Just rebuilt my front drums (new springs/shoes/adjusting kit/wheel cylinders/brake hoses). Does everything look right? I seem to be missing the "shoe retracting assist spring" that goes under wheel cylinders. It shows it in the shop manual that there should be a long double hooked spring that attaches to the front and rear shoes that goes underneath the wheel cylinder. The new spring kit didnt come with them, and they weren't on my car before the rebuild. Any idea?
How do they look? Did I mess up anything? (This is the drivers side wheel)
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1968 289 Coupe "Sally"
2002 GT Vert "Sasha"
Looks good, I remember that spring your talking about but don't know for sure if they were used on all models. I like to squeeze the open ends of the springs on top closed just a little more but that's just me.
Looks good, I remember that spring your talking about but don't know for sure if they were used on all models. I like to squeeze the open ends of the springs on top closed just a little more but that's just me.
Good idea I'll squeeze em closed a bit more. Do I have the shoes on the right sides?
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1968 289 Coupe "Sally"
2002 GT Vert "Sasha"
Last edited by VANILLA_GORILLA; 04-15-2012 at 06:26 PM.
All that spring does is to keep that part from rattling. As far as the shoes being on corectly I can't tell you either way one nore for the future anytime doing brakes mainly drums take apart one side at a time and use the other side as referance its a really good rule to follow. keeps from having to second guess things. Other than that it looks good in my book
__________________ 68 Mustang Coupe 289 A/C PS PDB Automatic Full Black Interior Exterior Sea Foam Green Restomod Car
All that spring does is to keep that part from rattling. As far as the shoes being on corectly I can't tell you either way one nore for the future anytime doing brakes mainly drums take apart one side at a time and use the other side as referance its a really good rule to follow. keeps from having to second guess things. Other than that it looks good in my book
That's what we did, one side at a time, looking at the other side for reference. Oh, and a lot of pictures were taken too, which helped. That spring I think does more than prevents rattling. I'm sure it helps retract the shoes, but I have no idea why it was missing.
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1968 289 Coupe "Sally"
2002 GT Vert "Sasha"
Yes you have the shoes on correctly. The left shoe is on the left foot and the right shoe is on the right foot. Just my attempt at a little humor. The shorter shoe goes to the front and the longer shoe to the rear. I'm looking at your pics and it looks like you have the adjusting cable on backwards to me. I not sure it makes alot of difference but I like the flat side of the eyelet against the shoe so it's not at any angle.
I'm looking at your pics and it looks like you have the adjusting cable on backwards to me. I not sure it makes alot of difference but I like the flat side of the eyelet against the shoe so it's not at any angle.
Good eye. I don't think it really Matters much but I also always put flat side towards backing plate
__________________ 68 Mustang Coupe 289 A/C PS PDB Automatic Full Black Interior Exterior Sea Foam Green Restomod Car
Good eye. I don't think it really Matters much but I also always put flat side towards backing plate
So should I flip it around or does it not matter? Cause I really don't want to have to remove the springs and put them back on. Also, a bit of googling about the "shoe retracting assist spring" yields a lot of people saying its not Needed.
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1968 289 Coupe "Sally"
2002 GT Vert "Sasha"
I know the spring you mean. The assist spring. These cars were buit with them, but at some point Ford decided they were not needed, and stopped servicing them. No one makes this spring.
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Amateur restorer. (Well, once in a while I have been paid for it)
So, Did you size the drums to be sure they were not too large?
If you have used drums, have you had the shoes arched to the size of the drums? The shoes should be resized to the curvature of the drums for 100% shoe contact.
In the days when the cars were used everyday some shops would size the shoes to the drum. They used a tool that was essentially sander with a shoe clamp and a precision adjustment on a pivot. Many shops just put the shoes on knowing the cars were driven every day and the shoes would wear in after a few weeks of daily driving.
Most cars now are not driven enough and that few weeks of wear could equate to years of driving for some cars that are restored. So you could go around with less than 100% brakes for years.
Of course, try and find a place that has the tooling to arc a shoe these days.
If there is a gross difference you could put sand paper in the drum and work the shoes some to get them closer. The Model A guys do this to help get their shoes close in size when they do not have the better tooling.
I believe the arcing of the shoes is also called "bedding in" the brakes by going out and making several hard stops from high speed on a deserted road.
Also have a question, my chrysler buddy says the short shoe is the secondary, but the diagram and pics show the long shoe is the secondary. Any body have a definitive answer?
That's what we did, one side at a time, looking at the other side for reference. .
just some freindly advise: forget using the other side as a reference. use the shop manual or the page 22GT sent you.
ive seen it too many times where novice brake DIY (including yours truly back in the day when i did my first brake job) copied the other side only to copy someone elses mistake. I drove around for years with my shoes and springs reversed only b/c i used the other side as a reference.
not that it really mattered b/c i never noticed it but none the less it wasent correct.
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1970 Mach 1 San Jose built Dec 23 1969. Marti says 1 of 7. Purchased in 1987. Original family owner of the powertrain 351C 2v FMX.
1993 GT 11,000 miles, Built 2-12-93 Auto, 3:27 Axle, cloth, sunroof. Untouched except for rubber and battery, Purchased new 8-3-93. still has the factory windshield fluid and new car smell.
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Just rebuilt front drums, how do they look?
68 Mustang Coupe 289 A/C PS PDB Automatic Full Black Interior Exterior Sea Foam Green Restomod Car
