MTFCA Forum

Saw a new one today. Someone worked on this 1913 engine and used the best of everything, including a new brake drum. So far, so good, but they neglected to install the replaceable shoes on the clutch lugs. Clutch bound up and it was nearly impossible to crank the car. I hope I can save the expensive new drum by putting on the shoes.

Erik,

I'm thinking that maybe the lugs are too worn down to be properly gripped by the shoes. Also, the voids left under the shoes may not leave them well supported enough prevent distortion/cracking/loosening. Hope I'm wrong.

I worked on a 13 with the same situation. "grandpa" rebuilt the transmission 40 years before.
The crime of it was he found a late new NOS narrow drum & didnt put on the shoes.
The recent caretaker brought a box of extra parts. In among the used junk was ANOTHER NOS late narrow drum.

Yes the disks get jammed up in the drum's shoe notches.

Can you say SHIT!

You are kidding me..., Really?

No kidding. I had to jack this thing up to get it running and it was a dog in low gear. Once I got it into high and the clutch was no longer involved, everything was fine.

Is this a cast brake drum or one of the new steel ones? If is one of the new steel ones could it be welded up with a wire feed and dressed back down? It might be a little time consuming but if you are just going to scrap it, it might be worth the try.

The new brake drums are not steel, they are ductile iron. Welding on this is not a real good option.

Doesn't look damaged enough to affect the fitting of the shoes.

The drum is fine. I dressed off the damaged areas and installed the shoes. It’s going back together today.

I’m confused as I thought these shoes were just for 1926-27 cars? I am about to put my 1923 together and there is no space for shoes, and they had none when I took it apart. I had to file the notches out but they were not too bad. The Mike Bender videos do not shoe any shoes either.

Bob, this is a modern made replacement drum.

The new modern small trans brake drums are made in the pattern of the late '25 which did have shoes, that were later same on the large 26-27 trans brake drums. Good idea for the new drums so they can be reused if the clutch discs wear the lugs.

These are J&M brand new.