Rear Brake Backing Plate Removal and installation

A

alandt

New member
[FONT=&quot]I am a new Model A owner so still finding my way. I'm trying to find the best way to install and remove rear brake backing plates. Unfortunately, the Les Andrews Red Book doesn't address the topic issue of dealing with the service and emergency brake actuating levers when removing the rear brake backing plate. [/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]From everything I have researched, there appears to be two ways that folks say for removing the rear brake backing plates: 1) remove the emergency brake actuating lever to be able to manipulate the attached service brake actuating lever through the radius rod fork. (The issues I see with this are difficulties removing the lever and difficulties reinstalling the emergency brake lever spring once the brake is mounted), or 2) remove the radius rods, keeping the service and emergency brake actuating levers attached to the backing plate when it's removed. To do this it looks like the brake rod guides have to be removed and then the radius rods have to be removed at the front end of the car taking off the big bolt they are attached to, then removing the two bolts on each brake that attach through the backing plates, then working to get the service and emergency brake actuating levers attached to the backing plates removed. (The issue I see with this is that I don't know how hard it is reinstalling the radius rods).
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[FONT=&quot]Note that I plan to reinstall fully assembled brakes if that makes any difference. Any recommendations, tips or other information is very welcome.[/FONT]
 
The levers for the service brakes snap over center which makes it easier to remove and install the backing plates. With the drums off rotate the levers until they snap 90 degrees out of position.
 
Removing and replacing the big nut and bolt at the front of the radius rods is the way to go. Not that hard to do. You remove radius rods. Take bolts off of the backing plates. You were going to do that anyway.

To install new brakes as a set, you ill need to temporarily remove the e-brake band and C link. One cotter pin and clevis pin. Reinstall e-brake band at end, after 4 bolts are tight.
 
I will agree with Jim/GA. He was a great help when I had to replace a backing plate due to a stupid mistake I made. I have never pulled apart the brake shoes and Jim talked me through it.

And in regard to Jim running for the MAFCA Board, he has my vote. Oh and I live in Michigan so I have submitted 10 votes for him, and the Mrs. did 10. Hope you get it Jim!

Dave
 
Thanks much for the responses. When removing the radius rods for this, confirming that the brake rod anti-rattler springs attached to the radius rods have to be removed as well as the speedometer cable (per Less Andrews red book) even though the speedometer cable doesn't seem to me to be in the way of removing the radius rod bolt & castle nut or the radius rods themselves.
 
Canton_Model_A's said:
And in regard to Jim running for the MAFCA Board, he has my vote. Oh and I live in Michigan so I have submitted 10 votes for him, and the Mrs. did 10. Hope you get it Jim!
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I'm 20 miles from MAFCA HQ and still waiting for our mail in ballots. I hope my postman hasn't cast them for some anti car write in candidate.
 
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