The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline 50 Chevy 3100 1/2 ton brake shoe return springs

I had a return spring brake on a rear drum brake. I ordered two replacement springs, which is an after market spring that everyone seems to carry. For the life of me, I could not get the springs to stay connected to the shows. Every time I got a spring on, the stretched tension would cause the spring hooks to bend out and pot loose. I finally installed the one original spring I had (to see if I was doing something wrong) and it went on easy and no problems. I wonder if other have had problems with these.

Take the old spring to you're napa store and they have a brake spring book that has full size pics of brake springs just match you're old one to a pic and you're good.


Pete

Dear D Winn,

I have a "49" 3100 with the same brake return spring problem you encountered a few years ago. The replacement springs from two aftermarket suppliers are too short by about (5) rings i.e. (30) rings on the new springs and (35) rings on the old (see photo at link below). Was NAPA able to solve your problem and if so, do you have a NAPA part number?

[url=https://goo.gl/photos/dgBriike2Gr85SZ78][/url]

Best Regards,

Mike Harris

Sorry, we no longer have the truck for me to look at. I know I fixed it, but I can't remember what I did to be honest. Either I found a suitable replacement at the hardware store or at one of the local auto parts stores. In looking at your picture, I'm starting to think I got a comparible spring at a hardware store. As Pete52 said, see if the auto parts store has a spring catalog.