the end of the brake rod that goes to the cross shaft, they have an eyelet that becomes egged out and they are more challenging to make round again.

Many brake rods have become un-straight.

There is another pin in connection between the pedal and the cross shaft.

Third Gen Automotive is my go-to for parts in this instance.
 
Okay easy enough to buy all new clevis rod ends and pins if needed. So It sounds like the first order of business is start at the cross shaft look for worn loose parts and then go to to the other end of the rods. After that deal with the shoes and related components.
 
Our UK annual safety check requires a rolling-road brake test. First time I thought I'd done the adjustment procedure correctly, but the tester said 'You have no front brakes at all!'. If you can find a shop with a brake tester, I'd recommend that after you've gone through the overhaul.
 
Okay, pulled all the brakes apart today. My findings are left front brake rod pretty bent up, straightened that. Need a few clevis pins so I will replace all of them. Pulled all the rods and cleaned up the rod end adjustments. So here is my question.

When I push the brake shoes out by moving the rod arm, just like if you were stepping on the brake the front shoes only the bottom front shoe moves out on the bottom, nothing else moves. On the rear both shoes move out on the bottom, does this all sound right?
 
Check this area for free movement or binding. The ball cap can wear.

Possibly the issue is with the rollers at the bottom of the shoes that the wedge engages? Are they free, circular, and rolling?

449032
 

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So should I assume that both front brake shoes should expand on the bottom when I push the brake pedal and I should be able to see this with the drum off, just like the rears?
 
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