straightening brake rods

Dudley,
I have never straightened brake rods but I have straighten other things. I think you should do it cold as the rod are only about 1/4" in diameter and should straighten fairly easily. I think you would need to make a set of dies that have a half round 1/4" channel in each of them (or what ever the diameter is of the rods is) and use them to protect the rods from hammer marks, unless you do care if there are a few flat spots in the rods. If you did do it by just hammering the rods straight, you could always use a little filler to fill the hammer marks.
Rusty Nelson
 
Just clamp the rods in the vise and pull them straight. Pull a little then sight down the rod to find the bend and pull some more. It's easy and doesn't take long to straighten them.
 
I just finished mine recently, I had the clevis holes welded up and I redrilled them to the proper size. I straightened them cold using my vise and a good eye.
 
Push comes to shove. Just make new ones. Get the proper size steel rods, cut and thread them to size. I've been advised by fellows who restore A's for a living that making new ones is faster and less frustrating. Something to consider and they don't cost that much. Adjusting the brakes properly will aide in not bending them once again. It's a problem that has existed since there has been mechanical brakes. Especially when you add vacuum assist and put to much assist to the system.
 
popcorn-guy said:
Push comes to shove. Just make new ones. Get the proper size steel rods, cut and thread them to size. I've been advised by fellows who restore A's for a living that making new ones is faster and less frustrating. Something to consider and they don't cost that much. Adjusting the brakes properly will aide in not bending them once again. It's a problem that has existed since there has been mechanical brakes. Especially when you add vacuum assist and put to much assist to the system.
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How did they handle the clevis hole, hammer it flat or weld somethig up?
 
popcorn-guy said:
Push comes to shove. Just make new ones. Get the proper size steel rods, cut and thread them to size. I've been advised by fellows who restore A's for a living that making new ones is faster and less frustrating :eek:. Something to consider and they don't cost that much.
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Ok, two other questions. First, I am assuming since there are inexpensive reproduction rods already available that we are talking about making "original appearing" rods. So how do you propose making the 'upset' where the return spring pushes against, ...and how do you roll the threads onto the ends??


.
 
I have heard of folks that to cut / grind off the upset, then cut an original one off an original rod, put it in a lathe, drill a hole in it, slide it back on then weld it back in the original spot. The threads can be reworked my machining the end down to 9/32" diameter and having the correct threads 'rolled' in place. It is more difficult to replicate the form holding upsets at the eye. Just a thought.
 
I was advised to purchase reproduction rods and I'm glad I did. It saved alot of work. Having said that small diameter rods can be easily straightened using a small arbor press, or even a drill press. Support the rod with V blocks on both sides of the bend, (V blocks can be made from hard wood). If using a drill press just chuck a short peice of round stock in the chuck as an arbor. Apply a little pressure to the high spot and take your time. Should be no problem. If you have a lathe, small bushings can be made and pressed into oversized clevis holes. Holes should be made round by drilling out before fitting bushings. Hope this helps.
 
My car is a June 28--November 28 car, it has no adjustable ends, just eyelets on
each end. I will straighten as advised.

Thanks again, Dudley
 
An old-time body man showed me this method, and it works pretty well: Hold the rod one one end and slap it on a flat surface, like a work table. It will at least get them close enough to do some fine tuning by eye.
 
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