Jevtar you are a ray of sunshine in a bad day for me...........
Beautiful sunny day here but I am having some difficulties that are weighing VERY HEAVY on my FEEBLE mind..............ha not just my truck
Your post is such a shot of inspiration...........really I am gonna go back out & do more work , I was giving up , but thanks 2 u I gonna do another fix , this time finish taking the rubber seal staples out between the cowl & hood that is EXTREMELY HARD TO REMOVE without the rusted staples staying down inside the cowl after they break when I pull them out !!! I have to fish them out with a very small magnet.
Gonna give the brakes a break........ 4 a while.........Hope all is GOOD 4 U.........THANK-U..........

 

3" drums will not fit on a truck that originally has 2 1/2" shoes. Or any other size. Unless you get the brake shoe backing plate for the 3" drum. The plate is offset to make room for the extra 1/2" of shoe width.

 

Yeah I kinda thought that , but was willing to do that when I can afford it because I plan to add a lot of horse power and do not want to add disc brakes! Discs to me are not worth the expense & trouble . I think adding discs is over-rated by parts companies & magazines to sell product . I know discs probably r better but 2 ton trucks stopped before discs were made so I think drums will work , because I am not gonna b running any NASCAR races or road courses . Yeah some little country road speed bursts but I think if I keep brakes in tip top shape and maybe upgrade the drums & shoes , hence the questions about 3 inch brakes because I will be needing better stopping . Now if I decide to drag race , that is another matter
Thank-you so very much 4 the help, , your time & help means more to me than u know.........

 

Right on RTT! So glad the post brought a bit of sunshine and inspiration. I’m loving these longer days of spring. Sometimes I do the same, take a break from something frustrating then approach it later in a new frame of mind. Glad to hear you’re shifting gears an on to the next project. Way to go! Take it slow and enjoy the ride. Working these old trucks is a great distraction from reality I agree 100% Nothing wrong with 4 drums. They installed them on vehicles for what, 80 years? I was out at a local yard today looking at a 72? truck with front disc wondering how hard to swap 72 disc to 69 F350 front drum? Again like you, no speed trials, so not truly needed. I will say the disc to me seems like a better design. Less moving parts to break, an generally easier maintenance. Seems like a lot of work though for only a tiny bit better. I have other tasks to address. So many resources on FTE, and great people over the years leaving their knowledge.
Rubber seal staples? Wow yeah you’re getting deep in the pudding. Is this something you MUST remove to pull hood? I only ask because soon I may be pulling hood an asking your advice.

 

Jevtar.......The staples/clips I refer to are what holds the rubber stripping between the cowl & hood of the truck to keep water from leaking down onto the firewall and rusting it and the steering shaft , tube & brackets and anything thing else
Water ran down and collected in the small trough that strengthens the firewall & floor pan junction . This caused lots of rust which I repaired 75% or so..........I will add the rest of repair to my long .........long ............long list of things to FINISH !!!
When you remove the old rubber the clips/staples stay because the rubber is dried out or gone They have to be pried out I think like the door ANTI-RATTLERS .
They are extremely difficult to remove without them falling down into the cowl I still have about 3 to remove and install my new weatherstripping

 

Several inquires ; Which side is the right side of a F100 , passenger or driver ? I say passenger My new brake parts are labeled R & L .
My brakes failed again after ( I think ) I went in reverse and mashed brake pedal to thoroughly adjust my newly installed shoes . i had done this 2 or 3 times previously and all went well I susspose but this time very soon after I heard a slight scraping noise and about 3 miles later in city traffic my pedal almost went to the floor
I got home & checker the right ( passenger side ) front & all looked well & good , today I checked the right rear and the reverse adjustment lever & spring & adjustment wheel was in the bottom of drum I will check left side rear & see how it fared ??? This brings me to ask I have a heavy duty washer/spacer on the bar that connects between each shoe ; I have photos attached . I have not seen this washer/spacer on any service manual photo or 3rd party manual but it was on when I rebuild my brakes , I did not see where it was installed because it feel out or was already off when I opened drum !!! It looks like an exact fit and was engineered to be there although it my go on opposite side of bar , but after much thought I put it on the side closest to front
I did have some trouble getting the bottom adjustment spring on but it did appear to be correct & did work for a short period .
Why did my parts come off , & do any one know anything about this washer/spacer ( it seems to keep even pressure on the spring on the bar ) ? As I said it looks to be factory , just maybe from a car drum
FOR AN UNKNOWN REASON MY 42 kb photo will not up..........load
I will try again soon Thank-you very much .......I really need these brakes fixed

P.S. NOW I THINK FORD SERVICE MANUAL STATES OR maybe another legit looking manual states you look facing the truck to determine left & right side .........which seems strange to me..........so I may have the adjustment parts on backwards . They did seem to adjust correctly though ........oh my..........oh well ...

 

This goes with my previous post. I wonder if this is an original part ; the washer !
I just remembered , I think Ford manual states you look facing front of vehicle and passenger side is on your left , so left is the passenger side !!!
I have right side parts installed..........but when I went to adjust the brakes to expand them I spun the adjusting wheel upward which did expand them out . I do not believe this would have worked if I went the wrong way ..............Oh , I get so confused @ times I just need to KNOW what you guys & girls know , & share me your PEARLS of WISDOM.......

 

Here's some pictures of my right rear from when I rebuilt it about three years ago.







I used this kit:


As far as I can recall, passenger side is right. I actually have used this kit twice now, one on my 70, and once on my 86.

 

chirkware u r the MAN
Knowing someone is willing to help is so encouraging to me it helps keep my spirits up
Well looked at left rear & all looked OK .
So I noticed my parking brake cable was a little out of wack so I turned the hook actually the wrong way to reconnect it to the wheel adjust bracket , but I think it has to go that way because I have it turned wrong at the other end ! The twist may have caused it to twist off !!! Also I noticed on my photo that the adjuster spring was connected wrong , which I think I did that on purpose because I was having trouble & did that out of frustration.........I had already corrected the spring tonight then I just now noticed it was backwards looking at yours & mine photos......
Anyway I put all back 2gether & test drove truck about 2 miles and back up & set brakes many times and all seems better than before and stops in a straight line forward & backward
I did see u have done an almost perfect job , ( & it looks brand new ) on your brakes but I see maybe 1 thing u forgot. My kit came with enough of the spring washers to install one in back & front of the spring .
spring does appear to seat in the back washer just right . My kit did not have that thick spring spacer/washer that goes on the bar . I am surprised you have one & glad you do
It is late & must go............have a hugely important day tomorrow & hope my truck lives through it with me in it........
Your help is so appreciated.........I thank -you.........

 

RTT it sounds like you got it back together the way it should

I keep reading you back up many times to adjust the brakes.
That may work if they are just a little out of adjustment but when you do a "brake job" and the adjuster is turned in all the way to get the spring on the adjuster arm with the cable when you get the drums back on you should adjust the drum brakes so they just start to drag when you turn the drums or wheels by hand.
I then press the brake pedal a few times to center the shoes and check the adjustment again before a test drive.
Dave ----