Early Ford V-8 Club Forum

EFV-8 Club Forum / General Ford Discussion / 39 ford brake adj

Reply to Discussion | New Discussion << previous || next >>

Posted By Discussion Topic: 39 ford brake adj     fe427t 07-30-2010 @ 10:38 AM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 6 Joined: Jul 2010 What is the correct way to adjust the front brakes? thanks supereal 07-30-2010 @ 12:22 PM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 6819 Joined: Oct 2009 When adjusting brakes, do all four wheels. Back off the adjustment cams using the two "bolts" on the backing plate. To do this, they must be turned in opposite directions from each other. With the wheel off the ground, turn each by hand as you increase the brake contact with the adjuster until the wheel won't turn, then back the adjuster off until the shoe retracts enough so you can't feel or hear it. Do this with each adjuster on every wheel. When complete, you should have a "hard" pedal with about an inch of free play. If the pedal feels soft, the brake system will have to be bled. After adjusting, be sure to check the level of the fluid in the master cylinder and fill if necessary. Be sure the parking brake is fully released before adjusting the brakes. If, when complete, the brakes pull one way or the other, the hub and drum will have to be removed to inspect for oil, grease, or brake fluid on the linings. fe427t 07-30-2010 @ 3:19 PM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 6 Joined: Jul 2010 Do you adjust the lower cams with the lock nuts before or after the uppers? thanks supereal 07-30-2010 @ 3:36 PM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 6819 Joined: Oct 2009 The lower bolts on the backing plates are the anchors. Unless you have installed new linings, you won't need to change those. If you have already loosened them, look for the dots on the end of the bolts and align them so they face each other. It is best not to change those, as you open a whole new set of adjustments. The two upper 11/16 head bolts are the adjusters you need to use. 37RAGTOPMAN 07-30-2010 @ 5:43 PM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 1961 Joined: Oct 2009 I think on the 1939-41 FORD had a bottom ajusters,had cams with lock nuts,on the front and rear brakes, FORD had a special tool for this that went over the spindle and you used a feeler gauge to set the heal and toe,and used on the rear axle also. this is the MASTER AJUSTMENT, a oldtimer [that worked in a FORD GARAGE, he started in 1949 ] said to me to drill 2 3/16 inch hole next to one another,[ this is from the inside ,just along the edge ,were shoe rides,] and longgate the hole so you could stick a feeler blade though the hole and use a .004 feeler blade, [ you will have to remove the drums to drill the holes and then reinstall to make the ajustments,] do this top and bottom,TO SET THE SHOES HEAL AND TOE, this worked for me once when converting a 1938 WOODIE to JUICE BRAKES, IF AJUSTING the brakes does not satisfy you you might have to perform a master ajustment, on the 1942 to 1948 you do not have to do a master ajustment, I always want to be sure the person before me did it right,and would check thier work just to be sure it is DONE RIGHT,!!! HOPE THIS HELPS 37RAGTOPMAN KEEP ON TRUCKIN,,,!!!! This message was edited by 37RAGTOPMAN on 8-2-10 @ 4:17 PM kubes40 07-31-2010 @ 6:23 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 3401 Joined: Oct 2009 The lower bolts on a '39 are in fact adjustment cams. They should be adjusted the same as the top two bolts. You will have to loosen the nut that holds the cam tightly in place. Then, turn the small flat stud you'll see within the nut one way or the other to get the 'fell' Supereal describes above. Do one adjustment paint at a time. TomO 07-31-2010 @ 9:09 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 7253 Joined: Oct 2009 I agree with Supereal. The lower bolts are the anchor bolts and the cam adjustment is only needed when new shoes are installed. The correct adjustment with new shoes is to adjust the anchor cams by starting out with the dots facing each other and the adjustment cams (upper bolts) at a minimum. Have someone apply pressure to the brake pedal and hold it. Using a small wrench, turn the dot on the rear anchor down until you feel the brake shoe touch the drum. Repeat the operation for the front shoe. Usually it takes very little movement to get the anchor set correctly. After you have adjusted the anchor cams, you can adjust the shoes with the upper bolts for minimum clearance to the drum. This is the adjustment that you will do every few thousand miles as the shoes wear. Tom

<< previous || next >>

NOTE: YOU MUST BE A REGISTERED USER AND BE LOGGED IN TO POST (and reply to) messages in this forum. If you are a first time user, please click the CREATE A NEW ACCOUNT in the masthead above to register and Log In. After that, all you do is LOG IN to enjoy using this site.

DISCLAIMER: The V-8 Club does no independent testing of any of the opinions, thoughts or suggestions presented in the website on the Forum, in the Tech Tips section, or any section. A reader should consider the website to be a forum wherein differing solutions to a particular set of circumstances may be discussed. Ultimately, the selection of an item for an individual's vehicle must be based upon the independent study of the vehicle owner in consultation with people in the hobby and restoration experts.

EFV-8 Club Forum Home | Back to Home Page | Contact the Webmaster

Copyright © 2009 - EFV-8.org
Powered by < CF FORUM > v.2.1