Thread: How do I adjust 1940 Ford front drum brakes?

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I have 1940 Ford drum brakes on the front of the roadster pickup. Each shoe has 2 adjustments. There is a large adjusting nut at the bottom of each shoe, which moves the shoe closer to the drum, and also there is an eliptical cam type of adjustment about 2/3 of the way up the drum which also moves the shoe closer to or farther away from the drum. Is there any particular order involved in adjusting these brakes? On my initial setup, I turned the large nut at the bottom of each shoe untill the wheel wouldn't turn, then backed the nut off just a bit untill the wheel would turn, then repeated the procedure on the same shoe with the eliptical cam adjustment nearer the top. I have now driven the car about 200 miles, and the brakes need adjusting again---I assume this is caused by the new brakeshoes "wearing in" or "centering" in the drums, and I just wanted to verify that my procedure was correct.---any old Ford guys out there who can give me a "heads up"?

O.K.---it isn't quite as I had first said. The big hex nut at the bottom is a locknut, which has an adjusting screw that turns in or out to bring the shoe closer to the drum. You loosen off the hex nut, then turn the adjusting screw untill you can feel the right amount of "drag" on the wheel as you rotate it by hand, then you retighten the hexnut.---then you adjust the 11/16" hex nut/eliptical cam which is located about 2/3 of the way up the backing plate, again untill you feel the right amount of "drag" as you try to rotate the wheel. I readjusted both front wheels (4 adjustments per wheel) this morning, and all seems to be fine, I gained about 1 1/2" of pedal after the front brakes were adjusted. The rear drums are on a 1985 S10 rearend, with the self adjusting shoes, so I did the "back up in the driveway and put the brakes on" thing to adjust the rear shoes.

with "self energinizing" design on the back i would look for the same design for the front.. I think 50's ford F 1 pickup or 60's econoline are supposed to be bolt on conversions, and have the same braking characteristics.