I recently overhauled the rear brakes on my '57 GMC
equipped with a Spicer 45. It too was missing the
spreader bars. The "standard" spreader bars from
whatever rear end is in a '57 Chevy are too wide
and contact the backing plate. Taking about 3/16"
of the edge of the spreader bar off with a bench
grinder solved the problem for me.
On my truck the cables that run from the lever on
each rear brake forward to a clevis pin were
hopelessly rusted (probably why someone had removed
the spreader bars). I soaked them in the Liquid
Wrench for a week and still could not get the inner
cable to break loose from the outer sheath.
Heavy Chevy had new replacement cables, however the
replacements do NOT have grease fittings as my
originals did. They also had the spreader bars and
springs. If I knew ahead of time that the spreader
bars were different on the Spicer 45, they may have
been able to supply the proper parts.
-----Original Message-----
From: larry jones [mailto:lajones@uswest.net]
Sent: Tuesday, June 08, 1999 6:59 PM
To: oletrucks
Subject: [oletrucks] 58-59 GMC emergency brake hardware
Fellow GMC truckers,
I asked about this a while back, but I thought I had the problem solved
and didn't pursue it. My '58 GMC Suburban/Carryall is missing the
emergency brake hardware at the backing plates. There should be a lever,
a spreader bar, and a spring. I tried using hardware from a 57 Chevy 1/2
ton but it doesn't seem to fit. This truck uses a Spicer 45 rear axle.
The pictures in the Chevy shop manual and the GMC shop manual look the
same, but I think there is something different about the GMC. Does
anyone know if the hardware is different or do you have an exploded
diagram of the brake hardware? Of course I could be trying to put the
parts in backwards or upside down, but I'm pretty sure it just doesn't
fit. In the interest of public safety, please help! Thanks in advance.
Larry Jones
'58 GMC NAPCO Suburban/Carryall (Lookout!....NO Brakes!)
oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
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