MTFCA Forum

I’m trying to readjust the Rocky Mountains on my car. I never installed them, they came when I bought the car. I’m having a hard time adjusting the gap to .020. There’s no constant gap all around. Does this look ok?

If it is the Rocky Mountain brakes made today, your band goes around the drum as an oil filter wrench wraps around the filter. When the wheel goes forward it wraps in the way your wheel is turning and when you go backward it tries to force it to slip. The band should be as round as you can get it. Then when you tighten it you turn down the adjustment at the end until the mimimum clearance is 20 thousandths. It might be greater at other parts of the band. The final adjustment is the length of the rod. Try to get the rod length equal on both sides so that the equalizer is straight across perpendicular to the driveshaft. Then try out the brakes. They should apply with the pedal down an inch or two. The transmission band will be adjusted to apply at the normal position for the transmission brake. The idea is to apply the rocky mountain brake first, then when you push hard both brakes work. That way if your car rolls backward or you are backing up, the foot brake will still work if you push hard. Then adjust the parking brake just the opposite. The Ford parking brake comes on first then one more click of the brake lever applies both brakes.
Norm

Evidently, a good adjustment procedure has never been written past the initial installation.

I've never found any of the repro R.M. brake bands to be totally round & I've mounted up at least a dozen sets - set the adjustment tight enough so they don't get too hot to the touch after running down the road a piece !