What did you do to your deuce this week?

[Mullaney]

View attachment 821148View attachment 821149
Old cable in first pic. New cable installed before bolting in truck. I believe they put the cable in the jacket first and then swage on both end fittings afterwards. The second pic is how the cable attaches to the cab ebrake handle.

Wow. Thanks Owen. I was excited when I found one of the cables had a grease fitting on it. It seemed to help a lot for a while. Lost motion may well be my problem. I stood there at lunch today and stared at the problem for a while... I am thinking a couple of ropes - one running up so I can raise and another running down so I can lower - should be possible. That way I can be under the truck and move the lever in both directions. Maybe I can try that soon. This weekend is supposed to bring rain here so it may be a couple of days before I can report back.

THANKS for the idea! Thinking about it, I remember "lost motion" problems with throttle cables on boom trucks. Getting it tied down correctly solved those. Maybe it will fix this too - and for all I know - when I do that I may find that the jacket and cable are frozen. My M936 came out of Ohio, and I imagine they have TDG (Truck Destroyer, Granular) too

 

[Dipstick]

Sure thing. Always like to help if I can. I have a brother that has lived in Cincinnati since college. They get snow and a lot of freezing rain down there so I'm sure they use TDG. The whole 24' x 3 0' area where I park Brutus is covered with 3" of snow that is as hard as ice. I don't get much sun there. What a mess. I wasn't able to get to it in time. I have a brand new PTO/throttle cable (the kind that has a knob where you can fine tune the engine RPM) brand new in a box. I never installed it. It's yours for free if you think you can use it. I'll ship it to you. Couldn't your significant other help you with the up down lever thing? Or ask one of your employees to help. Keep me posted on what you find when you get to it. I like to think through mechanical problems when I can.

 

[DutchmanZ]

I seem to recall a zerk fitting in the ebrake cables right above the toolbox. I could be wrong.

My truck has the zerk fitting but I also have the old style curved brake handle. I have a replacement cable but it’s a newer design and requires the handle/lever replacement as well. I kept working mine back and forth and greasing it till it is almost free. The spring on the brake won’t quite pull the cable back when I release the lever. I’m hoping some more movement and lube will fix it. Fortunately eastern NC is pretty flat

 

[Dipstick]

Dutch here are my thoughts on the parking brake. The little return spring is stiff enough to make it hard to install, but not strong enough or long enough to retract the brake shoes and certainly not the cable. I don't worry about that at all. Here's why. The proper shoe to drum clearance is very small. You would have to use a feeler gauge to measure it and it will look like there is almost no gap at all to the the naked eye. The main things to watch are that the your truck will roll on a slight grade when the brake handle is released and the parking brake drum does not get overly hot to the touch after a drive of several miles or more. The brake shoes actually kind of float above the spinning drum while driving. In fact, you will notice that after a few miles the drum will have a polished and not a surface rusted look to it (the bare metal of the drum rusts very quickly when not used for a while). This can be observed when you let the truck sit for a couple of days with the parking brake on when it is rainy or very cold outside. My brake frequently sticks under these conditions. A light tap on the shoes with a five pound hammer cures this in a jiffy. There is always a five pound hammer in my truck. When you release the brake handle you are really just releasing the TENSION on the cable and the shoes. I have a lot of experience in this area because I've also owned a 1952 Dodge truck with a drum parking brake (also rebuilt by me) and I used to adjust elevator and crane hoist brakes when I was in the Navy. I learned by trial and error and by reading tech manuals. Food for thought.

 

[Recovry4x4]

I think that is where the moustache spring comes into play. It pushes the shoes just far enough apart that they don't drag.

 

[Dipstick]

I think that is where the moustache spring comes into play. It pushes the shoes just far enough apart that they don't drag.

Recovry you could be right. I don't remember a moustache spring on my truck, but it could just be my old age addled brain/memory.

 

[DutchmanZ]

Recovry you could be right. I don't remember a moustache spring on my truck, but it could just be my old age addled brain/memory.

I replaced the parking brake shoe assembly already. I didn’t have a return spring at all but I found one that I made work. Better than nothing was my thought. The original style didn’t have the mustache spring but the replacement assembly did. It wasn’t that it was missing, it wasn’t designed for it to have one. I’m guessing that was a redesign. So far, my park brake works fine and doesn’t over heat. I have found that it sometimes sticks on but it will release if I rock the truck forward before backing up.

