Folks,

Many of you know that I am restoring my 1963 Z06. Well, was putting brakes back on yesterday afternoon and have run into a snag. According to the 1963 shop manual, Page 5-16 " METALLIC BRAKES, SERVICE OPERATIONS", Step 5 CAUTION, I should have an ADJUSTING SCREW SPRING that fits over the adjusting screw.

Anyone ever seen this on a car? Anyone know where I could even begin to look for this spring? I have everything else to put this car back together brake-wise. In fact, didn't even think anything about that spring until we were following the shop manual step-by-step!

 

This spring holds the two shoes together at the bottom of the shoes near or above the self adjuster. The shoe number should be 228 for both front and rear. Metallic brakes have small pads on the shoes, not compete linings covering the whole shoe. Not a lot of stopping power until they get warm or hot. However they hardly ever ware out. :cheers:

 

IRONCROSS,

Thanks for the response - problem is, when you read the steps and you look at the diagram, there is a spring THAT GOES over top of the adjuster! This is in addition to the spring you are talking about, and which I have.

I NEED the spring that slides over the adjusting screw. Or am I being TOO **** and should I forget it, since no one can see this anyway!?

 

I checked one of our brake hardware parts books, "Gibson" and under the Delco Moraine system that you have, as long as you have the shoe hold down and return springs in there correct location you should be safe. Just remember, those metallic brake shoes do NOT stop very well until hot.

 

To avoid confusion everyone needs to be aware that there are TWO metallic brake systems for 1963. The first is option J-65 "Metallic Brakes" that use a special metallic lining with a finer finish on the base drum castings and heat resistant return springs.

The other metallic brake system is "Heavy Duty Brakes" that were part of the Z-06 option, which were also available separately as J-56 in 1964. As far as I know there is nothing other than maybe the hold-down pin assemblies that is shared with base or J-65 brakes. Essentially everything that makes up the HD brake system is unique.

The J-65 system uses the base brake adjuster spring, which is located above the adjuster. The HD brake system uses a unique spring that is concentric with the adjuster, and the adjusters are different, too. Base and J-65 use an adjuster that is actuated when the brakes are applied during reverse motion. HD brake self adjusters are activated in the forward direction.

These springs are in Group 5.026 - 5462023. They are likely long since discontinued, but you never know until you check. Lack of the springs may cause the adjusting actuation to be overly aggresive, so you should try to find originals or acceptable substitutes.

Your best bet is to find someone in the Z06 community who is knowledgeable and work with them to find originals, substitutes, or determine whether the system will operate satisfactorily without them.

The HD brake system was a source of problems for racers and they were typically modified quite a bit in the field. It's possible that some found better brake operation without the springs and removed them. That could be why yours are missing, but after over 40 years, who knows!

Duke





[Modified by SWCDuke, 1:02 PM 3/14/2004]

 

Duke,

thanks for the response - I have sent an SOS out to the folks in Z06 community that I know. So far - NADA. I am hoping someone like Jim Gessner or Garrett Waddell will respond, since both of them raced/race the Z06.