On my 1955 ford one of the front shoes has a cam that the shoe stops against and what is the right way to adjust it just so the shoe touches the drum? I also have a adjusting wheel on the bottom for adjustment thanks

[quote]timmy4 (4/8/2008)

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On my 1955 ford one of the front shoes has a cam that the shoe stops against and what is the right way to adjust it just so the shoe touches the drum? I also have a adjusting wheel on the bottom for adjustment thanks The backing plate has the top post also but this other post is toward the middle of one brake shoe and it has a nut on the back side of the backing plate and the piece that the shoe bumps against is offset so if you turn the nut it looks like it will move the shoe closer or further out like an old willys jeep.

As you are looking at the brake . The adjusting wheel should be moved up to decrease clearance between shoe and drum.

55Birdman  Hickory NC

I understand how to adjust the wheel on the bottom of the shoes but with the adjuster all the way in the brake drum went on too snug so i moved the cam by turning a bolt on the backing plate and it soosened up. What is the correct way to adjust the cam before I adjust the adjustment on the bottom of both shoes thanks

Hello Timmy,This is a very interesting development you have.That type of brake system is listed for 1954 FORD not 55.My 56 is the same as a 55 and does NOT have that type of adjuster.When I had a look at my parts book for 1954 there it is.What size are the diameter of front and rear drums on this car.55 is 11 inch diameter and 54 is 10 inch.May be the reason the rear shoes are wrong width.Please let me know the info on brake size.Mark

  

Hello Timmy,Ok so the brakes are 11 inch.The front shoes should be R-263 and the rears R-55.I see someone gave an answer regarding adjusting cam.Makes sense except there is no slot on stock drums or replacements for that matter.Maybe there is a slot in backing plate?I would be interested in having the info off your serial plate.Not the first line with F5 etc. but the second set of numbers which can tell me when the car was scheduled to be built etc.I can decode those if you Email me.I suspect this was a real early built 55 because as I said before these type brakes are NOT shown as being on a 55.Used on 54 only and then again on 58 T-Bird. My 56 Fairlane was an early build in Nov 55 and they used up the last of the aircooled automatics and the 2 tooth sector shaft steering boxes and a few other leftover 55 parts before using the better 56 parts.Regards Mark

  

Hello Timmy,I was able to get an answer on another website from a fellow named Gene.To adjust with cam set-up you turn the cam until a slight drag on drum is felt and the back off adjuster until drum turns freely.Lock cam adjuster and proceed with starwheel adjustment as normally done.Regards Mark