 

[Dipstick]

I replaced the parking brake shoe assembly already. I didn’t have a return spring at all but I found one that I made work. Better than nothing was my thought. The original style didn’t have the mustache spring but the replacement assembly did. It wasn’t that it was missing, it wasn’t designed for it to have one. I’m guessing that was a redesign. So far, my park brake works fine and doesn’t over heat. I have found that it sometimes sticks on but it will release if I rock the truck forward before backing up.

My truck too. Sometimes it really locks up hard though. Especially after I've driven him in rain or snow. Sometimes the water freezes in between the drum and shoes. Sometimes it locks so hard, that I work about dropping a drive shaft or something. I prefer the light hammer tap method to replacing clutches or driveshafts. Just my two cents. Not trying to be a know-it-all here.

 

[Recovry4x4]

The original style didn’t have the mustache spring but the replacement assembly did. It wasn’t that it was missing, it wasn’t designed for it to have one. I’m guessing that was a redesign.

Are you sure about this? I no longer have an 8022 manual but I went back to the 1976 TM 9-2320-209-34P and it shows both brake lever assemblies and only one brake assembly which does show the spring. I'm no longer well versed on these as I once was. Anyone with a TM9-8022?

 

[dmetalmiki]

Today, I finally got the power brake cylinder (on my early deuce), into position, Then, Despite the pain of the rotator cuff injury (Which actually lessened as I struggled!), I fitted the near impossible to fit piping.
But determination, (And experience), had them all back on and tight.
I am very happy, As I only have to re-fill the system with dot4 and bleed out the system., (Just as soon as one of the young helpers turns up).
As the U.K. Is now on (A) Stage 4 (!!!), Total lock down.
Perhaps not before time, As finally, We might just start to bring this 'Chinese Disease', Under some sort of control, At last.
I would really like to take my GMC M135 for a drive out on boxing day, Or, Sooner.

 

[DutchmanZ]

Are you sure about this? I no longer have an 8022 manual but I went back to the 1976 TM 9-2320-209-34P and it shows both brake lever assemblies and only one brake assembly which does show the spring. I'm no longer well versed on these as I once was. Anyone with a TM9-8022?

I have the 8022 manual but I haven’t verified what it says about the parking brake. I just know my original brake assembly had no provisions for the mustache spring and the new assembly did. I don’t have a pic of the new setup. With my truck being a 1953, there are several things I’ve found that are different over the newer trucks.

 

[Dipstick]

Today, I finally got the power brake cylinder (on my early deuce), into position, Then, Despite the pain of the rotator cuff injury (Which actually lessened as I struggled!), I fitted the near impossible to fit piping.
But determination, (And experience), had them all back on and tight.
I am very happy, As I only have to re-fill the system with dot4 and bleed out the system., (Just as soon as one of the young helpers turns up).
As the U.K. Is now on (A) Stage 4 (!!!), Total lock down.
Perhaps not before time, As finally, We might just start to bring this 'Chinese Disease', Under some sort of control, At last.
I would really like to take my GMC M135 for a drive out on boxing day, Or, Sooner.

Well done dmetalmiki! Glad to hear of your success!

 

[Dipstick]

I have the 8022 manual but I haven’t verified what it says about the parking brake. I just know my original brake assembly had no provisions for the mustache spring and the new assembly did. I don’t have a pic of the new setup. With my truck being a 1953, there are several things I’ve found that are different over the newer trucks.

View attachment 821239

You know on second thought my truck might have the moustache springs installed. I'll try and go out there and look tomorrow. My truck is currently parked on a big patch of ice in my driveway. From the picture your brake assembly looks pretty close to mine.

 

[Dipstick]

Are you sure about this? I no longer have an 8022 manual but I went back to the 1976 TM 9-2320-209-34P and it shows both brake lever assemblies and only one brake assembly which does show the spring. I'm no longer well versed on these as I once was. Anyone with a TM9-8022?

I read through my CD Rom TM today and I couldn't find the handbrake assembly. Just the service brakes. I usually enjoy reading tech manuals, but I'd rather jump off the roof of my house head first than read one of those damn TMs. Hate them.

