Brake Pedal Free Pla Y - Dodge B-I-B 1948 Driver Manual

BRAKE PEDAL FREE PLA Y
Free travel of the brake pedal is important. The total free travel
is made up of tr"avel of the master cylinder piston rod before touch-
ing the piston, travel of the piston to seal the bleeder port and then
travel of the shoes to take up clearance from the free running posi-
tion to the position of contact with the brake drums. The total free
travel of the pedal from full released position to the point where
the shoes contact the drums is
~
in. to 1 in. This is obtained by
proper brake shoe adjustment.
MINOR BRAKE SHOE ADJUSTMENT
A quick way of adjusting the brake shoe cams is to first jack up the
truck so one wheel can be rotated freely. Then, while rocking that
wheel forward and backward, turn one cam adjusting nut until the
shoe starts to drag on the brake drum. Then back off the .adjusting
nut until the shoe just clears the drum so the wheel will turn freely.
This will 'give approximately the correct clearance between the toe
end of the shoe and the drum. Then make the same adjustment to
the other shoe for the same wheel. It is important that these adjust-
ments be made the same for the other three .wheels. If one or more
shoes have less clearance than is obtained by this adjustment there
may be "brake drag" which causes over-heating of the drums and
possible seizure of a shoe.
MAJOR BRAKE ADJUSTMENT"
A major adjustment will not be necessary until considerable lining
wear has taken place. In order to make a major adjustment or reline
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