How to Install the Brake Drum Anti Chatter Spring?

[Mike B.]

I removed the long perimeter springs before cleaning and painting my '61 brake drums with cast blast. They came off easy enough by rolling once I helped them over the groove, but trying to get them back on - fuggehedaboutit!

I suspect there may a special plier or a funnel-like tool that fit over the face of the drum to help to stretch the spring back over the circumference.

Any help and ideas is appreciated because I would like to keep all of my fingers a while longer!

Thanks,
Mike

[John F.]

Re: How to Install the Brake Drum Anti Chatter Spring?

I have never had to do it, but I would think you just walk it on like mounting a tire on the rim. Start at one side and hold down (pry w/screwdriver) and walk it around. Geta helper if needed.

[Dan D.]

Re: How to Install the Brake Drum Anti Chatter Spring?

I did the same thing to my 57 and re-installed the springs the way John suggested. Don't remember the details, but they went on quite easy. -Dan-

[Stuart F.]

Re: How to Install the Brake Drum Anti Chatter Spring?

Which kind of spring do you have? One made with flat spring material or the one with round?

I believe my 63 original springs are with the flat material. When I replaced the brakes a few years back the kit came with new springs made of round spring material. I tried most every way I could think of, but finally concluded it was a two man job. As I no longer plan to have my car judged, I just leave them off. I have always removed them from my old tri five chevies I have owned over the years as I could never notice any difference in operation, and actually blieve that the brakes will cool better without them. This would be specially true with steel wheels. The first car I took them off of was a 1956 Chevy 210 show car that I had put 14" wheels on in place of the original 15".

Stu Fox

[Dan D.]

Re: How to Install the Brake Drum Anti Chatter Spring?

Stu, I believe all C1s are round. My 57 is - will have to wait to hear from Mike if his are round or flat. I don't know how much value they add either. Like you say, it may not be noticeable - except for judging. Mine were on there originally, they went on fairly easy, so I used them. -Dan-

[Mike B.]

Re: How to Install the Brake Drum Anti Chatter Spring?

Thanks to all for the responses. To answer the question; the springs are round. I am mechanically able but even with my daughter helping stretching those springs were scary tough. I will try again with a couple of flat tire irons to help slide the spring down while stretching. I will post the results.

Mike

[Tracy C.]

Re: How to Install the Brake Drum Anti Chatter Spring?

Thanks to all for the responses. To answer the question; the springs are round. I am mechanically able but even with my daughter helping stretching those springs were scary tough. I will try again with a couple of flat tire irons to help slide the spring down while stretching. I will post the results.

Mike

Mike, get yourself three C-clamps with at least a 3 to 4 inch throat. Hook the spring ends together and loop it onto onto the drum and trap it on with a C clamp. Don't clamp on the spring, but just above it on the drum. Walk the spring on around as far as you can by hand and trap that part on with the another C-clamp. What left can be forced onto the drum with a large flat screw driver or crowbar. Once the spring is completely onto the drum install the third C clamp to ensure the spring will not roll back off the drum.

At this point you just roll the spring on down the drum until it snaps into the groove on the drum. The first installation is the hardest, the rest are a piece od cake once you figure out the system.

good luck,
tc

[Perry M.]

Re: How to Install the Brake Drum Anti Chatter Spring?

I believe the springs are there to help keep the drum round while braking. I know this because when I was a kid working on my '57 hardtop, 1/2 of the spring somehow jumped out of the groove which applied distorted pressure around the circumference of the drum. When I hit the brake, the the passenger front wheel felt like it was coming of the car. I pulled over and corrected the problem and all was well again. Don't ask me what the heck I was doing to dislodge the spring because I don't have a clue', but true story.

[Mike B.]

Re: How to Install the Brake Drum Anti Chatter Spring?

Tracy, that is an excellent technique. I accomplished ostensibly the same thing with six hands and two flat tire irons. It's a good thing my daughters were home from college. Thanks for all of the suggestions.

[Doug L.]

Re: How to Install the Brake Drum Anti Chatter Spring?

I read this thread when trying to install springs on the drums of my '64. I was not able to do it. I will start by saying the car had the original drums with springs when I bought it and started the restoration. I didn't pay attention to the springs because I was replacing the drums and shoes with aftermarket components. I scrapped the drums and springs before having the car judged which is when I discovered that they should be present to avoid a points deduction. I am posting this because someone in the future will be searching for a way to reinstall the springs.

