Re: "The Equalizer" - front wedge bolt

Posted by H. L. Chauvin on April 02, 1998 at 22:47:44

In Reply to: "The Equalizer" - front wedge bolt
posted by Wayne Parker on April 02, 1998 at 20:14:51

: I noticed an ad in THE RESTORER for "The Equalizer," a custom designed front wedge bolt that somehow allows ... equal braking pressure to both drums. ... cost is $35.00 for a pair of these wedge bolts.
Hi Wayne:Excellent article on a particular type of "Floater" by Ralph Knopf, Highland IN, in Vol. 6, No. 4, April 1997, "Secrets Magazine, P.O. Box 957436 Hoffman Estates, IL 60195-7436; (Back Issues, $8.00) Phone: (312)558-9338; Fax: (312)558-9337; or e-mail CY4FN@AOL.COM or http://www.classicar.com/clubs/soss/sosshome.htm
Mr. Knopf claims he's installed many, and they work better than any other similar "floater" systems.His front brake shoes can "float" on the drum like the rear shoes do, even if the front roller tracks and wedge studs are not on dead center as provided when they originally left the factory.The front brake operating wedge can slide side to side on the pin to adjust to the drum and to "float" to give equal pressure.Without even trying it yet, one can see why this particular "floater" will work better.
Made a pair after reading his article and after buying a new pair of standard A2051 front brake operating wedge studs from Bratton's catalog for $5.00; however, did not yet try them on the road. Didn't have a milling machine; however made "floaters" as follows
A.Make Hack Saw Cutting Tool Depth Gauge:Through bolted two (2) pieces of 1/4" thick x 1-1/2" high x 8" long oak to both sides of a regular hack saw blade.Cut a rabbet with a rabbet hand plane on one piece of oak, to a depth almost equal to the thickness of the hacksaw blade, and cut rabbet to a width to allow the teeth of the blade to protrude 1/16" downward below the oak guides.
B.Drill 5/16" hole in flat side of both wedge studs, centered on diameter of stud, and 1/4" measured from the in-side of large integral washer at head of bolt, to center of 5/16" hole.
C. Cut several 1/16" deep cuts on both flat sides of stud, 1/8" apart, from in-side face of large integral washer out to 11/16", away from washer.
D.After 1/16" deep grooves are cut, and 5/16" hole is drilled, (now less metal to remove), with flat file, file metal down smooth to bottoms of cut grooves.After filing, should have removed 1/16" deep x 11/16" volume of steel from both flat sides of stud.
E.Make pin with 5/16" bolt, rough cut 5/16" long, and smoothly filed down to .540" to fit in wedge stud, and to slide smoothly, up and down in the groove of the A 2050 front brake operating wedge.Wedge can now float side to side and to center itself as wedge encounters brake shoe rollers A 2023A.
Many of these must have been tried by now.
Sincerely, Henry

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