Hi, I just bought yet another old ford 1 1/2 ton.I have owned and used quite a few 1 ton and 1 1/2 ton fords from AA's to F3's etc. The one I picked up 2 days ago was repowered years back by a 63 401 cu Buick Nailhead V8,factory rated at 325 hp.Has an auto trans and late model master cyl with booster,probably from a chev.Forgot to say it's a '40,which is one Ive always wanted bought never came across.....Here is my question.I have been attempting to adjust the rear brakes(fronts went fine).There are 2 bolts on the backing plate with coil springs under them at10:00 and 2:00.Turning the REAR one on either side just a little locks up the wheel (good), but the front one seems to turn indefinately and the is still lots of pedal travel(goes to floor on first pump).I realize I will have to remove all the drums and do it right later,but just need some brakes for now to move it around on my property.Are these bolts acctuating a cam?Should they equalize?There are signs of recent brake work,hoses,lines etc and the truck was last licensed in '98.Dont really want to pull those drums yet as the dont leak anything.....Thanks in advance GB

 

If it's just to move around the yard, you could get a plug from the autoparts store, plug the flex line going to the rears and deal with it later.

If you do plug it, tape off/plug the hard line going to the brakes so moisture doesn't get it.

 

Have you bled the brakes good? And have you tried going the other way? And sometimes it takes a while to get well out of adjustment brakes back in line. Good luck!

Clayton

 

Well I never did get any good results with my attempts at adjusting the brakes.First I pulled the fronts....lots of lining,soaked with brake fluid on one side. Next,my curiosity was getting to me so I pulled the rears.Yikes,no wonder I couldnt get them to come up.NO linings at all.There was a few pieces of linings actually quite thick.All the brass rivets were sticking up and not worn down so it must have suffered catastrophic brake failure as the linings disintegrated or something. Today I sent the shoes(3 1/2x15) to a brake supply shop in Seattle who will reline them for 24.00 each and mail them back. I ordered new cyls and lots of small stuff from Bob Selzem in New Jersey.Next I will take that modern dual master cyl into Napa and have them Identify it for replacement.I plan to boil the front shoes in boiling water as I heard that is a good way to get fluid soaked linings clean.Anyone done this?Would some alcohol added to the water be even better?The rears also had that great 90 wt coating so new seals are coming.I can see that I will need speedy sleeves on the axle housing as there is quite a groove.I knew I would get into all this sooner or later ,but it has been in the 20's here all week and I go out every night with no heat and work on this crazy contraption......Some guys play golf! wish me luck GB

 

A mechanic friend told me once that he cleaned up some brake shoes that had been soaked in brake fluid by putting them under a heat lamp. As the heat caused the fluid to ooze out he would periodically just wipe it away. Boiling may be the same type deal if the hot water doesn't eat up the lining. Adding alcohol probably wouldn't help, as it would boil off faster than the water.
Hey talk about working in the cold. My unheated barn has been around 38 degrees during the day, and I have been trying to get the front panel of the bed stripped and primered. Heat lamps on both sides of the panel, and a hot water bath for the spray can, makes for slow going.