Guest Norgermish Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 Hi and thanks for reading this, my first post here I am working on a friends '37 Buick. Another person took all the front end apart, i.e., brakes, springs, upper/lower control arms etc. All is thrown in a box...uhggggggggg!!!! I got the suspension all clean and painted and finished now I need some help with reassembly of the brakes. Is there a photo/diagram available that shows where all the parts go?...and if I actually have all the parts? According to the Motor's Auto Repair Manual they are Bendix brakes but no real diagram of the unit. Just wanting to make sure I do this right. Thanks for any help, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eric_b_1937 Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 The information will be in the Buick Maintenance manual. Order it from Bob's, CARS, or ebay, or any other source. These drum brakes are a fairly common design so search google for photographs of 36 - 50's Buicks and You might see photographs of what you need to see. If you have a local brake shop talk to the mechanic and they might instruct you on how assemble it. Parts like springs, shoes, and cylinders are available from many sources. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tishabet Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 This is basically your setup, but I would echo the advice to buy a shop manual... particularly when it comes to something as critical as the brake system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Norgermish Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 Tanks for the replies, and the photo. That photo is really something more of what I am looking for although the brakes parts I have include springs, shoes, adjuster, and also 2 steel parts that look like they are for some kind of adjustment...those are the parts I am concerned about. I would put up a photo now but the car is up on a mountain and I won't be there till tomorrow.I'll do a Google search too..thanks again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trp3141592 Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 Hi,I did this same job on my 37 Roadmonster. I am guessing the "two steel parts" may be the adjusting cams that are turned from the outside of the backing plate to push one shoe closer to or away from the inside of the drum. As I recall, each wheel has one cam adjuster and one Bendix star wheel adjuster. It's a hybrid of cam adjusters and Bendix adjusters.When it's time to install shoes, if one pair of linings is a different color or thickness than the other pair, separate the pairs to one-each per wheel. One shoe liner is thicker than the other, and trying to put both thick shoes in the same drum will make you nuts until you finally go "Duh..." (Voice of experience).--Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tishabet Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 FYI, you can buy virtually all of the brake parts new if there's anything missing or worn out... I found the hydraulics fairly cheap at Kanter for example, which was good because my wheel cylinders were a rusty, pitted mess. Again, this is not a system you want to half-a$$; make sure your master cylinder and lines in particular are up to snuff, and if this car is on a mountain remember how much these cars weigh and how big of an issue brake fade can be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Shaw Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 I took my 38 Special up and (more importantly) down Pikes Peak with four passengers on the PWD AfterTour after the Colorado Springs National Meet. Sure I used second gear to slow our decent, but the brakes were cool at the check station and they did not require us to wait for them to cool down. The standard brakes are well designed to stop these heavy cars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
packick Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 I am currently doing a brake job on my '36 Special. Here are some pictures I took before I started the job. Ignore the brake fluid leaking out of one of the wheel cylinders . . . that's one of the reasons I am doing the job. Hope this helps. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Schramm Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 Packick,Make sure you get the correct springs for the bottom of the brake shoes. The green spring is the wrong spring as it will not let the self adjuster work. Should look I believe something like this Note the one end that goes up. It should go over the wheel for the self adjuster. I have seen a lot of brake jobs where persons have not put the correct spring or installed the correct spring upside down or backwards not allowing the self adjuster to work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest knuckle head Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 These early vehicles do not have self adjusters. You are required to crawl under there with your brake spoon. Henry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Schramm Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 Should the spring be on the adjuster wheel? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
packick Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 I am pretty sure the spring above the adjusting wheel is correct and in the correct position. The reason I am doing a brake job now is because they haven't been done for about 15 years. It is only recently that I have experienced braking problems. Up to that point the brakes worked perfectly. As an aside, brake job done 15 years ago was done by my father, a Buick man, who did brakes for a living in the 1940s and 1950s so I am pretty positive it is correct. But thanks for your comments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Bruce aka First Born Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 Packick pictures are correct. Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38Buick 80C Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 I concur, the brakes do not self adjust. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Schramm Posted January 13, 2011 Share Posted January 13, 2011 I should know better. I remember adjusting the brakes with my Dad on our 55 Chevy. duuuhhh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jg_105 Posted March 3, 2016 Share Posted March 3, 2016 Any Idea where to get new Wheel Cyld's. and a Master for 37 special? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1939_Buick Posted March 4, 2016 Share Posted March 4, 2016 Any Idea where to get new Wheel Cyld's. and a Master for 37 special?Cylinders are on ebay from time to timeEven try out local NAPA or similar car parts store For 37-38 parts try Dave T. Hard to contact so keep trying http://forums.aaca.org/topic/206688-dave-tachney/ Have a look at the links in post 5 http://forums.aaca.org/topic/207201-39-buick-team-membership/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LAS VEGAS DAVE Posted March 4, 2016 Share Posted March 4, 2016 BOBS AUTOMOBILIA HAS NEW WHEEL CYLINDERS AND MASTER CYLINDERS FOR THE 37, THEY ALSO HAVE REBUILD KITS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLYER15015 Posted March 4, 2016 Share Posted March 4, 2016 (edited) When I did the brakes on the "Baby", I had my M/C and 4 wheel cylinders sleeved with stainless steel by "Karp's Power brake",66 North Central Ave., Upland, California, Ph 909-985-0800. Ron Karp is the owner and I actually visited his shop, and had a very good chat with him. I am TOTALLY SATISFIED with the workmanship and pricing for this project !!!!! Denver brake and clutch relined my shoes, trued the drums and they also relined my clutch, all at a VERY REASONABLE cost. Mike in Colorado Edited March 4, 2016 by FLYER15015 (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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