1946 Dodge coupe brake shoes

[Brooklyn Beer]

Are the front and rear shoes the same?  I just found a leaky front wheel cylinder that I am about to change out and have a spare set of shoes I bought for the rear a year ago on the shelf. 

[Rusty_OToole]

No, definitely not. The front has double wheel cylinders for extra braking efficiency, the rear has a conventional single cylinder. You need to get the right shoes and set them up according to the factory manual. Unlike the loose leaf brakes featured on other makes Chrysler products had precision brakes that were more effective but needed to be set up right to work right. The shoes should be contoured to the drums for one thing. Setting up new brakes is called a 'major adjustment'. Once this is done, you need to do a much simpler 'minor adjustment' from time to time, to take up wear.

[Brooklyn Beer]

Thanks. The ones on there now are fluid soaked making them gummy with build up.  I will get new front shoes unless they are the same as rear..  Changing out brake lines as well.  The rear was ready to crack in half. Which front wheel cylinder gets bleed first ? Upper or lower

 

Of course I have a spare rear cylinder and a spare drivers side front

[Brooklyn Beer]

Thanks, mine are leaking on the passenger side.  Shoes are different correct from front and back ?  I think I caught the leak early as the shoes are not saturated just "coated".  Same with the drum. Plenty of meat left on the linings. I am thinking a good cleaning of both might be all that is needed after replacing the cylinders. The wear pattern is equal across the lining to the drum and looks like the drums were cut in the past couple of years. Drivers side has "newish" cylinders and brake line. Looks like some work was done right before I acquired it.

[keiser31]

Denatured alcohol should remove most grease from the shows.

[Brooklyn Beer]

16 minutes ago, keiser31 said:

Denatured alcohol should remove most grease from the shows.

 

 

No grease, looks like some fluid mixed with dust making shoe a little gummed up as well as the drum.  Car has sat for about 8 months but was running and driving prior. I jacked up and put on stands to start bleeding brakes and noticed it would not spin unless persuaded.  Hub came off a little tight put not very difficult. 

[keiser31]

43 minutes ago, Brooklyn Beer said:

 

 

No grease, looks like some fluid mixed with dust making shoe a little gummed up as well as the drum.  Car has sat for about 8 months but was running and driving prior. I jacked up and put on stands to start bleeding brakes and noticed it would not spin unless persuaded.  Hub came off a little tight put not very difficult. 

It will clean off brake fluid, too.

[Spinneyhill]

Brake shoes are like blotting paper. They will be full of fluid, not "coated". And brake fluid is a good wetting agent so brake dust will stick to it, gumming up the show as you see.

 

Hopefully the alcohol won't denature the glue holding the lining to the shoe! I would replace them. Brakes are a vital piece of safety equipment, esp. on the front which do something like 50% more braking than the rear.

[keiser31]

16 minutes ago, Spinneyhill said:

Brake shoes are like blotting paper. They will be full of fluid, not "coated". And brake fluid is a good wetting agent so brake dust will stick to it, gumming up the show as you see.

 

Hopefully the alcohol won't denature the glue holding the lining to the shoe! I would replace them. Brakes are a vital piece of safety equipment, esp. on the front which do something like 50% more braking than the rear.

I have been a brake mechanic at a major tire store. We used the alcohol, but not enough to SOAK to the area bonded to the metal. Never had a problem.

Edited July 29, 2019 by keiser31 (see edit history)

[c49er]

The front and rear brake shoe sets are the same.

They (shoes) should be arced to fit each drum to do the brake job right.... read the shop manual and search MoPar/ Lockheed brakes on line...this will show you whats needed to fit the shoes to the drums for quicker wear in and a high firm safe pedal.

Edited July 29, 2019 by c49er (see edit history)

[Rusty_OToole]

Slight difference of opinion here. I agree the brake shoes may be the same front and rear but the linings are different. My factory parts list shows "short" and "long" brake shoes and linings.  If I understand correctly the fronts use 2 long linings and the rears use one short and one long. At least that is how they are listed in the parts book.

[c49er]

It's true there was a long and short (primary/secondary) lining set put out by Chrysler Corp. in 1946.

Good luck finding one of those sets. They were not used on all models and were discontinued sometime around 1950?

All linings today unless custom ordered will be full length...modern linings which IMO are too hard do not work as good as the original now mostly obsolete asbestos linings.

[mobileparts]

Just seeing this thread for the first time -- FORGET what the dopes said;

The Front & Rear Brake Shoes -- A R E -- the same -- the Old # 44 brake shoes --- 11" x 2" --- Fronts & Rears.

The wheel cylinders are, of course, very different -- the Fronts have four (4) wheel cylinders which are all different -- left upper, left Lower, right upper, and right Lower; and there are two (2) big boys in the rear....

Once a brake shoes is soaked with brake fluid, NOTHING will take it out -- you MUST replace the brake shoes. (Although the cheapskates of the world will spend weeks and months trying.........)

 

I have all of your cars brake system BRAND NEW if you need or want:

The Master Cylinder, all six (6) Wheel Cylinders, the Brake Hoses, the Brake Shoes in ++ Asbestos ++and the wheel bearings & seals.....

 

Always best to simply call me --Craig -- 516 - 485 - 1935......

[Rusty_OToole]

Us dopes thank you for straightening us out. Hope you stick around to answer the next 10,000 questions so we don't strain our brains.

Edited August 11, 2019 by Rusty_OToole (see edit history)