VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1937-1945 brake shoe adjusting

i have notice that my brakes seem to have a lot of play in the travel when pressing the brake pedal down.
i still have good braking action. but it seems like the shoes need adjusting. i know about later brake shoe adjusting but the earlier brakes. do they have an adjusting screw to shorten travel?

The 1935-50 Chevrolets have two adjustment openings on each backing plate. They are on the top of the backing plate rather then the bottom. The adjustment gear inside is actually the cover on the end of the wheel cylinder. As the cover is turned (in the correct direction) the screw in the cover (which contacts the shoe) become longer, taking up the slack. Each shoe is adjusted seperatly.
My suggestion would be to remove a drum and see whats inside so you know what things look like.Also it will give you a clue as to which way the gear/cover must be turned to tighten the brakes.
Would also be a good idea to check and see if the wheel cylinder pistons are free . With this style brake it is common to find one or two cylinders to have a "froze" piston.

There are two methods of adjusting brake shoes. One is to remove the rubber stopper in the back side of the backing plate. Using a special tool or a short screwdriver you can adjust both shoes. The second method, and the one I use, is to remove the brake drum, take several clicks on each side of the adjusters, and then place the drum back on and see if you can turn it without drag, continue to the point that any more adjustment would lock the brakes.

To complete the brake job, adjust the brake pedal free play. Any softness in the pedal will require bleeding the entire brake system.

Road test for effect, correct as necessary.

As one of our more knowledgeable members says on this forum: Hope that helps!

the earlier brakes did not have self adjusters? so all four wheels had to adjusted manually?

That is correct. The "self adjuster" is yourself. In fact there are 8 adjusters, one on each end of each cylinder.

And you are getting some good advice here from Gene & Ray. Take the time to remove the drums and make sure all the adjusters will turn on the end of the brake cylinder while the center pin is held by the slot against the brake shoe. It will also help you understand how the adjusters turn. Otherwise you won't know if things are working correctly.

Here are a couple of other things to consider. Remember that the rear brakes are also the parking brakes. You need to make sure that the parking brake adjustment is not too tight or it will actually override the service brake action. I typically back the parking brake adjustment way off and adjust the service (regular) brakes first. Then I'll adjust the parking brake.

Another technique I use is to not make too large an adjustment on any brake without pumping the brake pedal a few times to help set the shoes. This tends to help them align better and center in the drum. And remember to make relatively equal adjustments on the front and rear adjusters on each cylinder. You can tell when one of the shoes starts to drag. That's the sign to adjust the other one. Otherwise most of your braking will be done by one shoe.

A shop manual helps a lot if you have not done this before.

Rusty

thanks guys, you all been a lot of help to a first timer.
i value your info greatly.

kw

I agree with slacking park brake off prior to adjusting rear service brakes.
I turn each adjuster until I cannot turn the wheel by hand then release the adjuster 3 notches of the adjuster then repeat on next adjuster. This way the shoes are set to the drum as they are adjusted.
Tony

a dumb question. where is the easiest access to the main brake master cylinder.

That is NOT a dumb question.

Raise the floormat on the drivers side. You should find a large rubber plug in the floor. Remove the plug and you will be looking at the top of the master cylinder. This is where you would add fluid.

With the car raised and on safe stands, slide under the car and look up under the drivers seat and you will see the master cylinder.

Hate to mention the obvious but I Think you need to remember not to push the brake pedal with any of the brake drums off. If you do the brake cylinder will be forced open on the wheel missing the drum leaking a lot of brake fluid out!!! What a mess, and welcome to having to rebleed the brake system. Yes, I have done this before, but so far only once.
Mike

Come on now and admit it. Surley you have drained the oil out of your engine for an oil change, forgot to replace the plug and cycled four quarts of oil through the engine. Hope the drain container was still in place.

I have, but please don't call me Shirley!
Many years ago on a British car I remembered to put the drain plug back in but I managed to "secure" the oil filter canister (replaceable filter element) with it cocked off to one side. The results were the same...a large streak of oil down my dad's driveway. I can still remember him screaming at me!