Anti-rattle ideas for brake rods

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bdtutton
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Anti-rattle ideas for brake rods

Post by bdtutton » Thu Jan 26, 2023 1:46 pm

When I installed Rocky Mountain brakes on my 14 Touring car I noticed the brake rods were very close to the running board truss rods. When I push on the brakes the two rods get so close together that they often rattle together quite loudly. I really don't want to bend the rods so I have been thinking about splitting a rubber hose and covering one of the rods so the sound would be deadened when they bang together. I know it would work, but there must be a more visually appealing way to resolve this issue. Is just bending the rods a little the best option?
.
I know they had this problem back in the day...how did they solve it?
,

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TWrenn
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Re: Anti-rattle ideas for brake rods

Post by TWrenn » Thu Jan 26, 2023 1:50 pm

I would not bend the rods. They'll still "flop" enough to bang on the other rods. Lord knows I've tried like you to stop the noise, using as you said, with rubber hose with limited success. Gonna try a more dense type foam rubber if I find any and see if that helps. Otherwise it's just business as usual and have to ignore it.

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Craig Leach
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Re: Anti-rattle ideas for brake rods

Post by Craig Leach » Thu Jan 26, 2023 2:22 pm

I have the same issue on my speedster! Rubber hose didn’t help, then the wife
Pointed out that I put the hose in the wrong place lol I put the hose on with the park
Brake allied. When I released the brake it was not in the place it needed to be
She also suggested I put it on both rods. Know I can hear her when she yells
You missed the turn🤪
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Re: Anti-rattle ideas for brake rods

Post by Erik Johnson » Thu Jan 26, 2023 4:03 pm

I don't know anything about Rocky Mountain Brakes, but factory parking brake rod rattling can be greatly reduced by installing oversize clevis pins which are readily available from the vendors such as Langs.

https://www.modeltford.com/item/2564OS.aspx


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Re: Anti-rattle ideas for brake rods

Post by Jerry VanOoteghem » Thu Jan 26, 2023 4:04 pm

Don't bend the rods. Doing so, will make them seem "spongy" during braking and will require additional, wasted, motion of the brake pedal, (or stick).


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Re: Anti-rattle ideas for brake rods

Post by Bruce Compton » Thu Jan 26, 2023 4:37 pm

In the past, I've used light springs to keep tension on the rods. 6" low tension spring from the brake rod to a hole in the frame or a running board support and the rattles are gone.

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Re: Anti-rattle ideas for brake rods

Post by DanTreace » Thu Jan 26, 2023 4:59 pm

Most of the rattles on my install were found to be from the front clevis parts on the equalizer bracket. Fixed that by fitting hard plastic (nylon) washers between the clevis arm and the bracket on both sides of the clevis pin.

That made the wiggle there much less, and most of the rattling sounds from running over rail tracks or big bumps about absent. ;)
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Re: Anti-rattle ideas for brake rods

Post by Rich Eagle » Thu Jan 26, 2023 5:49 pm

This didn't photograph very well but it is a piece of leather laced to the running board bracket where most of my rattle was. There is still some on the truss rod but not that bad. I thought it might look like something tried years ago.
Rattle.jpg
When did I do that?

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Re: Anti-rattle ideas for brake rods

Post by Oldav8tor » Thu Jan 26, 2023 6:07 pm

Geez, I must be hard of hearing or so many parts of my T are making noise that I can't pick out the sound of brake rods rattling. Then again, I'm used to flying old airplanes that are really noisy! I have to wear a noise-cancelling headset and use an intercom just to talk to the guy in the other seat. By comparison a Model T is quiet :D
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Re: Anti-rattle ideas for brake rods

Post by TRDxB2 » Thu Jan 26, 2023 6:46 pm

Would it be possible for you to take a photo from this angle. Interested in seeing what position the brake rod support is in. If you look at the picture it looks like the hook of the brake rod support it almost positioned near where your' having the rattle.
brk rod rattle.png
brk rod rattle.png (395.97 KiB) Viewed 1922 times
--
--
Also it look like there is scraping in several places. If I looking at the what I think is he floorboard support rod there is an awful amount of side to side movement on it
wearwhere.png
wearwhere.png (446.72 KiB) Viewed 1922 times
Last edited by TRDxB2 on Fri Jan 27, 2023 2:55 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Anti-rattle ideas for brake rods

Post by TXGOAT2 » Thu Jan 26, 2023 8:30 pm

I'd try to make an anti-rattler out of leather, or better yet, fine Corinthian lather, if available. Another option might be to use old-fashioned "friction tape".


