81 F100 flare side custom with 300 six & T18

FuzzFace2 wrote

...I used a little anti seize on the backing plate & adjuster as it does not get hard like white grease does.

Neither of those is the correct lubricant, so that's one problem in the drums...

FuzzFace2 wrote

...how the spring was before I cut some to make it shorter...

I'm not sure what you're saying, but cutting ANY spring is another problem in the drum.  If you mean the spring on the e-brake cable - that would be why it's not fully releasing, which will prevent the autoadjuster from working.  Read those captions - they explain exactly how the whole drum system works.

Steve83 wrote

FuzzFace2 wrote

...I used a little anti seize on the backing plate & adjuster as it does not get hard like white grease does.

Neither of those is the correct lubricant, so that's one problem in the drums...

FuzzFace2 wrote

...how the spring was before I cut some to make it shorter...

I'm not sure what you're saying, but cutting ANY spring is another problem in the drum.  If you mean the spring on the e-brake cable - that would be why it's not fully releasing, which will prevent the autoadjuster from working.  Read those captions - they explain exactly how the whole drum system works.

Anti seize is used on the brakes of big rigs and was told by an old truck driver.
I have used it on all the brakes I have done and never any problems and if it holds up to ehx. manifold heat on the nuts & bolts it will and has on brakes.

Did you see the picture I posted of the of the spring on the cable to the arm on the shoe?
Did you see how it was looped below the backing plate?
Because of the loop you could not install the drums.
Have you ever seen a spring do that if it was the right cable / spring?
BTW the arm is up tight to the shoe and will not go back any more.

So how do you get the loop out so the drums will fit and not have coil bind when the ebrake is applied?
That spring should push the arms back, the cable & spring be straight and have enough movement with out coil bind to pull the arm back to apply the ebrake.

I have to find the paper work on the cables but at this time I believe the cables to be the wrong ones.
This is not the first brake overhaul I have done and all the rest of the parts work it is just the cables.
Dave ----

Holding up to the heat isn't the issue.  If that was all that mattered, sand would work.  Anti-seize isn't for moving parts - it's for parts that DON'T move for years, and then need "lubrication" for disassembly only.  It's not a "lubricant" the way that grease & oil are.  Regardless of that, truck drivers are not materials engineers, and the engineers who design anti seize don't recommend it for the moving parts of brakes.  The ones I posted ARE designed for brakes.

If the cables are wrong, then that's a problem.  But the way to take the loops out of the springs is to pull the cables tight.  They'll pull the springs into line.

Well taken on the anti seize.

On the pulling the cable to take the loop out has 2 problems.
1 to pull it straight the spring would be in coil bind. In the picture the arm is to the shoe and the cable is in the backing plate so the room you see is what I have to work with.
2 I cant pull the cables more as the pedal hits the floor even with the factory adjuster taken all the way up and adding the Dorman part that started all this.

I went thru all my paper work and could not find, also missing other paper work for parts, who I got the cables from but the rest of the brake parts were thru Auto Zone so that may be who I got them from?
Looking up the parts on AZ on line and they only list the rear cables for "With ambulance preparation package" what ever that is?

So my thinking is it has to be a F350 to be an ambulance. From the brake parts page it would have 12" drums mine should be 11" being non-power and 5x5.5 wheel bolt pattern but would need to measure to be 100% sure.

Rock Auto looks to have the right ones so when I get a little coin in the pockets I will get them and a new booster & master as they have issues and are the only things not new in the brake system.
Dave ----

ps I know I said the truck drums are non-power as are the calipers but has a booster & master that are. In the cross checking I have done the wheel cly. & caliper piston sizes are the same as is the master bore between the trucks.

Dave - I guess you know that all of the brake parts are here: Driveline/Brakes, and the cables are on the Parking Brake tab.  It appears they kept the rear cables the same for the various wheelbases, and varied the front cable's length to accommodate.

Gary Lewis wrote

Dave - I guess you know that all of the brake parts are here: Driveline/Brakes, and the cables are on the Parking Brake tab.  It appears they kept the rear cables the same for the various wheelbases, and varied the front cable's length to accommodate.

Yes I did see that both the tabs and the front cable.
But checking on LMC site they do list different cables for the I think it is 83/86 and 87/9? and different cables again for the F250 & F350 trucks.

Also checking the brake tabs the larger trucks also have 12" drums where mine should be 11", think my parts truck has the 10" drums.
Because of the larger drums I would think the cable end inside the drum would be longer as it now has to reach farther across to the arm. If this is true then the spring would also need to be longer to push the arm back when released.

