Rear Brake Shoes

[Bruce/Texas]

I just picked up a set of rear axle brake shoes for my '39 and noticed that the brake lining is the same length on all four shoes. Shouldn't the rear shoe lining on each wheel be a bit shorter than the front? I suppose I could cut the lining down if necessary. What do you guys think?

 

[Brendan]

i think the short shoe is for Bendix brakes, i know that someone that will know will let you know, good luck

 

[Juergen]

It doesn't hurt, but it doesn't wear much so was left off as a cost saving.

Comparing the wear of used shoes on early (39-41) versus late (42-48), the early style old shoes had very little wear on the bottom quarter of the shoes as the bottom adjustment didn't compensate for wear. The adjustment was set to center the shoe. The later style did compensate for wear so the bottom quarter of these shoes did see wear.

 

[Randy]

I had a set of shoes relined at Austin Brake and Clutch and they relined them with the same length linings on both sides of the shoes and explained that it was fine, especially since they ground the shoes with the same arc of the diameter of each drum.

That is one thing that I would recommend doing, is having your new shoes ground to the arc of the radius diameter of the drum. You should have a local brake shop that can do it.

I've had early brake systems apart that were not done this way and have seen how little shoe contact was actually made with the drums.

 

[19Fordy]

I had a set of shoes relined at Austin Brake and Clutch and they relined them with the same length linings on both sides of the shoes and explained that it was fine, especially since they ground the shoes with the same arc of the diameter of each drum.

That is one thing that I would recommend doing, is having your new shoes ground to the arc of the radius diameter of the drum. You should have a local brake shop that can do it.

I've had early brake systems apart that were not done this way and have seen how little shoe contact was actually made with the drums.

Randy, Is it expensive to have shoes "ground to the arc of the radius of the drum". I am assuming you have to bring just your drums and brake shoes to have it done, Correct?

 

[Randy]

I don't remember what it cost. The same place turned my drums, relined my shoes, and then arc'd the shoes. I guess the arcing was included in the cost of relining. I wouldn't do a brake job without having it done, though. When you're adjusting '40 brakes, with the upper and lower adjustments, you're trying to get a light drag on the shoes. If the arc of the shoe doesn't match the arc of the drum, you will get your light drag at one or two spots on the shoe instead of all or most of the way around. If you get that light drag at one or two spots and then try to adjust further to get more contact, then it will be too tight at the high spots. You should be able to call your local brake shop and ask them what it would cost. They will measure each drum and arc those two shoes to those drums, so you have to keep the shoes and drums together after they do it. With the machine to do it, it probably takes less than a minute to arc a shoe, so it shouldn't cost much. The chain brake shops probably won't have the machine, it will be an industrial place, big truck kind of place. The one here in town is a brake and clutch shop.