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Thread: Rookie Rear Brake Question

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Location
    Federal Way
    Posts
    906

    Rookie Rear Brake Question

    Need some advice from the board of advisors...
    I am trying to get the brakes back on the rear axle and had hoped to get the rear axle back on the car today...but I ran into a couple concerns:

    1) I'm installing a new spring/hardware kit. The new spring that goes between the bottom of the two pads is the green one in the pictures. The new green one is longer than the previous one and appears to obviously mount to a different hole on one side. Comparison.jpg I thought...wow, someone came up with a new spring arrangement and make this spring now MUCH easier to put on then the old one??....but did I put it on correctly?? (See the new spring pic..) It looks like the only way that makes sense to me- and the tension seems right... unless this is just the wrong spring.
    NewSpring.jpg

    2) I installed a new parking brake cable...but WOW there is a lot of spring tension. You can see it's bulged out a bit in the pic I named ParkingBrakeTension..it's right above the green spring. It was difficult to install.
    ParkBrakeSpringLen.jpg
    ParkingBrakeTension.jpg

    (Unfortunately- I made the rookie mistake of throwing the old one away a while ago...I thought I checked and made sure it was the same, but now I'm questioning.) It seems like this much spring tension will make it quite difficult to pull the brake. I remember someone at one of the meetings had this problem...and I'm just thinking....humm...maybe this was the problem? OR, is this normal and it will be just fine after I get the cable hooked back up to the car?


    Thanks for any help in advance!!
    Don Bartlett
    Federal Way, WA
    61 Four Door Sedan
    144-6, 3 on the tree



  2. #2
    It all looks correct to me. Getting those e-brake cable ends over the lever is never fun, but that's what they look like unhooked. Looks good!
    Roger Moore

    63 "Flarechero"
    powered by: 347ci stroker | Tremec T5 | 8" 3:45 TracLoc rear



  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Location
    Federal Way
    Posts
    906
    Well...good to know- at least I feel good about the spring now. However...I found the box for the cable...it's Melvins part S2105...Rear parking brake cable for a falcon wagon or sedan delivery BEFORE 5/1/61. I'm not sure how that happened...and I'm not sure what the difference is, but I think I'm going to order the correct one and find out. If any club members can use this one, let me know.
    Don Bartlett
    Federal Way, WA
    61 Four Door Sedan
    144-6, 3 on the tree



  4. #4
    The part that goes in the drum end is always the same based upon drum diameter (I assume 9" in this case) but the other end - length of cable - varies with body length. Chances are if you were trying to connect to the e-brake parts at the tranny cross member it might be too long if for a wagon and not a sedan. Most of what I find on Falcons say the wheelbase is the same, so not sure what the difference might be.
    Roger Moore

    63 "Flarechero"
    powered by: 347ci stroker | Tremec T5 | 8" 3:45 TracLoc rear



  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Location
    Federal Way
    Posts
    906
    Just noticed that....Mac's shows the wagon/delivery cable 165 1/2, and the normal sedan cable is 151 5/16. So, maybe I just got lucky to find this. The inside ends seemed awful long, but if it's the same...then it is what it is. At least I will know.
    Don Bartlett
    Federal Way, WA
    61 Four Door Sedan
    144-6, 3 on the tree



  6. #6
    Don the green spring in your picture should be a shoe return spring. It would attach to the anchor above the wheel cylinder. That's what there's a long piece of straight wire above the coils, and the odd bend at the other end where it would attach to the shoe.