 

[Mullaney]

Sure thing. Always like to help if I can. I have a brother that has lived in Cincinnati since college. They get snow and a lot of freezing rain down there so I'm sure they use TDG. The whole 24' x 3 0' area where I park Brutus is covered with 3" of snow that is as hard as ice. I don't get much sun there. What a mess. I wasn't able to get to it in time. I have a brand new PTO/throttle cable (the kind that has a knob where you can fine tune the engine RPM) brand new in a box. I never installed it. It's yours for free if you think you can use it. I'll ship it to you. Couldn't your significant other help you with the up down lever thing? Or ask one of your employees to help. Keep me posted on what you find when you get to it. I like to think through mechanical problems when I can.

Easily enough I could get one of my guys or gals to spend a little time working on the truck - but I try really hard to keep business and personal time separated. Not that I couldn't I guess, I just have chosen not to. The most exciting thing to happen a couple of weeks ago was a friend of a friend mentioned that his son was home from school for the holidays. We were hammering out work at the printshop and he worked 5pm to midnight for about ten days. Great attitude and all the right things a body can say about the kids that will be running this country in a few more years. He mentioned that he works on his own vehicles. Engine swaps, transmission and axle swaps... He worked on removing the winch and cable guides on a frame that I bought. Did a great job too! I figure if the weather is decent - maybe I can get him to help with the wrecker.

Thanks for the offer on the throttle cable. I guess I need to investigate what I have a little closer. Temptation is to say yes immediately, but I need to know I can put it to good use first. I really appreciate the offer Owen!

 

[DutchmanZ]

Are you sure about this? I no longer have an 8022 manual but I went back to the 1976 TM 9-2320-209-34P and it shows both brake lever assemblies and only one brake assembly which does show the spring. I'm no longer well versed on these as I once was. Anyone with a TM9-8022?

This is the extent of the info on the hand brake. It doesn’t mention the mustache spring or have it in the illustration. Of course that doesn’t mean much either. My brake lever looks like the one in the last pic. The newer style looks just like the parking brake levers in the M105 trailer.

 

[Dipstick]

Nice post Dutch! My handbrake lever is the other style which is very different. There is no adjustment at the brake handle end. Other than that, on the drum side it looks pretty much the same. I just spread Ice melt by my truck. I should be able to look for the moustache springs tomorrow.

 

[DutchmanZ]

Nice post Dutch! My handbrake lever is the other style which is very different. There is no adjustment at the brake handle end. Other than that, on the drum side it looks pretty much the same. I just spread Ice melt by my truck. I should be able to look for the moustache springs tomorrow.

If you have the the short round handle style, I’m pretty sure the knurled end turns to adjust the cable pull. It’s another glorious rainy day here or I’d go take a pic of the M105 handle for comparison.

 

[Dipstick]

I decided to crawl under Brutus. Wasn't going to let a little ice stop me. This is the moustache spring. It's purpose is to hold the inner shoe away from the drum when the parking brake is released. You may be able to retrofit one if your truck has the provision for the right side (of the spring) attachment screw. You're right about the adjustment knob on my type of handbrake lever. I must have had a senior moment.

 

[Dipstick]

Easily enough I could get one of my guys or gals to spend a little time working on the truck - but I try really hard to keep business and personal time separated. Not that I couldn't I guess. I just choose not to. The most exciting thing to happen a couple of weeks ago was a friend of a friend mentioned that his son was home from school for the holidays. We were hammering out work at the printshop and he worked 5pm to midnight for about ten days. Great attitude and all the right things a body can say about the kids that will be running this country in a few more years. He mentioned that he works on his own vehicles. Engine swaps, transmission and axle swaps... He worked on removing the winch and cable guides on a frame that I bought. Did a great job too! I figure if the weather is decent - maybe I can get him to help with the wrecker.

Thanks for the offer on the throttle cable. I guess I need to investigate what I have a little closer. Temptation is to say yes immediately, but I need to know I can put it to good use first. I really appreciate the offer Owen!

I have a local kid that want's to help me too. His name is Al. Somehow he just doesn't seem quite right to me. I may give him a try. Tim, I'll email you about all the rest of the stuff in your post.