Brakes: Shoe orientation 57 Commander V8

[tim333]

Ok so I'm totally confused. The parts book shows the PRIMARY shoe as the rearmost shoe on both the front and rear. The shop manual on page 7 of the Brake System in fig.13 calls #5 the primary shoe but doesn't specify if it's the R/F or L/F. Same with Figures 15 and 16 on page 8 of the shop manual. Figure 14 calls item #7 the secondary shoe. The arrow on the anchor block in the front brakes is supposed to point towards the Primary shoe. I took a picture before disassembly of the L/F brake and the arrow was facing the forward shoe.

I need to know which is the primary shoe, front and rear so I know which way to face the arrow on the anchor block. Also, what characteristic defines the difference in shoes visually?

[41 Frank]

The primary shoe is the front shoe. Front or rear, left or right. Anchor block arrow points to front of car. Longer shoe is generally the secondary shoe on self energizing brake systems such as yours. Lately some relined shoes have had both shoes the same lining length.

[RadioRoy]

Or to put it another way, on the 57, the shoe with short lining points to the front of the car and the shoe with long lining points to the rear of the car.

The little arrow on the anchor block always points to the front of the car.

[tim333]

Thanks guys! So much for illustration plates in the parts manual! I have the l/f done and thankfully it's correct.

[Dwain G.]

What parts book do you have? The March 1958 edition identifies the brakes correctly. It also depicts the linings as short and long.
To figure out the shop manual photos you have to look closely at the background. Figure 13 is showing the right front, and Fig. 14 shows the left rear.
Notice also the figures on pages 7 and 8 all show long lining on all shoes. This changed mid-year to long-short (remember, we are looking at a 1956 manual).

[tim333]

The shop manual is a reprint of 1956 with the supplement for 1957 in the back. Photos are not that great for seeing detail. The parts book is original from March 1958, yes it does identify shoes correctly now that I know what "correctly" is