Finally Bought it...

[icanfixall]

Well I finally spent the few bucks to buy the special rear brake spring tool to remove the brakes from the backing plates. For those that have never seen or done this job its a horrible job without this tool. Snapon makes this tool but towcat tells us its a crappy tool and it breaks easily. He has something that looks like this he got off the Mac truck so I figured to try this. About the same price too. The silly design of the small coil springs that holds the shoes to the backing plate is nothing like what you find on many brake shoe applications. Those have the cups under and over the springs and you press the top spring retainer down on the pin that sticks thru the plate. Not so on our fords. We have a coil the grabs the bent pin and holds the shoe that way... Not fun. So I have this for the rest of my life.. I hope.. Tolls are good to have...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/290925122908?_trksid=p2055120.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

 

[cpdenton]

Make a video on how to use this thing. I can't wrap my head around the proper technique this tool would require.

 

[6.9poweredscout]

I think I can make one with the scrap 1/4" round stock I have

 

[chris142]

My first job out of high skool was working at pep boys. That was one of the first tools i bought. Mine came from the matco guy

 

[icanfixall]

I also made my tool but it was not a very good fit. Having the right tool for the job makes every job so much easier. I like tools...

 

[terryh]

I did one side without any special tools and think I spent an hour going through every curse word I could think of. I will definitely buy this before I work on the brakes again. Any other special tools recommended for our brakes?

 

[icanfixall]

Yes, 2 tools that comes to mind are the injection pump turning tool to adjust the timing and the 9/16 special bent wrench to loosen the nuts so you can adjust the timing. Ford made a special tool box for our engines too. It has all the tools to install the crank dampner,main seals, cam gears and many other items. It really help when you overhaul these engines.

 

[jas88]

The ones with the bent pin you are talking about, I just use a pair of pliers or vise-grips on, I push the spring hook toward the shoe and release the little hook with my finger. I am not seeing what is the big deal? I do these without any trouble this way. First time I ever saw that setup was on the front drum brakes of a '68 Buick LeSabre, I was in a high school "speed and skills" competition and I just had to figure it out and use the tools I had with me. Maybe I just got lucky but my 74 F350 has those and I don't remember having any trouble with 'em.

These are the only special brake tools I have ever used, I have had them since the 70s when I was in high school. The one on the left is for removing the "normal" brake shoe retainers, I think it is a K-D. The one on the right is called a "dog-leg tool" and is used for removing and replacing the brake shoe springs. It is by Proto.

I do agree, tho, that having the right tool makes the job much more enjoyable.

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[Black dawg]

A pair of long 90 deg needle nose works very good on those springs.

 

[cpdenton]

Ran in to the matco man today. Spent a minute in his catalog and mine will be here next week. Right around 11 dollars.


http://www.matcotools.com/catalog/product/RST10/BRAKE-SHOE-RETAINING-SPRING-TOOL/

 

[icanfixall]

Ran in to the matco man today. Spent a minute in his catalog and mine will be here next week. Right around 11 dollars.


http://www.matcotools.com/catalog/product/RST10/BRAKE-SHOE-RETAINING-SPRING-TOOL/

Same tool I just got.. But you got the cousin price. I paid the "Welcome to Cali" price.. It still hurts...