The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline Brakes on my 39 is giving me fits ,,"Putting a "Help Wanted Sign" up

What I have is a 54-55 Chevy 5 lug hubs on my 39 spindles

a little history here

The passenger side wheel cylinder was leaking

So. I bought wheel cylinder kits for both sides and new shoes/same size that were on the car

Then I found that the drivers side wheel cylinder would not release the the pistons even with using the brake pedal

So I installed complete new wheel cylinders the brake shoes both sides

Then my wheel drums would not turn freely all the way around /they would go around about 3/4 of a turn and come to a stop ..with a sound like metal to metal,, which I guess could be the pads ,,just sounding like metal

I tried to get the drums turned and the auto parts stores does not have the correct tools to do old drums from the years mine are

I bought brand new drums and they are doing the same thing

I clamped a guide in place and proved that the drum is not turning out of round and neither are the lug bolts on the hub.

I have the brake shoes release all the way .. still both drum go around and comes to a halt and takes quite a bit of muscle to get them passed where they stop.

also when I tighten the drums up ,,they are even harder to turn.

One more thing is this, I have never used or seen a gasket that goes behind the drum on the hub ,,but they make them ,,

so to check and see if I needed a gasket ,I put 3 washers on the lug bolts and then the drum and that did not help either..?? like I said help wanted.

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/...%20Album/20170515_191831_zpsrb4ew6sd.jpg

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/...%20Album/20170515_191800_zpsz4trao0t.jpg

Are the shoes scraping against the INSIDE of the drum?
"Made in China" drums. Are you sure theyre perfectly round?
Just a few starting guesses....
Good Luck,

First- - - -find a real brake shop, not a store that wants to solve your problem by selling you something. Get those "new" drums turned just a little. They're obviously out of round.

Second- - - -Bendix-type brakes are only centered in the drum at one time, which is while the brakes are applied. With the floating lower area with the slack adjuster connecting the bottoms of the shoes, it's not uncommon to get a little shoe to drum contact, no matter how far you back the adjusters off. Tighten the adjuster until you get a firm drag (NOT a lockup) and back off 10 clicks, which is usually one turn of the star wheel. Push the brake pedal and release it- - - -this centers the shoes in the drum. The wheel and drum assembly SHOULD turn freely, but only if the drum is ROUND inside.
Jerry

Thx Jerry and Marty

First to you Marty ,,I wonder about that scraping also ,not sure why they would get so tight only in one spot of the brake shoe ,,but with the drum covering up everything ,,it's hard to tell .
Jerry
My old drums have a longated hole in them to adjust the brakes from the side you put the tire and wheel on from..you move the hole back and forth to get to both sides of the clickers on the brake wheel cylinder.
With these new drums there is no opening to adjust through so I have to adjust them and then put the drum on..

I called Summet Racing where I got the drums from and he said he has never had anyone say to him that the new drum or drums had to be turned.. ??? marks here ..

Tomorrow ,, my nephew is coming to help me with using the brake to see if we can get the shoes to quit grabbing the drum ..if we cant ,,then

I called a alignment brake shop and I may take them to the guy and if he has the correct fittings to turn them down ,,$15 a wheel .. the guy said that some times companies who sell the drums stack them badly and a lot of weight on them will warp a drum just enough for it to be turned . he also said he turns all new drums before install to get that problem fixed before rather than later..

The latest on my front brakes/drum overhaul

I have come to the conclusion that beings I have a different year spindle along with brake shoes and drum ,I will just let the shoes wear as they turn around inside the drum until they quit rubbing . they do not grab , and they only rub on the last 1/4 inch of the shoe to the inside. my back brakes work fine.

One other thing is like Jerry says ,is that after using them for awhile they should center them selves,, that could happen and solve it all.

For right now I am satisfied with the new parts and feel comfortable that they work. If I take the car out to California and work on it in the winter while we play snow birds,, then maybe I will put a Fat Boy or another front end under it and go to disc brakes.. Now to go drive it today ..

just in case you havn't followed along on my work on my new brakes and drums ..my 39 is a car ,,not a truck

Idaho

Wait a minute- - - -a 39 will have Huck brakes, not Bendix, so the adjustment procedure I described is incorrect. If there's a toothed adjuster wheel at each end of the wheel cylinder, and a pivot pin at the bottom of each brake shoe, that's definitely a Huck system. Huck brakes were notoriously bad about wearing out only one brake lining, with the other one appearing almost new. Dad had to watch his flat rate mechanics like a hawk to keep them from changing only one shoe on a brake job, and stashing the other one away. After several of those jobs, a less than scrupulous mechanic would have enough parts to do a shade tree job at home with no parts cost. Huck shoes are adjusted individually, and it's not uncommon to get a poor fit on one shoe or another. The only good fix is to radius-grind the shoes to fit the drums. You can always make your own slot in the new drums- - - -all it takes is a drill motor and a rat-tail file. Use the old drum and a felt tip marker as a pattern to position the slot.

Your brake shop guy is correct- - - -I used to take a very light truing cut on all the new drums I installed, also.
Jerry

Jerry

I want to thank you more than you can know for the information about my brake system.

And,, thx to your dad for experiencing this terrible brake system that Chevrolet came out with and shared it with you .

It all comes together now with why the shoes will not set them
selves and be even steven with each other..

I thought I was just not doing something right and after proving that every thing was turning true to a perfect circle I like I said am just going to let the shoe wear out and take it in the shorts.. the new wheel drums that is .

I might try and find a whole different brake system off a newer Chevy with the one brake adjustment on the bottom on the inside and swap over to it.. but for now ,,i'm going to see how it operates off the main highways and then decide what is next.

I adjust my Huck shoes tight when new and the drums have been turned. The Manual calls for slight drag for each shoe, then back off a specific number of clicks. That's fine because they ground the shoes to match the drums (and died at 40 from the asbestos dust and no-filter Camels).
I adjust them to a slight drag and stop there and drive the truck until the drums machine the shoes into the same shape as the turned drums. Be careful when driving, as the brakes will need a lot of pressure to stop the truck until they wear in. After 100 miles or so, the brakes will improve and you will need to adjust the shoes again.
Carl

thx Carl.. I actually was going to do this what you said ,even before reading your advice.. and now after reading your advice ,,it makes me feel good about doing it for sure..

I need to bleed the brakes again as the pedal is nearing the floor ..

Is it possible to change the backing plates to Bendix style brakes on your front end?
Jerry would know this.......

1939 is a bit before my ability to comment from hands-on experience. The late 40's and early 50's spindles, etc. would accept conversion to Bendix type brakes, but it was necessary to use everything from the backing plates out- - - -backing plates, wheel cylinders, shoes, hardware, hubs, drums and all. Someone a little more experienced with the pre-WW II brake systems and spindles will need to offer some advice about the Bendix brake conversion. It would be an excellent idea, if it's possible without a great deal of modification.
Jerry

I took mu 39 in today to a mechanic who does brakes,, I knew I would not find a guy who has done this type of brake system I have ,

He did well ,,he bled my lines for me ,,he found that the bolt holding the wheel cylinder onto the backing plate was the culprit that was wearing a groove in my drums

He took a peanut grinder and took off 1/8 inch and it stopped the grinding noise both wheels...

He set my shoes and then I test drove it with him and he then tightened the shoes a bit more ,,and all is good.. I shared all that you all told me about this system and he had a fun time working on them and what he learned from me from you all.. thx every one for all the info on this..