VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - GENERAL Mechanical - Engine, Trans, etc help on brake adjustment

I am the proud owner of an early 1926 series touring car. I have been working on model t fords and had the opportunity to purchase the Chevy. I am confused about the service brake adjustment as it is different from the model to ford.
I have read the service brake adjustment from the 1926 owners and operators manual. I would like some clarifications to my haziness of the adjustment procedure.
The brake guide pin is missing the brake lock plate on the driver’s side rear wheel. The passenger side guide pin has been replaced by a fine thread bolt. My brake pedal will hit the floor boards and I do not think that this is correct. I made a hack saw feeler gauge.
First, do you adjust the length of the service brake toggle are adjusted to just over vertical. How far over vertical? An example, a quarter of an inch to a half inch over? Does the distance actually brake pedal distance? The father the adjustment over vertical, the sooner the brake grabs and not have the brake pedal hit the floor board? The model t brakes adjustment is set that the brake pedal grabs a couple of inches before the pedal hits the floor.
Also, to make this adjustment should with the service brake return spring taken off to adjust the over vertical evenly?
Secondly, is the service brake band adjusted brake guide pin turned in until the brake is snug against the wheel hub, and then back it off to the 1/32nd (hacksaw blade)?
Third, do you adjust the jamb nut next by bottoming out the brake band on the as is the same way as the guide pins? Tighten to wheel hub and then back off? OR, does this procedure come after adjusting the service brake adjusting nut? Is the service brake adjusting nut beveled to lock into the holder? It looks as if the large part of the nut is in the detent from the drawing.
Fourth, if there is not 1/32nd inch gap all the way around, how to readjust the brake to widen the brake band gap? It appears to me that this service brake adjustment is more complicated in the adjustment process than what I am use to working on with past automobiles. Any suggestions would be much appreciated.
Thanks, Paul

All the mechanical brakes I have done, loosen all adjustments, then adjust the bands and shoes so that they just clear the drums, adjust the next linkage so that each side start operating at the same time, then adjust front to rear equality, then pedal freeplay.
Tony

Thank you for your help. It has helped to give me a clearer idea on how to do the adjustments. Paul

Hi Tony,
I forgot to ask you if there is a brake pedal distance between the brake pedal and floor board? Or does the brake pedal compress to the floor board? Paul

If the pedal goes to the floor you wont stop. When you have finished adjusting the pedal should only travel about 1" to take up the slack and getting hard and not much further for total travel. There should be at least 2" between the pedal and the floor board when you cant push the pedal any further.
Tony

Got it!! Thanks for being patient with a newbie- Paul

A friend came over yesterday to help me with the brake adjustment. He has a 20's Dodge and the mechanical brake adjustment is similar to the Chevy. He also brought along a mid-20's Dyke automotive manual. We came to the conclusion that the model t brake system is unique to itself. The notion of having mechanical brakes was used in many automobiles of that era. Dyke's manual discussed the mechanical brakes in general and not to one manufacturer of an automobile. Now, to fine tune the service brake adjustment around the wheel.
Two brakes are better than the one that is in the Model T.-Paul

One thing to keep in mind is that the external brake band might not be perfectly round, which causes uneven braking and wear.

Here's a thread where I describe how I made my brake bands rounder: Brake band bending technique

Cheers, Dean