Rear Brake rebuild on C1

[Rick Krason]

Have replaced all the hardware on my 1960's brakes. Have a couple of questions about springs and things...
1. There is a "box-shaped" spring that should go over the handbrake actuator lever between the front and rear shoes...the "box-shaped" spring slides over the bar I believe, but there is a small loop that comes off the "box-shaped" spring, and I am not sure how it is oriented ? Does it hold against something special?
2. The lower spring that holds the bottom of the front and rear shoes together, over the self-adjuster...should that be laying right on top of the self-adjuster? If it lays over the cogs, it doesn't appear it would rotate/adjust itself, or is that the point? Is it for manual adjustment as needed?
3. Lastly, in the bag of hardware came two clips that I DO NOT remember removing from the assembly at all on my original set...sorry about the description, but if you hold it sideways, it looks somewhat like the head of a longhorn cattle. Its about 1 1/4 inches long, metal, looks like a retaining clip of some sort. I have one for L and one for R side. Possible it belongs on the assembly, but my brakes are(were)in such poor repair that it was missing, or might be for heavy duty application or something? Does it go with the handbrake set-up too????
Thanks in advance for your help !!
RICK

[John H.]

Re: Rear Brake rebuild on C1

Rick -

Item #2 - Yes, the coil spring between the shoes lays on the teeth of the star-wheel adjuster so it doesn't move by itself; your brakes are not self-adjusting (that didn't happen until 1963) - they require manual adjustment periodically as outlined in the ST-12.

[John M.]

Re: Rear Brake rebuild on C1

Rick,
It sounds like the clip you are describing is the brake adjustment slot cover.
There should be on on each backing plate and the rubber plugs that are widely used are incorrect. If it is just a flat plate that looks like a longhorn, then it is the plate that goes behind the springs on the top pivot pin. If this is the part, you will notice that the hole in it is the same size as the step pottion of the pivot pin and this part retains the tops of the brake shoes.
The only confusing thing is that both these parts have no right or left units, I belive that they are universal.

Regards, John McGraw

[bob downs]

Re: box spring

the box spring you are talking about goes on the end of the flat bar that goes between the primary and secondary shoes. i think the tab goes to the inside. the spring will go on the opposite end of the e-brake lever.