Installing rebuilt rear backing plate

C

coyledad46

Member
Hi--
Got my rear brakes done by Snyder's. I can snake the service brake lever through the radius rod, but it's in the wrong position, and I can't make the lever rotate to the upright position where it needs to be to attach the brake rod. When I put it through the radius rod, it's in a horizontal position. I took it off and still can't figure out how to get it upright. Suggestions?
 
coyledad46 said:
Hi--
Got my rear brakes done by Snyder's. I can snake the service brake lever through the radius rod, but it's in the wrong position, and I can't make the lever rotate to the upright position where it needs to be to attach the brake rod. When I put it through the radius rod, it's in a horizontal position. I took it off and still can't figure out how to get it upright. Suggestions?
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The brake actuating levers are right and left. Are you sure you have the proper lever on the proper side?
 
I'm working on the left rear, the only one back from Snyder's so far.It's not the brake lever, but the service brake lever that's the problem. I haven't got to the e brake lever yet. The backing plate came back assembled, with shoes, etc. I just can't get the service brake lever through the radius rod and into an upright position.
 
been there done that many times, Remove the radius rods. install the backing plates leaving the front two bolts out than reinstall the radius rod.
 
I could do that, but even when the backing plate is off the car, the lever won't turn to the upright position. Don't know why this is so.
 
Sounds like you have moved the lever far enough to overcome the high end of the floating cam. You can push it back with some force. It will be much easier to do this if you remove the radius rod and bolt the backing plate on to the axle housing with the 2 rearmost bolts and nuts. This will secure the backing plate enough to give you enough OOOOMPH to push the brake lever back into the upright position. Removing the radius rods also allows you to install the ebrake levers and coil springs in place with the backing plate on a workbench.
 
When the brake lever is moved to the position that will allow you to move it thru the radius rod sometimes things get miss aligned and won't allow you to move it back into the correct position. This happened to me, and the brake lever wouldn't move after everything was put back together. I didn't have to remove the backing plate to fix it, I just used a screwdriver and moved everything back in place. I don't know if that is your problem but it's a possibility.
 
jw hash said:
been there done that many times, Remove the radius rods. install the backing plates leaving the front two bolts out than reinstall the radius rod.
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Ditto. Sounds like a lot of extra work, but it will save you time and aggravation in the long run. You could take off the parking brake lever and it would be easier to snake the service brake lever through the radius rod. But reinstalling the parking brake lever and spring while it's on the car is a pain.
 
Coyle, Yes, it sounds like the lever is over center.

The Model A brake shoes can be removed and reinstalled with your hands only if the brake shoe springs are the correct ones. (This is stated in Les Andrews red book). It is however performed in a proper sequence.

If you're gettin' up in age, and your fingers are boney like mine, there is a tool sold by the vendors that hooks to the end of the shoe to give you easy leverage to expand the shoes. I got mine at Mike's

You can easily install the backing plate with the radius rods on the car also. These two points are a bit of a secret down through the years. As I recall, you'll install the backing plate before installing the shoes, which is not difficult if you know how.

The following search in YouTube will take you to a video, watch it 10 times if you're over 60 years. Just once will do if you're in your 20's. It covers everything that you've asked about. LOL, good luck and have fun. Be sure to catch the trick about the e-brake toggle links assembly too, it matters:

How to stop on a Dime Model A brakes
 
Ttfor the comments. I ended up removing the radius rods, which made some things easier, had to remove the brake shoes to get the cam out and oriented the right way.

Now, I'm trying to put on the brake actuating lever. When the shaft comes through the backing plate (brake shoes and link connected), the keyway is at the bottom, which makes the lever upside down, and I can't rotate it into the upright position. I'm doing something wrong, but need some help to figure it out. Suggt?
 
Sounds like maybe you have the ebrake mounting plates reversed. They are passenger side and driver side. The tab along the outer rim of the plate where the two ends of the brake band mount should be at the rear of the assembly toward the top when properly installed.
 
Sounds like you might have the ebrake mounting plate assemblies switched side for side. In other words you might have the passenger side assembly on the driver side of the car (and vice-versa).
 
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