    The old spring in the same picture is the correct one for attaching the primary and secondary shoes and providing tension to the brake adjuster star wheel.
    Phil

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Location
    Federal Way
    Posts
    906
    Phil,
    I also thought the green one looks like the return spring, BUT, the kit came with two white return springs for each side, and only one green spring for each side...which is why I was concluding it must be to replace the bottom one. ((an improvement ??)) Meanwhile...I checked a different brand kit for the front- same situation, two white springs for each side, one green...and the same green one. I'll try to upload a picture of the white ones later...
    Don Bartlett
    Federal Way, WA
    61 Four Door Sedan
    144-6, 3 on the tree



  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Location
    Federal Way
    Posts
    906
    Here's the white springs:
    [ATTACH][/ATTACH]
    The green one is actually shorter and smaller in diameter.
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Don Bartlett
    Federal Way, WA
    61 Four Door Sedan
    144-6, 3 on the tree



  9. #9
    Here's a few diagrams I collected when I was installing the 8" rear end in my `62. And the bet shot I could find of how I did mine.
    Attached Images Attached Images

    Kenny Likins
    Ballard, Seattle, WA
    www.redfalken.com

    `62 Tudor Sedan (`69 200, C4, 8-inch 4-lug 2.79 rearend, Duraspark II, MSD, Weber 32/36 DGEV)

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Seattle
    Posts
    1,431
    I couldn't find pictures without the auto adjusters. It's been a long time since I worked on the old type without the auto adjuster arm.

    Jeff Watson
    Seattle, WA
    '63 Tudor Wagon (170 - 3 spd.)

  11. #11
    Here's a link to the shop manual showing spring arrangement for manual adjusters - http://falconfaq.dyndns.org/display1...062&Page=9-020

    Sounds like your parts kit may have been for a car with self adjusting brakes.
    Phil

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Seattle
    Posts
    1,431
    Quote Originally Posted by PhilC View Post
    Here's a link to the shop manual showing spring arrangement for manual adjusters - http://falconfaq.dyndns.org/display1...062&Page=9-020


    THAT"S what I was lookig for! Nice work PhilC!

    Don, Pay attention to the "FRONT OF CAR" arrow on the diagram. The first brake job - I did both sides to match the picture rather than mirror images... almost put me in the ditch

    Jeff Watson
    Seattle, WA
    '63 Tudor Wagon (170 - 3 spd.)

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Location
    Federal Way
    Posts
    906
    WOW, makes sense. The green spring that came with my kit is for the style with the auto adjusters....so, now I understand mine does not auto-adjust!? (I wondered how that spring was going to turn that thing...) Really, my old springs for the bottom are fine. Just a bit more difficult to install. I'll use them!

    Meanwhile...on the parking brake cable....I called my supplier-call them supplier A (nice people, and very helpful actually...so I'll keep them all nameless), they agreed to take the wagon cable back even though I installed it and six months after I bought it from them. I asked if they would measure the relaxed spring length on this same part number-for the wagan, and compare it to the correct part number for my car...they said they measure about the same, and the one for my car actually had a slightly longer one...humm. So I emailed supplier B. Asked them if they wouldn't mind measuring the relaxed spring length for the correct part number for my car...they did, and IT'S TWO INCHES SHORTER than mine is. Ok, now that seems like it would fit. I'll call supplier A again...and ask what the actual measurements were. I'll keep you posted.

    I do have that same page out of the manual showing the brakes looking exactly like mine...and that is what promped the question out to the forum. Now that I've been able to compare that with the pics Kenny had..it's all clear. I DID also notice how easy it would be to mess up one side and not pay attention to "front of car"...very careful on that. Thanks!! How does anyone restore a falcon without the Ranier Falcons??
    Don Bartlett
    Federal Way, WA
    61 Four Door Sedan
    144-6, 3 on the tree



  14. #14
    Don, you can use that green spring. It's just a different method of attaching the one end. I did some measuring on the screen and it's fine. That style is usually used for return springs, but was working fine for what it was doing - holding the adjuster from rotating and keeping the bottom shoes tight against the adjuster ends.
    Roger Moore

    63 "Flarechero"
    powered by: 347ci stroker | Tremec T5 | 8" 3:45 TracLoc rear



  15. #15
    I just measured again and the green spring functional length is a little longer. As long as it's riding on the adjuster to keep it from spinning, you're fine. But use the originals if in doubt. Brakes are something you want to be certain about.
    Roger Moore

    63 "Flarechero"
    powered by: 347ci stroker | Tremec T5 | 8" 3:45 TracLoc rear



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