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Anti-rattle ideas for brake rods
Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2023 1:46 pm
by bdtutton
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?
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I know they had this problem back in the day...how did they solve it?
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Re: Anti-rattle ideas for brake rods
Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2023 1:50 pm
by TWrenn
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.
Re: Anti-rattle ideas for brake rods
Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2023 2:22 pm
by Craig Leach
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
Craig.
Re: Anti-rattle ideas for brake rods
Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2023 4:03 pm
by Erik Johnson
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
Re: Anti-rattle ideas for brake rods
Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2023 4:04 pm
by Jerry VanOoteghem
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).
Re: Anti-rattle ideas for brake rods
Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2023 4:37 pm
by Bruce Compton
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.
Re: Anti-rattle ideas for brake rods
Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2023 4:59 pm
by DanTreace
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. 
Re: Anti-rattle ideas for brake rods
Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2023 5:49 pm
by Rich Eagle
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.
Re: Anti-rattle ideas for brake rods
Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2023 6:07 pm
by Oldav8tor
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
Re: Anti-rattle ideas for brake rods
Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2023 6:46 pm
by TRDxB2
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 (395.97 KiB) Viewed 3355 times
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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 (446.72 KiB) Viewed 3355 times
Re: Anti-rattle ideas for brake rods
Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2023 8:30 pm
by TXGOAT2
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".
Re: Anti-rattle ideas for brake rods
Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2023 9:53 pm
by Scott_Conger
If you cannot find Corinthian lather, you might try Florina foam.
Re: Anti-rattle ideas for brake rods
Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2023 6:21 pm
by Craig Leach
Scott,
I understand that the hide on Nauga's raised in Alaska is much thicker and it will work too.
Craig.
Re: Anti-rattle ideas for brake rods
Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2023 5:38 pm
by Rich Eagle
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.
Re: Anti-rattle ideas for brake rods
Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2023 12:42 am
by TRDxB2
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
)
Re: Anti-rattle ideas for brake rods
Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2023 6:31 pm
by TRDxB2
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
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In this photo you can also see the front having a straight truss rod
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Position of the support on the radius rod is also necessary ti keep it in place
Re: Anti-rattle ideas for brake rods
Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2023 11:24 am
by TRDxB2
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
Re: Anti-rattle ideas for brake rods
Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2023 10:35 pm
by bdtutton
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.
Re: Anti-rattle ideas for brake rods
Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2023 10:49 pm
by Allan
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.
Re: Anti-rattle ideas for brake rods
Posted: Fri Feb 17, 2023 6:45 am
by Model T Ron
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.
Re: Anti-rattle ideas for brake rods
Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2023 10:01 pm
by bdtutton
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.
