The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Brake Reassembly

I've started reassembling the axles on my '53 3100. I'm trying to assemble
the studs at the top of the wheel backing plates that the brake pads pivot
on. I can't find anything in the reference material that I'm using that
show the proper sequence for these parts (you'd think that the factory
assembly manual would have a page on this).

Specifically I've got the stud, this odd shaped spacer (see picture), lock
washer and nut. I don't know which side of the backing plate that the
spacer goes on. Does it go on the outside with the lock washer and nut or
on the inside with the brake pads? My guess is that it goes on the brake
pad side, but does anyone know for sure?

[img]http://www.wwnet.com/~chevytruck/spacer.bmp[/img]

Good question that needs to be brought back up to the top for others to see.
It has been so long since I have had those apart, I have cranial moments of gray-matter cell misconfiguration :rolleyes:

I just recently redid the brakes on my '55 3200, and I'm guessing that the system will be pretty similar. If it's the post that I think you're talking about, it goes on the top of the backing plate, the pads rest up against it, and the 2 return springs clip onto it. If that is the case, the lock washer and nut go on the back side of the backing plate, and the odd looking spacer should just slip on the very end of the post (inside the drum). Double check to see if the post has a special groove in the end so that the spacer can only slide on a little bit. Nothing really holds it on there except for the friction between the spacer and the post, plus the return springs (the spacer separates where the shoes rest and where the springs clip on). I drew up a little diagram below to help describe it better. Again, I'm not sure if we have similar brake systems and I wish I was at home to double check for you. If they are different systems or I'm thinking of a completely different part, at least I had fun doodling . Hopefully this will help though. Good luck!

[img]http://www.wpi.edu/~nrw/brake_post.jpg[/img]

The red dohingy in Milhouse's diagram is more diamond-shaped and called a "guide plate" in the shop manual. The spacer-object in 53chevytruck's photo goes on the back side just under the lock washer according to Fig 1 "Front Axle Assembly Cross Section" graphic on page 3-2 of the shop manual. You have to study the graphic carefully 'cause there is a "Flange Plate" on the shoe side that helps to position the wheel cylinder and add strength and in section, it looks similar to the spacer-object.