MTFCA Forum

I just installed the Larry Sidmore/Richard Baughman AC Brake combination on my ‘17 Touring. They’re adjusted, but I was wondering if anyone had any advice on performing an accurate initial adjustment. It’s not a complicated setup, but I’d like to get the best performance out of the new brakes. Thanks, Joe

I did/do mine kinda seat of the pants. Jack the car up, adjust till there is a little drag then back off till turns easy. Take the car for test run using brakes as little as you can. Watch out bands can be very hot! Check the temp of the bands. If just a little warm leave as is, if HOT, back off a turn or two. Let cool and retest. After they have taken a set, check again and adjust as needed.

Okay. Thanks, Mark.

Joseph, or Mark
Are the Baughman brake rods make installation and adjustment easier with the AC brakes? I have the Sidmore AC brakes waiting to go on a speedster project.

Tim

The AC's I had were the original cable type. A friend installed the modern AC's and he made up a cable system. The only brakes I have with rods are the Rocky Mountain, even then I made my own equalizer that leaves the parking brakes as completely independent of service brakes, but used rods. Using the RM's, I more or less left the transmission brake out of the picture. Once you get the slop out of the linkage, I pretty much adjusted them as posted above.

Tim, I started out with the original style cable-equalizer setup oh my AC brakes, but couldn’t find an unobstructed path for the cable to follow from the equalizer to the brake assembly. Rich Baughman’s rod-style linkage fits my ‘17 Touring better. It’s very well made, and straightforward to install. And Richard is a very nice man to deal with. Adjusting them seems easy enough, especially with the wealth of experience available to us on this Forum. I recommend the Baughman Linkage assembly. Joe