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Rear drum brake installation thread

22K views 50 replies 7 participants last post by  walkerjay 
#1 ·
I'm starting a thread here to post some step by step pics for installing the rear drum brake hardware. I have been chatting with Gary427 and he has offered me some good advice. I figure a thread for all to see would be a good idea.

For starters, here are my backing plates with cylinders all ready to go...I added some grease at the contact points.



Here are my parts all laid out for the left side. I'll open the bag for the other side after this side is done.



I have my parking brake cables all cleaned and freshly painted but soon realized that I was missing both of my parking brake levers. I dug thru some boxes and found one. I found some for sale at inline tube for $13.50 each. I have seen some other places sell them for upwards of $25.00. If someone can clarify which side I have, I will only order the one I need.



That's where I'm at for now. I need to order the other brake lever and also a couple of shoe retainers and then we'll be ready for assembly. Per Gary's advice, I lightly chamfered the edges of my shoes which will help with the initial shoe seating.
 
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#4 ·
Almost ready for install. Painted my left side brake lever. Just ordered the balance of components that i need from Inline Tube.

If anyone else wants to contribute, please do. My only hopes were that this thread could read chronologically, kind of step by step. So.....If anyone has some assembly underway, please contribute.
 
#5 ·
Received my parts from Inline already. I have everything I need. Hopefully. I am trying to figure out what spring goes on that lever bar. My pics show a yellow but I think the yellow and green springs are for the pin hold downs. Does it look like I am missing two springs?

Will add grease to the 6 surface spots on each backing plate.

Whats next?????
 
#9 ·
Thanks Gary. Looks like I am ready to go. I think I have everything I need. here is the setup...Left side, primary shoe on the left orients forward.







Does this boot go into or against the hole on the backing plate?



Perhaps you could help me get all the parts oriented correctly and then we can start assembly procedures. :yes:
 
#10 ·
I myself have never seen a boot on a old school brake cable. I think by your pictures, the red spring is your lower one to go across the self adjuster for the left side. Set the adjuster aside,hook the red spring to the holes at the bottom of the shoes with the long part of the spring to rise over the adjuster. Now take the lubed adjuster, slide it into primary (front) move your secondary (rear long lining) in so you can load the other end of the adjuster. Pull it back and you should have a assembly that you can lay on the board for your next picture. Need to have all e brake assembly done before we can proceed. Gary
 
#13 ·
Ok, I am at the next step. Here is where I am at. Please let me know if this looks correct and what the next step will be.



left side w/ red spring:


right side with white spring (only extra loose spring I found in the kit):


Assembled these pieces and curious if I have the springs installed correctly. I would expect them to be a complete mirror image, though you can see the upper spring hook is oriented the same on each.......



Brake parts ready to go....

 
#14 ·
All looks good Jay. Now take a small pair of channel locks and slightly squeeze the hook of the lower springs and the hook of the self adjuster arms on the bench, it's much easier, and try to make a (U) around their mounting areas,not to squeeze together (text book stuff). Get your E brake cables and arms installed and we will be rocking . Gary
 
#16 ·
mychevyii - great pics and useful tips. Thanks.

Gary, you mean to close up the spring end a bit so it does not come off? will do...... per link above, mychevyii recommends starting off with the adjusters in all the way. I brought mine out just a bit.

btw, I do have my own pics from before I took everything apart but doing it this way gets everything installed in the correct order along with a good record of the procedure.
 
#20 · (Edited)
Not yet Gary but the parts are all ready to go.

Picked up a new master cylinder from Napa. Unit looks good. A little larger and more square shape than my original but it seems I'll get a bit more capacity, if that's even a factor. I plan to bench bleed it and finish up my prop valve and front lines tomorrow.
 
#22 ·
Thanks Gary.

I primed my MC last night. Instructions showed two methods for bench bleeding.....first used some plastic caps that get installed in the two ports once the fluid comes out, the other method employed two "bypass" hoses which went from the ports back into the MC.

any preference?
 
#25 ·
Great. I will use some plastic hoses attached to my old brake lines and fab up a bypass hose setup. If you have any more info on the bench bleeding process I'd be happy to hear. Basically, its my understanding that we connect the bypass hoses, fill the MC, then plunge the whatever you call it, with a blunt tool, about 3/4" to 1" in, then wait 10-15 seconds and repeat until....????? until when??

I decided to paint the MC cast gray. The NAPA unit has a bronzish, brassish cover which I will probably leave alone cause painting it will only get scratched up when opening the cover. Pics coming soon.

bbqrat - glad the thread is useful.

Gary, what do I need to do with the whole E brake setup? Is that the next step?
 
#26 · (Edited)
What ever line you use make sure they don't suck air and stay in the reservoir soon you don't have to hang on to the lines. Make sure you bottom out the piston and go slow so it will allow all trapped air out. I use large screw driver so it bite into my hand to bad, it has pretty stout springs in there, and remember it's a dual master (two pistons) so clamp it tight in the vice. The cables have to be installed before we can start hanging the rear brakes. Let me know if you need help with that I will check how it's run on my car, it's all there and it work like it's suppose to. You should get a hold of 69 akdn, he knew where that rubber grommet went so he may have installed cables recently. Gary
 
#27 ·
I will see how far along I can get with my assembly manual and other reference as far as getting the brake cables installed.

Got the MC in the vice and am using my old brake lines as bleeder tubes. Once I install it and remove the bleeder tubes, is it going to leak out a lot? What can I expect? thanks.
 
#28 ·
Just put some rags under it, do one line at a time and you will be fine. Have some cold water ready if you already have it detailed under hood if you spill some on the paint or the paint will be gone if you leave it for any length of time. Once you have the master installed do you have a plan, to bleed the rest of the system. Let me know if you need help. One little tip, get some vacuum line to fit over the bleeders so it will drop into a pan and not all over your hard work. just gravity bleed, ( Sequence ) Top off master,loosen one at a time, R,R- L,R- R,F L,F you are done. Just watch for steady dripping at each wheel out the vacuum line and tighten the bleeder and watch your fluid level in the master or you will be starting all over:no: Gary
 
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