The problem I have now is that the OEM springs I bought to get the points back measure ~30-1/4" in length. The drum is ~38" circumfrence. There was absolutely no way to stretch the spring that much with the drum laying on the floor. I reasoned that I needed to build a jig to hold the drum and parts of the spring in position while I used a lever to stretch the spring around the drum. I used a piece of 3/4" plywood, ~30 x 24" as a base. I cut 2 pieces of 2 x 4 to a length that allowed them to fit inside the drum. I attached these, one on top of the other, to the plywood with deck screws. Now I could place the drum over the stacked 2x4s and used 2 each 1/4" lag screws to attach the drum to the top 2x4. I then cut a piece of 2x2 to ~24" length and drilled holes in each end. I laid this piece over the top of the brake drum and drilled holes through the plywood that corresponded with the holes in the 2x2. I then used 7" carriage bolts to attach the 2x2 to the plywood which then served as a stop to keep the spring from sliding off the drum while I stretched it over the drum. I found I needed to hold one end of the loop formed by the spring to the plywood so I used a conduit "U" clamp, I slipped it over the spring with one end under the drum and fastened the other end by screwing it to the plywood. I then placed the spring around the drum, under the 2x2 then on top of the drum on the opposite side where I connected the ends of the spring together. Now I could use a piece of 1x2, 24" long as a lever that I slid between the top of the drum and the spring on the side away from the conduit clamp. Sliding the end of the 1x2 over the edge of the drum allowed me to get that portion of the spring stretched to a point where I could tap the spring with a hammer until it was even with the top of the drum. I then used a flat pry bar and a large screwdriver to pry the remainder of the spring over the edge of the drum. I removed the 1x2 and tapped the spring the rest of the way to the flange on the drum.

Here are some photos.
Doug

[Duke W.]

Re: How to Install the Brake Drum Anti Chatter Spring?

The purpose of the spring is to damp brake squeak. I think three or four guys working together can roll the springs on with their finders. That's how I recall doing it 30 years ago.

Duke

[Stuart F.]

Re: How to Install the Brake Drum Anti Chatter Spring?

Nice job Doug. Congratulations.

I don't know if this has been asked yet as I still can't see all that well, but how did the judges determine your springs were off? By feel or by wheel removal?

Stu Fox

[Doug L.]

Re: How to Install the Brake Drum Anti Chatter Spring?

Hi Stu,
Thank you. You can see the drums by looking under the front of the car. Very easy. The spring would be at the back edge of the drum so very visible.

To Duke: I don't doubt that 3 or 4 guys could do it but I didn't have that amount of help and I imagine they would have to have little concern for their fingers. Another issue may be the circumference of the drum. As I mentioned, my drums are aftermarket (Praise Dyno Brake) and they may have a greater circumference than the original drums. I think I also saw someone mention in a thread on the forum that the length of the springs are longer than the springs I bought, so there may be different length springs out there. The springs I bought are flat and were in an old GM wrapper with a GM part number, but I don't know if they are the correct springs for my application. I figured posting a solution that works might help someone down the line.

Doug

[Stuart F.]

Re: How to Install the Brake Drum Anti Chatter Spring?

Doug;

Thanks for the info. I'm banned from my garage until my Doc says I can expose my eyes again, so I am not able to look at my brakes stuff. I too have the Praise Dyno brake equipment, but I reused my old drums which were turned to clean them up. The replacements I bought from Ecklers wouldn't fit properly. My original springs are of the flat material (1963) and I bought new replacements which are of the round material which I gave up on mounting.

I'm glad you were able to make a setup to work. BTW, the replacement drums I have do not have the groove (another reason I didn't use them - junk).

Stu Fox

[Doug L.]

Re: How to Install the Brake Drum Anti Chatter Spring?

Hi Stu,
What's going on with your eyes?

The lack of a groove is what I am still worried about. I didn't try removing the springs from my original drums before I scrapped them. I asked someone on the forum if original drums had grooves and was told they did. So there really isn't anything to hold my springs in place except tension. I just installed the springs yesterday so I haven't driven it yet to see if the springs move. Given the difference between spring length and drum circumference my guess is they aren't going anywhere. If they do I'll have to find a solution.
Doug