VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1929-1932 1929 Brake Set-Up - Adjustment

Hello Bear, You are right the rear shoe anchors are out of place. Maybe someone pried on them trying to get the drums off at some time in the past. Make sure you oil all of the pins in the clevises, I do ours once a year before touring season to keep them free. Also ALL of the moving parts, cross shaft pivots, front and rear brake pivots, and anything else that moves, including the pivot shafts in the differential. I even spin the clevis pins to make sure they are loose. They should be able to be moved when sitting on the garage floor with no brake applied.

In looking at some of your pictures it looks like you have a set of the original cast pot metal trunions on the front brakes. I would sure recommend that you replace those with some of the new cast aluminum ones that are available. The original pot metal ones are rather prone to breaking thus making that brake useless.

Well finally got back out to work on my 1929 Brakes, been a While (actually since October).

looking & reading over my previous posts on this subject, I finished removeing all the drivers side rear brake hardware, springs. I adjusted the bracket in question to center it up on the drum, and check alignment. Once i was happy with the alignment i used my hub puller and removed the brake drum. I am only removing one side at at time so that i can use the other side as reference. Granted I am taking TONS of picts, always nice to have a reference :)

Old Brake Springs/ Hardware 01
Old Brake Springs/ Hardware 02
Looks pretty worn and tired after all those years

New Springs Readyo to take over Brake Duty
YES These are C&P Automotive (Billy Possum) Brake Springs !!

First step is to removed paint from all the critical surfaces. Starting with the drum surfaces that the shoes ride on, both inside and out.
BEFORE: Outside of Drum
BEFORE: Inside of Drum
as you can see they painted the entire drum, including the threads on the studs !! let the fun begin !!

AFTER: Outside of Drum
AFTER: Inside of Drum
All Cleaned up and ready to go back to work...

Next I stripped down the hardware, YES the threads both internal and external were painted !! WHAT a PAIN Too remove !! Once stripped down i applied some primer and then a few coats of black. YES I protected the internal and external threads so as NOT to paint them !!

Hardware All Painted up... Ready to Go
also all New Clevis Pins and Cotter Pins

Then I begain to reassemble the components...

One Side Complete Ready to go
Looking Good

I got all the Assemblies together and ready to install...
tomorrow I begin PUtting them back on the 1929 !!

Okay, so today I began putting all the Assemblies back on the 1929 to build a complete working brake assembly !!

I put on the new hardware, new component assemblies. I also greased up moveing/ sliding components to ensure they move freely and easily and also to hopefully prevent corrosion. or at least slow it down some :)

Driver's Side Rear all Together
Looks Great, Made me feel good to see it all come back together !!

I then followed the Repair Manual & G&D Instructions for setting the clearances on the Rear Brakes...

Question: i do NOT have the same distance/ gap all the way around the shoe ?? is this correct, will the shoes change/ take shape after a few miles of use ?? I know the Shoes are pretty flexible...

Once I had everything set I did a few pull checks to see if they engage and seat properly and they grab HARD, stop the axle !! this was all done by hand, none of the linkages are connected yet. Spun axle by hand, pulled level by hand so...

I then checked alignment, as you seen in previous post the shoes were crossed/ crooked on the drums. Not anymore !!

Top Down View
Front View Looking back[/url
[url=h...Fm0?feat=directlink]Rear looking Forward
as you can see the shoes look great and are stright with the drums, YES !!

Few Shots of the Hardware Up Close:
Rear Hardware
Front Hardware
Axle Nut & Cotter Pin

Now on the the Passenger Side Rear !!

Ok, well took apart the passenger rear, stripped down the parts, then primed and painted. pretty much same as the drivers side routine.

Adjusted Bracket to proper position

Reassembled and set parts. installed components and then adjusted passenger brakes accordingly.

Now have to wait for the front Trunnions to arrive from Gary Wallace and then I can get to setting the linkages and rods and then testing the brakes all around.

Well the Trunnions are Here :-)

can see picts and information here: 1929 Front Brake Trunnion Replacement Now to get time to install them, and then reset & adjust the front brakes...

Trunnions are installed and brakes are re adjusted...
1929 Front Brake Trunnion Replacement

Now that the trunnions are in and the front brakes are readjusted, I need to se the linkages reconnect and do a test.