Emergency Brakes

[1923Touring]

I have been working to to adjust the emergency brake on my T, but I cannot get it right. I put the hand brake lever all the way forward and adjusted the front clevises until the brake cams were horizontal and the wheels free, but when I pulled the lever back to the neutral position (vertical), the wheels are locked. Then I adjusted the clevises with the hand lever vertical until the wheels were free. Then when I pulled the lever back the brakes engaged perfectly, but before I could push the lever all the way forward, the wheels locked up and the brake rods started to bend. What am I doing wrong? I have already consulted the Ford Service book and past topics, but cannot find anything. I am using the new two-piece lined brake shoes and eight inch drums.

Thank you,
Joshua

[Scott_Conger]

Brake levers at rear wheels should be pretty much laying backward a little when hand brake lever is all the way forward. If little to no wear anywhere, the brake levers should be approaching verticle when hand brake is verticle, and you have "neutral" and so forth. If the clevis' are so slack, then when driving, the rods are trying to push the brake cams backwards and that will partially set the brakes as well as bend the rods. You have overshot in both directions b ased on your description.

If you are so fortunate as to have very little wear, or lined shoes that are still so new as to drag slightly, you may find that with proper adjustment, "neutral" is found when the transmission lever bolt is JUST riding on the brake cam and the brake lever is still partially forward of vertical and anything beyond "vertical" may be brakes locked up. If that's the case, then lucky you.

[Norman Kling]

Try this. Remove the clevis pins and push the hand lever all the way forward. Then adjust the clevis so that you can install the pin without bending the rod. The lever on the backing plate should be back as far as you can put it. The pin should fit without bending the rod. Do this to both sides. You should then have a neutral when the lever is straight up. Note, it might not be exactly straight but should be far enough back so the cam completely clears the clutch lever on the side of the transmission. Then when you pull the hand lever back the brakes should lock. Now at a slow speed (around 5 MPH or less) try stopping using the hand brake. If it pulls to one side, tighten the opposite rod 1/2 turn and try again. Keep adjusting the opposite rod by 1/2 turn intervals until you get it to stop in a straight line.
Norm

[1923Touring]

Scott was the closest. I called Steve at Lang's and he told me the castings were made oversize to take up wear in the brake cams. Because my brake cams were new I ended up grinding 3/64'' of each shoe where the cam rids.
Thanks for the ideas,
Joshua

[Kaiser]

Joshua, thanks for the update, that is good to know, i'm about to install new shoes from Langs and also have new cams, I think you saved me some head scratching

[Scott_Conger]

Leo

If you purchased the two-piece emergency brakes, consider removing material at about 1/2 degree back slope on the face of the brake show where it contacts the cam. This will throw the shoe "back" toward the backing plate when the springs are installed and will stop rubbing on the brake drum.That very small tilt will not cause any harm and will provide good benefits.

The single piece lined brake does not benefit as readily from such treatment, but do be careful if you remove material to allow clearance to the cam, that you do use care that the material removal is even.

[Stephen_heatherly]

I don't understand why they would modify the brake shoes to make up for worn out cams. If the cam is worn, then it should be replaced. All this does is cause issues when assembling the brakes with new parts.

Stephen

[Scott_Conger]

Steven

I hear you and I think your point is well taken...in theory

my experience has been for better or worse, unlike Deusenberg or Mercedes Benz or nearly any other collector car you choose to consider, Model T owners tend to do the very least necessary to keep the car on the road, and for the lowest $ cost and I think that smart suppliers cater to the demand that they actually see and not the demand they HOPE to see. I am certain that this product (which I have no interest in) would elicit far more complaints on this board if made to original specs and promptly failed to operate after being installed on worn out cams than is now the case. You can bet that 9 of 10 complainers would never EVER assume the fault was theirs in not doing the job completely.

A great part or "correct" part is definitely not a certain seller, and I have just enough experience in making parts and selling them to be certain that is a fact and not an opinion. It needs to be a part in DEMAND and not necessarily just correct. Lots of parts are unavailable or so obscure they are not commercially available...simply making them available does not necessarily equal a sale.

Just my $ .02 worth of experience.

[Kaiser]

Thanks Scott for the tip
Leo