MIDNIGHT RIDER
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The exact same piece is found on 12 x 2, 12 x 2-1/2, and 12 x 3-inch Bendix drum brakes, on any and every SRW or DRW Dana axle, be it 60 or 70 and maybe even the 80s, be it Ford or Dodge or International or whatever.
This steel piece resides behind the park brake lever, on the same stud where the top end of the auto-adjuster cable resides.
The park brake lever engages this piece and it in turn engages the "horns" on the brake shoes and spreads them when the park brake is applied.
It is good for about two sets of brakes before the contact area of it's prongs rounds over and starts climbing over the brake shoe horn instead of spreading them; it will soon wear a ramp on the horn, making the situation worse and making the park brakes useless.
I have welded metal on the horns, making them taller; and, I have welded metal on the rounded edges of the actuator prongs, filing them back to square; and, I have squeezed the prongs back to their original state before all this ramping over the shoe horns had spread them too wide.
Seeing as I make the horns taller than as delivered, my repair is good for about three sets of shoes before the ramping starts and park brake effectiveness goes out the window.
I just now have welded metal on the horns of a brand-new set of shoes and rebuilt the prongs on the actuator again; I don't know how many more times I can get away with this before a prong breaks off and all this welding has probably made the prongs softer such that they spread easier and make the ramping worse.
I have searched until my searcher is wore out and I cannot find a source for this very common wear part anywhere.
Surely, as common as they are, they are available somewhere.
Can anyone provide me with a part number and better yet a source for this simple steel piece ?
Thanks.
This steel piece resides behind the park brake lever, on the same stud where the top end of the auto-adjuster cable resides.
The park brake lever engages this piece and it in turn engages the "horns" on the brake shoes and spreads them when the park brake is applied.
It is good for about two sets of brakes before the contact area of it's prongs rounds over and starts climbing over the brake shoe horn instead of spreading them; it will soon wear a ramp on the horn, making the situation worse and making the park brakes useless.
I have welded metal on the horns, making them taller; and, I have welded metal on the rounded edges of the actuator prongs, filing them back to square; and, I have squeezed the prongs back to their original state before all this ramping over the shoe horns had spread them too wide.
Seeing as I make the horns taller than as delivered, my repair is good for about three sets of shoes before the ramping starts and park brake effectiveness goes out the window.
I just now have welded metal on the horns of a brand-new set of shoes and rebuilt the prongs on the actuator again; I don't know how many more times I can get away with this before a prong breaks off and all this welding has probably made the prongs softer such that they spread easier and make the ramping worse.
I have searched until my searcher is wore out and I cannot find a source for this very common wear part anywhere.
Surely, as common as they are, they are available somewhere.
Can anyone provide me with a part number and better yet a source for this simple steel piece ?
Thanks.
