Rebuilding early brake backing plate

[firechief5215]

I finally got my worm drive rear rebuilt and ready to install. I want to rebuild by backing plates but I have got as far as I feel comfortable doing until I get some advise This is a early rear brake setup without the service brake. I have looked through my books but cannot locate any information. Can you help me with disassembling and what to look for as far as ware and are these the same parts as the later rear setups. Thanks Billy

 

[Rowdy]

Parts are differeent than the later brakes. With that being on the worm drive rearend I tend to think they are the AA size and not the 11" passenger car and pickup size. I do not know if the wedge and operating shaft will interchage with the 11" brakes. If they do then Berts and Brattons carry them. If not you may be hard presses to find new parts. Rod

 

[tiredtruckrestorer]

Check the roller tracks (left side of your picture) for wear. Actually the head of the pin that holds the rollers on the brake shoes ride on those "T" shaped tracks. A lot of the time you will find a groove in the tracks from the pin. These should be welded up and ground flat. The early ones like yours actually had a pin with a large flat spot on the head. These may have been changed though over the years to the later round head style. Don't used regular clevis pins because the head size is different. Use the ones the Ford A dealers sell. On the other end of the shoes (right side) you have to measure the adjusting shaft length. Both lengths have to be the same per side. I made a fixture to mount the shafts to compare their length. You can grind them to match. Used the woven lining with brass in it. That works best on the steel drums. After shoes are relined they have to be fit to the drum they are being used in. Hope this may help get you good brakes again. Keith