Then again I don't remember seeing different cables for 10" & 11" drums so maybe I am crazy  don't answer that guys
I will get to the bottom of this as it has to work to pass safety to get plates after that no more checks.
Dave ----

Dave - I just realized that I hadn't fully explained which trucks use which columns in the parking brake section.  So I upgraded the page a bit.  Perhaps that will help?

Gary Lewis wrote

It appears they kept the rear cables the same for the various wheelbases...

That's what I've observed, for all '80-96 1/2-ton Ford trucks.

Gary Lewis wrote

...varied the front cable's length to accommodate.

From what I've seen working on trucks & in JYs, they varied the length of the intermediate cable between the pedal (front) cable & the equalizer.  IOW: there's only 1 left cable, 1 right cable, 1 pedal assy. w/cable, 1 tension limiter/equalizer; but several intermediate cables for the various wheelbases.  Broncos got no intermediate cable (until '92-96, when the tension limiter was deleted).

FuzzFace2 wrote

...I would think the cable end inside the drum would be longer as it now has to reach farther across to the arm. If this is true then the spring would also need to be longer to push the arm back when released.

I'd guess they just moved the cable mounting hole on the backing plate so it's the same distance from the e-brake lever.  But I don't think I've ever seen a truck with 10" drums to actually compare.  Even the '75 Bronco I built had 11s on its 9" axle.



I haven't paid much attention to the (4-wheel) drums on the '74 Bronco I'm working on now, but I'll probably get more-familiar than I want with it soon.

Gary Lewis wrote

Dave - I just realized that I hadn't fully explained which trucks use which columns in the parking brake section.  So I upgraded the page a bit.  Perhaps that will help?

Thank you Gary I will check it out again.
Dave ----

Steve83 wrote

Gary Lewis wrote

It appears they kept the rear cables the same for the various wheelbases...

That's what I've observed, for all '80-96 1/2-ton Ford trucks.

Gary Lewis wrote

...varied the front cable's length to accommodate.

From what I've seen working on trucks & in JYs, they varied the length of the intermediate cable between the pedal (front) cable & the equalizer.  IOW: there's only 1 left cable, 1 right cable, 1 pedal assy. w/cable, 1 tension limiter/equalizer; but several intermediate cables for the various wheelbases.  Broncos got no intermediate cable (until '92-96, when the tension limiter was deleted).

FuzzFace2 wrote

...I would think the cable end inside the drum would be longer as it now has to reach farther across to the arm. If this is true then the spring would also need to be longer to push the arm back when released.

I'd guess they just moved the cable mounting hole on the backing plate so it's the same distance from the e-brake lever.  But I don't think I've ever seen a truck with 10" drums to actually compare.  Even the '75 Bronco I built had 11s on its 9" axle.



I haven't paid much attention to the (4-wheel) drums on the '74 Bronco I'm working on now, but I'll probably get more-familiar than I want with it soon.

The 10" I believe is used on the 5x4.5 wheel pattern 9" axles. I have not measured my parts truck drums but I can after I dig it out from hiding.

On this intermediate cable, I don't remember seeing any on either of my trucks.
The front cable goes to the tension limiter/equalizer then the rear cables hook to it.
1 truck is a short bed the other a long bed both standard cabs.
Dave ----

Well can’t spend any money on the truck for a bit.

Had to drop $200+ with home land security to renew my port & HazMat credentials and I still need to take the HazMat test, more $$, with NCDOT to keep it on my driver license.
This way I can do the LP gas loads come winter and get cement at the ports in the summer.

I am lucky my employer pays for my medical card renewal every year, did that the same day as the credentials, that was another $100 I think it is or I can’t keep my CDL license.

Who said being a truck driver is easy & cheap?
Dave ----

Bummer!  Are there things you can do to the truck w/o spending money?

Gary Lewis wrote

Bummer!  Are there things you can do to the truck w/o spending money?

There always is
I have (gasp) the last bit of dreaded body work and think I have enough paint to paint the under side of the hood so I can get it on before I paint the cab.

I also have the door panels that a PO spray painted black. I have a qt. of old brake fluid I want to try and see if it will lift the paint but not hurt the panel.
If that works out I can then use SEM to paint them and the other parts for inside the cab to match the dash I have already painted.

And speaking of dash I have the pad I started to repair that I should also finish some day but I don't think it is the one I will use as I have a pad topper to used.
Dave ----

FuzzFace2 wrote

...old brake fluid I want to try and see if it will lift the paint but not hurt the panel.

