Brake Eccentric & lock nut

parkerm

I have read my procedures manual regarding adjusting and changing the brakes. I think I understand what the eccentric is for, but then again I'm not so sure I do understand.

I believe it is used as part of adjusting the rear or secondary shoe at the top anchor and at the bottom where the adjusting screw is. Can someone give me a more detailed explanation please?

Thanks,

Jon B

I'm sure someone will hop in here shortly, to give you your answer.  However....

Are you aware that Hudson shop manuals are available online at the Club's website?  If you're an H-E-T member you can register there, and have free access to this information, at http://www.hetclub.org/ .  You didn't mention the year of your Hudson, but the available manuals go back to the 1920's, I think.

Barring that, you might want to shop around for a manual, since you'll almost certainly be doing additional work on your car in the future.

parkerm

Jon,
I have my shop manual and I have read the entire section on brakes several times, including the very small part about the eccentric.

I think I understand what it says; is to insert a 0.010 feeler gauge through the access hole on the drum so that it fits between the drum and the brake shoe. Tighten the eccentric so that the shoe is just snug on the feeler gauge. This is done at the top where the anchor is and again at the bottom where the adjuster star wheel is located.

I am assuming that I can just spin the drum so the access hole can be situated at the top where the anchor is and spin it again to get the access hole to the bottom where the adjuster is.

If that is correct can someone just confirm that for me. I am asking because the procedures manual does not spell-it-out, very clearly.

Thanks all help is appreciated.

Marvin 

Frankvintagefullflowcom

I'm a bit confused (as per the norm). I assume we're talking about brakes on anything but the Jet/Italia (yeah, right) so there is no such thing as an eccentric in the brakes. The "anchor pin" Is simply that.....the pin through which the drum rotational force is transmitted to the backing plate. Usually it doesn't require adjustment but, in a thorough brake rebuild, it's an advisable part of the process. The only adjustment available is straight up-and-down and affects both shoes, since they are both anchored at that point. Granted, when braking in the forward direction, the pin is loaded from the rear side only and front side when braking in reverse.

The clearance indicated (that .010") is at the top where the pin is. Routine brake adjustment is done at the bottom, through the backing -plate slot, using the star-wheel adjuster. Don't try to change that with anchor pin adjustment.

Now you're as confused as I am.

F 

"The book" describes the adjustment procedure well so just do what it says.

Frank

Uncle Josh

Er, Frank, my 36 has the eccentric adjustment.  Don't know how much later they used them but they were gone by 40.  The shoe is the same up to 47 but if you have the eccentric you have to drill the hole for it.

You can only adjust at the top where the eccentric is. 

The adjuster at the bottom is adjusted normally.   Tighten until the drum is tight, then back off how ever many clicks the book says.

Frankvintagefullflowcom

My bad.....however, I never saw a year stated for the subject vehicle. Did I miss that somewhere? Now I'm going to have to study some manuals.....again. Apparently, I needed to know that detail about the pre-'40.

Live and learn.....live long enough and forget again.  Frank

parkerm

Sorry Guys,

I did not intend to leave off the year and cause misunderstandings. This is on my 1940 Super Six.

The eccentric is located about mid-shoe (between top and bottom) of the rear shoe on the backing plate. If I understand my manual correctly and I'm not sure I do; I insert a 0.10 feeler gauge through the access hole on the drum (there is a triangular hole on the drum that the feeler gauge can fit through) and adjust the shoe near the top where the anchor pin is located and then I repeat the process again at the bottom.

Uncle Josh, if you have the eccentric on your 1939 then I assume you have done this adjustment. From what you are saying I adjust the eccentric at the top to the 0.010 feeler gauge and then at the bottom adjust it again using the star adjuster to that same 0.010 feeler gauge. Am I stating this clearly? Is that what I am supposed to do?

Marvin

Jon B

Marvin,

Just to sum up our suggestions so far: first, for a general, everyday adjustment you don't have to set the anchor pin.  Simply stick your brake tool (or a screwdriver, if you don't have one) through the inspection hole at the bottom of the backer plate, and click the star wheel until the brakes bind up.  (I don't recall which direction you click it; you'll find out soon enough). Then start clicking in the opposite direction until the brakes release and you hear no contact with the brake lining as you rotate the wheel.  Replace the little rubber thingie in the backing plate hole, and you're done!

Adjustment of the anchor pin is a once-in-awhile task and for general purposes, you don't have to worry about it.
 

Uncle Josh

Here's the procedure from 'MOTOR'S AUTO REPAIR MANUAL'  It's a pdf so you should be able to enlarge enough to read.Well, that didn't work, let's try a jpeg.  Looks like if you click on it, it becomes big enough to read.

parkerm

I really did not intend to make this complicated. I was in no way suggesting that I adjust the anchor pin. I only wanted confirmation of the procedure to adjust the eccentric.

I believe I know what to do with the adjustment to the eccentric and I will not be touching the anchor pin.

I will rotate the drum toward the top of the shoe in the direction of the anchor pin. I will insert a 0.010 feeler gauge through the access hole on the drum. I will then turn the eccentric in the forward direction until the feeler gauge is just snug against the feeler gauge. I will then rotate the drum toward the bottom of the shoe and again insert the 0.010 feeler gauge through the access hole on the drum and adjust the shoe just until it is snug against the feeler gauge.

From there I will complete the adjustment of the shoe (s).

Uncle Josh, your document is very similar to what is in my procedure manual

Thanks for the input.

Marvin