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| | | | Joined: Mar 2006 Posts: 249 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Mar 2006 Posts: 249 | Had an odd problem with my 1950 3600 the other day. I noticed that the brake pedal engaged at the very top somewhat unexpectedly - very much what the pedal would feel like if the parking brake was engaged. When I got home, I smelled a hot brake which was the right rear and I checked the parking brake and found it had no spring return to it. Ah ha I thought, a busted parking brake spring! Crawling under the truck, I found the springs to be good. Then I pulled the drum and found that the leading piston of the wheel cylinder had moved far out enough so that the inside edge of the end cap/adjuster on the cylinder was caught by the leaf spring and just a drop or two of brake fluid had collected at the bottom of the adjuster. I lifted the spring with a screwdriver and the adjuster popped back into to place. To me, it seemed that the piston on the leading side was out about twice as far as the trailing piston so I evened them up somewhat and then adjusted until the drum would not go on and then backed them off a bit so I could replace the drum. It makes me wonder if my drum is worn past a usable condition. I have no idea how thick the drum should be but my guess is that it feels thick enough. There must be a spec for wall thickness somewhere.
What do folks think about this?
Last edited by Gazz; 09/11/2019 5:42 PM.
1950 3600
1951 4400
Gazz
| | | | | Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,805 Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) | | Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,805 | The general rule of thumb for drum oversize is a maximum diameter of .060" oversize passenger car drums, or .090" over for pickups. It wouldn't surprise me if your 70-something year old drums are somewhat bigger than that.
Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln
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Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
| | | | | Joined: Mar 2010 Posts: 10,280 Renaissance Man | | Renaissance Man Joined: Mar 2010 Posts: 10,280 | Double check to make sure that you have all of the shoe retaining springs in place.
1952 5-window - return to "as built" condition | 1950 3100 with a 235 and a T-5 transmission
| | | | | Joined: Jun 2004 Posts: 8,597 Riding in the Passing Lane | | Riding in the Passing Lane Joined: Jun 2004 Posts: 8,597 |
You probably didn't have the adjustment right on that shoe. The Huck brakes are tricky to adjust. They are all right hand threads. Adjust each one till you get a heavy drag. Then back it off about 5 notches.
George
They say money can't buy happiness. It can buy old Chevy trucks though. Same thing. 1972 Chevy c10 Cheyenne SuperIn the Gallery Forum | | | | | Joined: Mar 2010 Posts: 10,280 Renaissance Man | | Renaissance Man Joined: Mar 2010 Posts: 10,280 | I now recall having that happen to me on my '49. The adjuster cap was all jacked up. I removed the wheel cylinder and found that one of the ears where one of the wheel cylinder bolt goes through broke off.
1952 5-window - return to "as built" condition | 1950 3100 with a 235 and a T-5 transmission
| | | | | Joined: Mar 2006 Posts: 249 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Mar 2006 Posts: 249 | Thanks for the suggestions! I'll get a chance to look at in the next few days I hope. I brought a distraction home today though;-)
1950 3600
1951 4400
Gazz
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