MTFCA Forum

I am brand new to Model T's but very old to mechanic'ing. One of my first projects on my T is to overhaul the hand brake assembly which is completely worn out. I've ordered a new pawl and brake quadrant along with the rivets for all of it.

I'd love to hear from someone who's undertaken this to get their wisdom on how to go about it. I've done some rivet work on airplanes but never with steel. And it looks like getting my air hammer in position will be a little tough without removing the running board.

Did I mention I'd like to hear from someone who's done this.

Thanks in advance,

Mike

Mike

spend the money for the "expensive" quadrant...it's more than worth the extra $$

I do not rivet the quadrant in place. I use button head socket head screws and nyloc nuts. The screws will never break, they look like rivets, and the nyloc stainless nuts will stay on forever. Touch up with black paint and no one will be the wiser.

This is a worthy project and you're a wise man to tackle it now and not later.

Mike

Done that many times, replacing the quadrant on a bare frame, but haven't done it with body and sheetmetal on top of the frame.

A 'fix' may be made by shearing off the rivet heads and punching out the remains, but under the car would be harder task, then drill out the holes and place grade 8 bolts and nuts to secure the new quadrant.

But..... a repair is done better removing the splash shields, (body lift some is needed) to get real access to the part. Then drill into the rivet heads part way, then punch out, takes some work to get off the old part. After that, air hammer and torch to heat the new rivets red and set them, two persons are best, one to rivet and one to buck the rivet head.




Just did this quadrant over Thanksgiving on the '13 frame with helpers, grandson and a son-in-law.....good workers too, did the forged running board brackets first and then the quadrant rivets , purty good for beginners! (RV Anderson supplied the correct rivets, his fasteners are made to factory prints)

Many thanks Scott, Steve and Dan. I greatly appreciate your quick responses. I'm tempted to go with bolts initially and replace them with the rivets when I get more time to disassemble the body parts blocking my path.

Thanks you all for your willingness to share.

Mike