VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1929-1932 2 problems

So as you all know I've got a couple of 32's and the roadster is the only one running right now. I got it out last night for a show which is tomorrow night at the DQ. I would really like to fix these two things.

1. After sitting over night the front right brake locks up when backing up. But once you have drive for a couple of minutes forward it will not lock up until the next morning. Any thoughts? I’ve taken everything a part and oiled and replaced the return spring.

2. For years the roadster has leaned to the left, many of you have seen the car. For years everyone has thought it was the front spring and it looked like the rear spring was doing it as well year later. So last summer I thought I was going to fix the problem by changing out the rear springs with a different pair. No difference. Did notice that when the jack stands were under the frame rail just forward of the spring hanger the car was very level. This would rule out the frame as the problem. We know that the springs are not the problem so what do I look at next? The axle housing maybe?

Hi Bruce,
Have ever swapped the springs left for right to see if the car
then leans down to the right?

If you are certain that it is not springs or frame then it must be axles, wheels, tires as those are the parts that contact the ground and support the frame. If you measure carefully starting at the ground and working up to the frame you will find the problem.

Still sounds like the springs to me. I would get new springs made and see what happens. Most likely your roadster needs new springs anyway.

The brake problem sounds like an out of round brake drum. Contracts when it is cold just enough to grab, and then the driving friction slightly expands the drum, it stops grabbing. Then contracts again as it cools.
Can you make a fixture with a dial gauge to spin the drum on and check the run out?

OK, I’ll go a little deeper here. So yes jack I did try left for right. So I tried the set of springs I had from a 40k mile car that is now a rod. The guy marked the springs so I knew which was left and which was right. When I had put everything together and noticed no difference I switched left to right with the new springs. No difference. Then I changed it so I had the both right side springs on the car with no difference and I also change side to side, no difference.

As to the other parts, I’ve changed the tires (new tires) and moved the wheels around with no difference.

The one thing that I was thing about doing is putting jack stands under the springs to confirm that it is not the springs.

The one thing that I was wondering about, can the spring hangers for the axle wear? Maybe it is the joint between the hanger and the housing?

Hey Jack,

That sounds good, next time I'm working on the car I'll try that. Besides that fixture would come in handy.

The other brake test is jack the wheel up in the morning and see if you can spin it in the reverse direction before touching the brake pedal, and see if it jambs on.
Drive the car for a while and jack the wheel again and see if it is free to spin again.

Spring hangers, bushings, center bolts and other suspension parts can wear unevenly. If the front frame horn is bent upward or down it will also result in one side lower or higher than the other. Like I wrote above if you take a series of measurements of the distances between the ground and a number of parts of the suspension and frame you will find the problem.

Spring shackles or the their bolts may have ware. Also check the shock fluid and bushings. Some guys tend to over build them. Does it look better when you bounce the car from the fenders? Just guessing here, but have you checked the upward bend in the front axle? It may have taken one too many pot holes in it's day.

On the brakes. Please be careful with that lube. I remember somewere in these pages how some guy overlubed the brake springs to the extent that his brakes quit working. He somehow make it home using the emergency brake!

The brake problem has been discussed before and I don't think any real conclusion was reached other than several of us have experienced it.Last year before going on the 6 cyl tour I found that the brake spring was hanging up on a bolt head when releasing so I reversed the spring and had no further problem.
That is until I got home and went to unload the car from the trailer and then the right front did the same thing! I will be getting it ready for this years tour in Sept shortly and if I find a cause or cure I'll post it here.

Hey Steve,

That sounds just like what is happening to me! You think you've got it and then it's back.

Hey Guys,

Thanks for the tips on the measurment points. I'll let you know what I find when I get time to measure it again.

Bruce