Put a puddle of fluid on the back side of the panel now, and check it after a couple of days to see what it does to the plastic.  If it warps or affects the color, don't use it on the visible side.

Looks like you have plenty to keep you busy w/o spending money.  

Did a little work to the truck.
Dummy me when I put it back in the garage the last time I left the battery hooked up and being I don't have the dash together the light switch is on and the dash lights, only light on the truckat this time, killed the battery so on the charger it wend for a few hours.

I was going to work on the door panels removing spray paint someone put on but looking closer it was not worth the time. One has a chunk missing for the slider lock opening and had a crack near the arm rest.
Both had that dry powder under the paint I would also need to deal with so when time comes I will get new ones and the lock sliders as I don't have any.

Moving on I have one of them over head trays, you remove the viziers blot this tray in place using the same screw holes and bolt the viziers to it. It has a fuzzy covering that was coming off in places so I took it off. I hope to use this as a test bed to add texture and paint before I do any of the panels inside the cab. I don't know if I will use it because when a test fitted it, it looked to sit to low blocking the top of the glass.

Next up were the kick panels, I have 2 sets AC & non-AC and wanted to prep both sets for paint.
Like most panels in our trucks they were dried out. I sanded them down, use a small wire brush that worked pretty good and then gave them a good bath.
I need to find something to add texture back to the sanded areas, why the test bed above, before I paint them.

I then looked at my dash bezels, 2 sets custom that came with the truck and has heavy coats of paint on them and the XL from the parts truck that are wood grain. The wood is not in great shape and may look into redoing it at some point.
So I took the painted radio bezel and used some old brake fluid on a tooth brush to coat and work it in.
A few hours later it looks like it is working but I also see it is broken and will need to be repaired to use.

I also mixed up some JB Weld for the nicks on the bumpers so they will not show up when wrapped or painted.
Dave ----
forgot to post this last night

That was quite a day, Dave.  

On the texture, I think you mentioned that SEM has something. Is their Texture Coating it?  The video is interesting and it would seem to be about right to give some texture to our interior pieces.  I hope you try it and report back.

On the kick panels, I've often thought that even though I have A/C I'd like a pair of the non-A/C kick panels so I could get more air through.  However, I also worry that they might leak and in the winter I'd have COLD air coming in right by my feet.  Plus, I do have the sliding rear window.

So, what has been your experience with those kick panels?  And which will you use?

Gary Lewis wrote

That was quite a day, Dave.  

On the texture, I think you mentioned that SEM has something. Is their Texture Coating it?  The video is interesting and it would seem to be about right to give some texture to our interior pieces.  I hope you try it and report back.

On the kick panels, I've often thought that even though I have A/C I'd like a pair of the non-A/C kick panels so I could get more air through.  However, I also worry that they might leak and in the winter I'd have COLD air coming in right by my feet.  Plus, I do have the sliding rear window.

So, what has been your experience with those kick panels?  And which will you use?

After I posted it is a lot of work done just did not think that at the time.

I did not know SEM made that product and will have to look into it.
I seen an older post (Google on dash repair was a BMW site) where the person used SEM under coat to get the texture. He may not known or SEM did not make the textured product back then.
You know I will report back on what ever I use but that product looks to be what I need to use with SEM paint for the panels.

As for the AC & non-AC vents leaking I cant report as I have not driven my truck, or any, with the vents but I can see your point.
Now my cab was a non-AC cab but as you know added factory AC but plan to keep the non-AC vents for more air flow. I am also thinking, wishing, the truck will be on the road before I have the AC working so going to need the vents.
I also have a slider rear glass that needs to be replaced because of missing seals but it should give good air flow thru the cab. I also have a flat glass I may be stuck using till I have funds to buy a slider.
Dave ----

I'll await your report on the texture and the kick-panel vents.  

Gary Lewis wrote

I'll await your report on the texture and the kick-panel vents.  

It will be a long wait on how the vents work if that is what you meant.
Someone also say SEM makes a textured pad I think it was but he might of meant the spray that you linked to.
I did not get home till after 5pm, out the door at 4am, and I an sure they close at 5pm.
I am doing the same job tomorrow so don't think I can get there then either.
It would be nice to have the texture paint for the weekend, I think I can swing a few spray cans of paint LOL
Dave ----

Yes, I meant the vents.

As for work, I remember those days.  I LOVE retirement!