[Gary_N]

Tom, its always raining when you get a flat. I live out in the woods and until recently, we had an 1/4 mile gravel private drive for the 5 neighbor properties. I've had a flat tire on every car I own including a truck (with like million ply tires) as a result of this drive EXCEPT for the 14 year old Bias Ply tires on my '50. We've since paved the drive and I have 5 nice new Diamond Back WWW radials to put on. Watch, now I'll get a flat! I may take you up on your guides soon.

Gary

[trp3141592]

Hi Gary,

I have a rear drum off of Baby at the moment. I think the shoes, lever, et al are the same as your Buick. I'll photograph the parking brake lever installation for you and post it tomorrow late afternoon so you have a reassembly guide.

I remain curious as to what hung up the drum. Do you have one (1) primary and one (1) secondary shoe on each side?

:-)

--Tom

[Gary_N]

Tom, no need to post the picture. Thanks for the thought. It's back together. I take lots of pictures when I take things apart. Now if I had looked at the pictures before I buttoned up the rears I wouldn't have had this problem.

I looked all over the drum once removed. I cannot for the life of me figure out why it wouldn't slid off. Maybe the machine shop messed up the job when they turned the drums??? I can't imagine that was the issue. I guess I should measure around the drum to see if maybe that was the case. Obviously the drum was stuck on the shoe. So maybe it is a funky turn job. I hope not. I don't want to bank them off again.

Thanks again for the help.

Gary

[Gary_N]

Just an FYI: It actually looks like the end of the axle is the issue. It seems both drums will easily slide onto the drivers side but will not slide onto the other side. How can this be? Who knows but it really feels like the drum does not just slip over the end of the axle. You have to bang it on (lightly), which means it's back to needing three sets of hands to get it off. Hopefully I won't have to do that for a good long while! I guess axles get fat like old guys when they get older?!

Gary

[trp3141592]

Hi Gary,

The synapses in what passes for my brain started firing off as I remembered a similar problem that I encountered with the Monster. That's why I asked if you had one primary and one secondary shoe at each wheel. I had new linings put on the front shoes of the Monster, and I rather cavalierly installed the rebuilt shoes on both sides. Funny thing, the left drum went on the driver's side easily, but the right-side drum would not slide easily onto the passenger side--it was a very tight wedged-on fit like the shoe linings were too thick.

The mistake I made was easily rectified once I saw what I had done. The brakes require one primary and one secondary shoe on each side. They have different lining material and different thickness of lining material. I had put the two primararies on one side and the two secondaries on the other. With the thickness of the linings being different, I had essentially put two fat boys together on the passenger side. The cure was simple enough--swap shoes around to where they are supposed to be.

I don't know for sure about your late-'49/early-50, but typically the shoes can be differentiated from each other by the length of the lining---one lining is shorter than the other. When deciding which shoe goes where, the rule of thumb is "The short shoe goes to the front."

Hope this helps.

--Tom

[Gary_N]

Tom, I don't think this is my issue. The shoes are identical. The drum spins freely, it just does not like to easily pass over the axle.

Thanks for the info. Go to know for future garage maidens!

Gary