So I sez to myself: "Self, Get the service manual and find out how to adjust them there brakes."
On page 134, section 525, it states, "The brake and reverse pedals are adjusted by tightening adjusting nuts "C" on pedal shaft."
So I asks myself: "Self, just how tight do I makes them? Really tight? Sorta tight? Cinched and then backed off?"
And since myself jes' don't know these things, I send up this smoke signal in the hopes one o' you fellers might have some down-home advice...
I try to keep mine loose enough not to drag, and tight enough to be about an inch from touching the floorboards when fully applied.
Ah, ok great, thanks Mike. While it still brings the coupe to an eventual stop, my brake pedal goes all the way to the floor.
Try taking it up two full turns and see how that works. If your brakes are working you don't want to take up too much slack at once, Don.
Danial,
there needs to be clearance between the drums and the bands when the pedals are not being tromped on.
Tighten just enough so that the pedals are not bottoming out on the floor nor are reaching the end of travel on the cams when tromping on them hard.
Thanks Don, Gavin.
After adjustment, the end of the band on the nut side is has about 1/8 inch of clearance from the drum when the pedal is not depressed.
When the pedal is fully depressed it stops right about an inch from the floor board.
A quick trip around the block and I must say, it stops much better than before.
Thanks guys.
Danial,
You ain't no hillbilly! I auta know cuz I iz one! Me and maybe Mack J Cole.
I don't use a wrench on reverse or brake. I pry the band away from the nut with a screw driver and adjust the nut with my fingers. I have to use a wrench on the low band because I cannot figure out how to loosen the jamb nut outside with a screw driver.
As others have said. About an inch off the floor.
Drive carefully, and enjoy, W2
Grin! Thanks Wayne. I think I got it right there about an inch from the floor. The one trip around the neighborhood seemed to work out nicely.
I had mine set loose and sorta didn't notice over time how ready they were for a readjust until the last tour. We drove about 100 miles total from my house but the long downhill into the park was the final straw. My brakes had been OK on the flats but now seemed really were poor on the steep hill. I used some left arm action on the brake lever along with foot braking. The brake drum must have been slipping as it got very hot at the bottom of the hill. It smelled and I saw some smoke come out from under the hood. The best thing about going on a club tour is what happened next. I slowly made it over to a parking spot as now my brake pedal was no longer effective at all. I got out and started to pull up the floor mat. One of the older gents in the club was instantly aware of the situation and materialized at the other side of my car. He started helping pull out the mat and floor boards. He has been a model t mechanic longer than I've been alive. All I ended up having to do was pull my tools out from under the seat and hand them to him. It was done in no time and the subsequent test drive proved the brakes were now superb (by T standards). Several helpers discussed how far to take up the band and all I had to do was clean out the trap basket, so at least I got my hands dirty. Moral of the story, the bands are not a set it once and forget it affair. Even kevlar will need a bit of attention at the early stages until well seated.
Good job Danial. Happy touring.