Brakes: 1 ton rear brake removal

[wolfie]

I am finally getting a bit of time to work on the 49 1 ton. I will have the manuals soon but am just trying to feel my way through at the moment. How do you release the pressure on the rear brakes? I have the drum ready to pull otherwise (dismantled to and including the bearing). If there is a star type adjuster in the access plug it is frozen but it really didnt look like a star adjuster to me either. Thanks Steve

[JohnM15]

The 1948 M-Series has a star adjuster, slot in the bottom of backing plate, can't imagine a 1949 is much different...

[wolfie]

The 1948 M-Series has a star adjuster, slot in the bottom of backing plate, can't imagine a 1949 is much different...

Thanks John, It has a slot at the bottom of the backing plate with what might have started as a star wheel inside it. There is little left of the side towards the backing plate but I see what looks like a single arm and it will not move. Thanks, Steve

[sasquatch]

Steve, here's a shot of the rear brake on my 49 one ton.

[wolfie]

Steve, here's a shot of the rear brake on my 49 one ton.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]10875[/ATTACH]

OK, From what I see here the "teeth" on the backing plate side of the star wheel are gone on mine and the star wheel is rusted badly. . I suspect the missing teeth are in the bottom of the drum or else dust by now. I am going to reassess mine later this evening and see if I can pull the backing plate and drum as a combo so I can get it on a bench and try breaking it down there. I saw no way to get to the back side of the pins when I looked yesterday but I hold little hope for ever getting the star wheel backed off. Are hardware kits available for this setup if I have to break something to get it apart? What would be best to break if I have to go that route? Thanks, Steve

[sasquatch]

I really don't know what parts are available new but I'm sure there's plenty of good used parts out there. I had a broken spring that was NLA in new Studebaker parts but I found one that worked in an Auto Zone assortment (the clean grey one). Both my rear drums slid off without having to adjust the shoes so I didn't break anything pulling them. If yours are stuck and you can't turn the adjuster, try unbolting the wheel cylinder. That should let the shoes move in enough to get the drum off. There are no new Hy-Tork rear wheel cylinders anywhere so hopefully yours will be rebuild-able. Kits are available though. Good luck.

[wolfie]

I really don't know what parts are available new but I'm sure there's plenty of good used parts out there. I had a broken spring that was NLA in new Studebaker parts but I found one that worked in an Auto Zone assortment (the clean grey one). Both my rear drums slid off without having to adjust the shoes so I didn't break anything pulling them. If yours are stuck and you can't turn the adjuster, try unbolting the wheel cylinder. That should let the shoes move in enough to get the drum off. There are no new Hy-Tork rear wheel cylinders anywhere so hopefully yours will be rebuild-able. Kits are available though. Good luck.

I had a better day today and was able to get the drum off the truck. Who has the kits for the hi-tork cylinders? The piston is stuck in mine but I dont think badly. Hopefully a bit of air will push it out. The end of the bore I can see looks really good and that brake had some movement when the system was semi-functional. I do think I lost the banjo? fitting and bolt. I took them out and laid them on the back bumper of my driver when I sprayed the wheel cylinder and drove off without reinstalling them. Hopefully they are not too dificult to replace. Thanks, Steve

[sasquatch]

Chuck Collins has the kit, BRK803 STUDE #S-388. I'm sure other vendors do too and I think NAPA has them. It's just the cylinders that are unobtainium. My pistons were stuck too but they came out with a little work and the hones cleaned up the cylinders nicely.

[wolfie]

Chuck Collins has the kit, BRK803 STUDE #S-388. I'm sure other vendors do too and I think NAPA has them. It's just the cylinders that are unobtainium. My pistons were stuck too but they came out with a little work and the hones cleaned up the cylinders nicely.

Thanks again Sasquatch. I think everything is actually ok on mine with the exception of the rubber. Everything cleaned up MUCH better than anticipated. What I had deemed rust earlier was in fact a combination mud daubers and spiders nest. I soaked everything last night and was able to break it all free today. The starwheel I was convinced was trash is actually in very nice shape. Thanks, Steve