Tim Wrote;
Date: Mon, 29 Oct 2007 18:58:09 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: IML: 56 Center plane Brakes
Ok,
Finally got the the front end cleaned up and I am in the finishing stages of brakes. The new shoes are all bigger than the ID of the drum. Was it the norm to have the shoes ground everytime you had to to a brake job in the 50's? All adjusters are backed off and still no go.
Tim:
You probably missed most of the posts regarding my '62 Imperial brake
saga. My car also has similar brakes that have only slight differences
from your '56. Check the service manual on your car and see what
thickness the brake lining should be ground down to. On my '62 the
factory stated 0.170" thick. When I took my brake shoes to a rebuilder
in Dallas, the thickness was 0.285" thick. It was way too much! I had
the same problem and had to take all shoes back to the rebuilder and
have them ground down to the 0.170" thickness. Once I did that the
drums went back on easily with the adjustment cams backed off all the
way. Yes you have to have the shoes ground down every time the brake
shoes are rebuilt. Few mechanic garages or dealerships have the
equipment to do it anymore. In Dallas I believe only the rebuilders
have the equipment anymore. OSHA made them get rid of the equipment
due to asbestos hazards to employees. If you have trouble finding a
rebuilder that has the equipment, check for one that can rebuild farm
tractor brake shoes.
According to the '56 manual, the allowable increase in drum ID is .030"
oversize. If more than that has to be removed the drum will not be
safe to use according to the manual. The '56 manual states the brake
shoe lining is 1 3/64" thick. I believe that is an error or misprint.
On '55 models it states the brake shoe linings are to be 0.200" thick.
The '59 manual states the linings are to be 13/64" thick which
translates to 0.206" thick.
Joe
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