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Fixing the old truck

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Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 46
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Wrench Fetcher
Wrench Fetcher
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Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 46
I'm in the middle of installing my complete new brake kit on my 51 style GMC half ton. Everything is bolted in the front brakes went on perfectly with no issues however in my rear brakes it seems that there is not enough room in the wheel cylinders themselves to compress far enough to allow the shoes to go on completely. I have everything put together and I'm 99.9% sure it is put together correctly. However one shoe is always off the top Center pivot point and when it gets pushed back down on the other side lifts up off and the wheel cylinder link pins move.

The feeder screw is open and the master is disconnected.

Any ideas?


1950 GMC 1/2 Ton Long Box
228-Zenith carb- SM420-bendix brakes
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 28,674
H
Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer)
Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer)
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 28,674
Is the parking brake fully released? It sounds like the strut that fits between the shoes just below the wheel cylinder is the culprit, not the wheel cylinder. Be sure there's no tension on the park brake cables, which would pull the lever arm attached to the rear shoe toward the front slightly and cause the strut to push on the front shoe. I've seen that happen pretty frequently. You're running Bendix-type brakes with one adjuster wheel at the bottom, right?
Jerry


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Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 46
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Wrench Fetcher
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Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 46
Yes they are Bendix brakes. The brake peddle was fully released. Finally got to work on the truck today. I ordered new parking brake components cables, clevis's etc. I installed the new cables and the brakes went together correctly. The faced drums slipped on perfect. So I believe that the cables must have been seized in the outher tubes just enough to partially activate the parking brake.

Now I have a new problem at the other end of the cables. My original clevises are about 2 inches longer then the replacement ones and the replacement ones are a half inch to short to reach the levers they hook up to.

Last edited by Drtheo; 09/24/2018 5:32 AM.

1950 GMC 1/2 Ton Long Box
228-Zenith carb- SM420-bendix brakes

Moderated by  Dusty53, SWEET 

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