I’m rebuilding my drum brakes. It’s the Huck type. My first brake job. I’m doing the drums, shoes, wheel cylinder. I recently had the inner and outer wheel bearings replaced. I ordered all the parts from Jim Carter and received them yesterday. While I was waiting for the parts the last week I got antsy and disassembled each wheel. Now I have no reference point. However, I re-assembled one wheel with relative ease. Now for the problem. My old brakes lined up nicely with the new parts, all but one. See attached file. I’ve also attached 1 wheel which I completed??? And a photo of the unfinished wheel. I’d be darned if I know where it goes. Also with the drum assembled with the new parts, there seems to be a little play.. it spins ok but there is some scraping.
Anyone have experience with these Huck style brakes? Advise or suggestions is always appreciated by my fellow Stovebolt members.
I believe that ring in the 1st pic goes on the inside of the front drum but I'm not positive. Did you drive or press the wheel studs out of it per chance? Theres some pics in this thread that show that ring on the inside of a front drum with the wheel studs installed. This manual explains how to press the studs out.
That looks like a new replacement drum, is that true? The new drums are thicker in the middle because they are cast and not pressed steel. It appears that the splines of the wheel studs are not protruding into the hub as they are supposed to. If that is the case, it is a big problem.
That part shown in the first photo goes on the inside of the drum.
Thanks for the answer. Yes it’s a new drum. The studs came attached to the drum so I can’t remove them to assemble the part in the fist photo. The hub are old. I can replace the hubs but will that solve the problem?
If the splines do not go all the way through the bores on the hubs, the studs are not correct and are dangerous. This would not be the fault of the hubs. When I bought my front drums, the studs were separate in a plastic package. Who was the parts vendor?
I purchased them from Jim Carter Parts. The update is I hammered the bolts out and put the large donut inside the drum then assembled with the hub plate going on last. The bolts were ok. I think I solved the problem. After assembling the hub and putting the casrlenut on with Carter pin, the wheel tightens up nice. I turned the drum by hand and there’s a slight scraping.
The drum centers are thicker than the original drums because they are a one piece casting. So they make the drum a little deeper to make up the thickness. Maybe they are scraping a little on the backing plate.
Brake job complete. I bled the brakes today and cleaned up. I took the truck for a test drive. The pedal has to be pushed hard to stop and the stopping isn’t immediate. I still don't feel comfortable driving. Is it possible the brakes have to be adjusted. If so, how do you adjust Huck style brakes? Any help will be greatly appreciated.
When installing new or relined shoes, you should have the shoes arced to the individual drums to ensure maximum contact. Otherwise, you will have to wear them in, which can take a while. As long as your pedal does not depress too much, you have them adjusted properly.
On my '42, the first time I had to stop at a stoplight at the bottom of a hill in downtown Prescott, I thought I would roll right through the intersection, despite standing on the pedal. Now I can lock the wheels up if need be without undue effort. Much later on my '37, I had the shoes arced and out of the gate they respond great.
I think these are new shoes and new drums. I would hope that they are a match.
Sometimes the new shoes or relined shoes for Huck brakes do not have the chamfer at the top edge of the shoe lining. You can see that detail in the shop manual diagrams. It is not present in the Bendix style diagrams.
here is the brake adjustment in the 1947 manual, which should do for your Huck brakes. Brake Adjustment
Yes, you have to adjust the brakes per the shop manual. Use the link Volfandt posted. Each shoe must be adjusted by inserting a screwdriver or brake tool thru the slot in the backing plate and turning the notched/star wheel until the shoe is tight against the drum. Then back off a couple of notches. Repeat for the other shoe. You want a slight drag.
