1950 8N BRAKE PROBLEMS

DollarBill · Mar 14, 2010

Just relined the brakes - With the adjusters all the way in (shortest) the hubs will turn freely for several revolutions and then lock up. Hit the brake pedal and they release. This is happening on both sides. Checked, rechecked and double checked and everything appears correctly installed.

How important are the felt backing plate seals? I glued new ones in and the drums chewed them up and spit out a strip about 4-6 inches long. I ran the drums thru the electrolysis tank to get out the rust but there are a few pits in felt mating surface. Should I have lubricated the felt or filled in the pits with JB Weld?

Bruce (VA) · Mar 14, 2010

The felt isn't all that necessary & isn't causing your problem.

Did the shoes have a 45* bevel on the edges? Got all your springs in correctly? Good pedal movement?

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DollarBill · Mar 15, 2010

[b:60b0877cc2][color=darkred:60b0877cc2]Did the shoes have a 45* bevel on the edges?[/color:60b0877cc2][/b:60b0877cc2]

Everything else you mentioned is good but I did notice the edge of the friction material was cut at a 90 - Do you suppose that's causing the problem?

First two or three times it happened, I thought something was binding in the differential I had just replaced because it went from turning freely to locked up solid. Then for some unknown reason, I pushed the brake pedal and it turned freely again for a few more turns.

Bruce (VA) · Mar 15, 2010

I know they will grab w/o the bevel. I can't state for certain that they will lock, but as that appears to be the only thing out of spec, I'd pull them off & take them back to the vendor.
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DollarBill · Mar 15, 2010

Bruce, where did you find those cool shoes? All beveled and riveted like they used to make them.

Bruce (VA) · Mar 15, 2010

Automotive Manufacturers Inc

2400 North Lombardy Street
Richmond, VA 23220-1520
(804) 321-6861

They do brakes, generators, starters, carbs, etc. Great folks & know N's. They do mail order, so call them & see how that works.

BTW, at the price of carb kits & cleaner these days, and the fact that the kits do not include bushings, they do all my N carbs now. $85, as I recall.

DollarBill · Mar 15, 2010

Thanks for the 411 - I'll be in Richmond the end of the month and just might drive by and pay them a call.

Do you recall if they wanted your old shoes?

Bruce (VA) · Mar 15, 2010

Yea, they use the old shoes. I was just by there today. The owner (Jeff) was working on a very old A/C carb.

If you are familiar w/ Richmond (and if you're not, that's why Google maps are nice) they are on Lombardy between Brooke & Chamberlayne. About 1 mile N. of I-95. You can see VUU from their front door.

DollarBill · Mar 15, 2010

Thanks again and I'll be sure to take my old ones with me for core.

Reaffirming to know there are a few things still made here in the USA.

DollarBill · Mar 21, 2010

Several weeks ago I posted asking from help with a problem where the brakes were binding up within one revolution of the drum. Hit the brake pedal and they loosen up and bind again.

A common response was the shoes need to be beveled on the leading and trailing edge of the shoe. I used a rasp to cut off the 90 to approximately 45 degrees as shown in the photos.

This did not fix the problem - Any other suggestions as I'm fresh out of ideas?

Front view:

Rear view:

Drum:

1950 8N BRAKE PROBLEMS

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