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Re: Anti-rattle ideas for brake rods

Post by Scott_Conger » Thu Jan 26, 2023 9:53 pm

If you cannot find Corinthian lather, you might try Florina foam.
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Re: Anti-rattle ideas for brake rods

Post by Craig Leach » Fri Jan 27, 2023 6:21 pm

Scott,
I understand that the hide on Nauga's raised in Alaska is much thicker and it will work too. ;)
Craig.

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Re: Anti-rattle ideas for brake rods

Post by Rich Eagle » Mon Feb 13, 2023 5:38 pm

Frank asked, "Would it be possible for you to take a photo from this angle?" Again, it doesn't want to photograph clearly, but you can see it is closer to the running board bracket than the truss rod. When the snow melts, I'll try for a better picture.
Monday1.jpg
When did I do that?

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Re: Anti-rattle ideas for brake rods

Post by TRDxB2 » Tue Feb 14, 2023 12:42 am

What I am trying to see where the brake rod support bracket is and how much clearance there is when its rapped around the brake rod. The lateral wear pattern on the truss rod just seems to excessive if the rod was properly secured. Now they sold accessories to minimize the rattle in the stock bracket.
If I remember, I'm planning to help a friend this week that has a 1914 in a warm garage - I wrote myself a note to take some pictures (and another to remember to take the note ;) )
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brake rod support 2.jpg
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Re: Anti-rattle ideas for brake rods

Post by TRDxB2 » Tue Feb 14, 2023 6:31 pm

Took some photos of the brake rod & running board truss rod. My immediate reaction from viewing these photos makes me think that Bryon's 14 has the wrong truss rod in the rear. The front is straight and the rear is curved to clear the brake rod. These photos show an abundance of space around the rod where it goes passes over under the running board brackets. Another possibility is how the brake rod is fitted to its support on the radius rod
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There is room to spare
IMG_4602.JPG
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In this photo you can also see the front having a straight truss rod
IMG_4604.JPG
--
Position of the support on the radius rod is also necessary ti keep it in place
IMG_4609.JPG
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Re: Anti-rattle ideas for brake rods

Post by TRDxB2 » Thu Feb 16, 2023 11:24 am

bdtutton wrote:
Thu Jan 26, 2023 1:46 pm
When I installed Rocky Mountain brakes on my 14 Touring car I noticed the brake rods were very close to the running board truss rods. When I push on the brakes the two rods get so close together that they often rattle together quite loudly. I really don't want to bend the rods so I have been thinking about splitting a rubber hose and covering one of the rods so the sound would be deadened when they bang together. I know it would work, but there must be a more visually appealing way to resolve this issue. Is just bending the rods a little the best option?
.
I know they had this problem back in the day...how did they solve it?
,
see pictures above
More info.... what's the brake rod look like
Attachments
brake rod length.png
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Topic author
bdtutton
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Re: Anti-rattle ideas for brake rods

Post by bdtutton » Thu Feb 16, 2023 10:35 pm

What is rattling is the Rocky Mountain brake rods against the front brace between the running boards. I have lots of clearance in the back. Here is a photo.
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6C0558F8-31C5-41B2-9537-3EDA452D0343.jpeg


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Re: Anti-rattle ideas for brake rods

Post by Allan » Thu Feb 16, 2023 10:49 pm

Brian, might you be able to turn the cross piece up the other way, so the eye is on top rather than underneath? That will raise the rods somewhat.

Allan from down under.


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Re: Anti-rattle ideas for brake rods

Post by Model T Ron » Fri Feb 17, 2023 6:45 am

I would like to think someone has a solution. I am going to be putting on a set of RM Brakes soon so I am interested in this trend.


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Re: Anti-rattle ideas for brake rods

Post by bdtutton » Sat Feb 18, 2023 10:01 pm

I went back to the instructions and verified that I installed everything correctly and I did....
I tried flipping over bracket 549E per Allan's suggestion and the rods seem to clear everything and probably will not rattle anymore. I will need to adjust the brakes a little and do some real life driving to see how well this works. Will post results after I do some testing.
Attachments
Rocky_Mountain.jpg

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