my boys & I want to attempt a complete inspection, service, and adjustment on the '30 mechanical brake system...I've only done hydraulics, never the mechanical systems...we've read through the service manual and there are some specialized tools that are mentioned...

before we begin this learning process, from start to finish, what tools will be required or what substitutes will work?..for example, do we really need a hub wrench?..how about the brake adjusting tool (filling station af-19)?..


thanks in advance,

epi

What I would do is to jack the car up on stands ,back off the adjustments on each wheel all the way, also the emergency brake. Remove the clevis pins on each activator rod or cable and, not really necessary just for inspections, then remove the drums and hubs. I find it easier to leave the tire and wheel on the hub and use the tire to work the hubs off on the front wheels (Front... pull the dust caps, the cotter pins and the castle nut and keyed washer then the tire, wheel with the wheel bearings) and pull the rear wheels,the cotterpin if there is one, the axle nut should be backed off till it is only screwed on a few threads and after the hub and drum release from the axle remove the axle nut and key,then remove the drums and hubs off of the axle and key (my 28 has the rear hubs and brake drums held together by the pressed in lug bolts). I also place one of those oil drain pans under the brake and use some brake cleaner spray to wash out the brake dust and crud before removing any shoes or bands. If the shoes , drums look good and you had operating brakes that will reassure you about the condition inside the drums, if not ,then you have a brake job about 1/3rd of the way done. Good luck!

about the tools, sure if you can buy them, one can never have too many tools.......

I have had to use a large three arm puller once on the rear hubs. I used the 6 hole reinforcement plate with the lug nuts threaded on a half nut in order to get the 3 arms of the puller a bite between the plate and the hub. I tightened the puller up so it just had a good bind on it then whacked the tension screw with a hammer and POP! the drum and hub released from the axle. just go slow and be safe.

When I did the complete mechanical brake system on my 1930, all the tools that I needed where in my tool box. I found that I didn't need any special tools and that conventional tools worked just fine.

thanks for the replies...we started thinking about this last weekend and went to take the wheels & hubs off to just have a look at the linings & such, because we had to clean some oil that had come out of the weep hole onto the wheel disc...I thought we'd better have a look inside to make certain everything is in good shape...

otherwise, the vehicle stops well and there is nothing apparently wrong with the brakes, except the parking lever seems to be nearing it's limit of travel...


epi

Kepi, Have you ever seen old Doggie Doodle's toolbox? in a previous life it may have been a Santa Fe or Union Pacific boxcar!
Ha!

macky,

are you kidding?..I've been inside dog's toolbox...he parks some of his cars in there!..


epi

the rear hub cap unscrews?..standard right-hand thread?..


epi

Yep, I thought you had already got past that little detail! I use the left hand monkey wrench that came with the car, or you can be uppity and use a regular hub cap wrench, your choice. Doggie Doodle probably has a NOS one in the original un-opened box somewhere in his collection!

How did you know that??

yeah, dog's got everything...we're starting at zero...we don't have a left-handed monkey, let alone a wrench for him to use...

how tight are these?..how much force might I apply?..


epi

Well then use a 14 inch pipe wrench with electrical or friction tape over the jaws , put a little pressure on the cap and tap, tap, tap lightly around the threads as you apply some counter clockwise torque, if that don't work saturate the thing with PB Blaster and 15 minutes later have another go at it!

Doggie Doodle every once in a while I have the ability to leave my body and travel thru the spiritual waves. But, not to worry, I won't eat out of your dish! Yuck, what are all of those rotten bones doing in your tool box?

thanks, macky...I'll give it a try...


epi