rear brake springs

[D-dog357]

Ok here's the deal, Awhile back I did the brakes after which the springs in the passenger rear drum came un-glued. The hook shaped retaining spring keeps braking (twice now) anyone got a clue as to what's going on ?

2 1/2" shoes with stock wheel cyl.s the first time, made it a couple hundred miles and snap ! I up graded to 1"cyl.s the second time and got another hundred and snap! Haven't driven it much since.

Has anyone tried chevy hardware ? IIRC our shoes have been used on all kinds of trucks all the way back to '59 chev 1tons.

[CumminsPower59]

Can you post up a picture? There are a few springs in there so it would be nice to have a visual reference...

[D-dog357]

Hey 59,
Pics aren't gona happen as my puter don't like doing me any favors.

The spring that keeps breaking is the shoe retainer. One shaped kinda like a hook goes through the backing plate and the other is a coil about 1" that attaches to the shoe at one end and the hook at the other.

I adjust the breaks for just a little drag as the self-adjusters are shot so there's no extra play in the shoe movement. Got me beat what ever it is.

[D-dog357]

On a side note I remembered that our 2 1/2" shoes were also used on chevs and I've never had a problem with them coming un-done. So while I was walking a couple of yards to day I asked about my problem and if the chev hardware would work on my axle. Of course they were at a loss too and said no way to inter-change.

Here's the kicker - I spied a 5-94 build cummins 3500 with it's rear-end gutted that still had it's shoes on. Guess what ? even though that sucker had 3 1/2" shoes it had the good ol' chev style retainers and hardware holding them to the backing plate !!

So much for the junk dogs knowing siht !!

I just might have to drill my backing plates for the chev style retainers and blow-off those crappy dodge ones. What do you think of that idea ????

[CumminsPower59]

I guess that might work, I haven't had a problem with those springs coming failing, but I have always ran 3" shoes. When you put those small coiled springs on the shoes and hook them to the retainers, do you have to use excessive force or anything? Is there anything binding up when installing?

As for wrecking yards, most don't have a clue once in a while there might be someone that knows something, but if it's not in thier magic computer, they don't know. I usually play dumb to get in and then pull what I need...

[D-dog357]

59, Ya I know what you mean about playing dumb but some times you just want to smack the guy behind the counter with a crow bar. I can appreciate it if they just come out and say they don't know. But to shovel mud and act like they have a brain when haven't clue is just plain frustrating !

Ok - back to the subject at hand. The springs seem to go together ok I just use vise-grips and a few choice words. Just like any other brake job.
If I can find my chev retainer tool I'll go back and see about get'n those little boogers as their close by. If I remember I'll get a pic of both set-ups and post it just in case someone else has a prob.

[lz69]

Probably something worn out or installed wrong.

First link has a picture out a dodge manual on how they should go together.
http://ramchargercentral.com/vehicle-help/can-out-of-round-drums-lead-to-no-auto-adjustment/

Second link is a 12" bendix brakes rebuild on a ford
http://www.fordification.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=49962&start=75

They are pretty much identical outside of a left and a right hold down spring and a few differences in the parking brake but it has lots of pictures showing where everything should be.