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Time to fix the hand brake because it just doesn't work at all. I figured it was worn out or maybe out of adjustment? When I crawled under to have a look, there was more brake pad than I'd expected. Although it was completely oil soaked and out of adjustment. I begin to swap it out for the new band. While trying to install then new brake band, I ran into this.



Looking at the picture in the manual and how the J-Bolt is failing to line up. Is there a possibility than the mount for the band is bent? Can anyone/someone check theirs and tell me how much distance is between the drum and the tab in the middle? The picture in the manual looks like the tab is closer than what I have here. If it is bent, that would answer a lot of questions about what was going on here.

Many thanks in advance!

-jim lee

How about this?

Well, yours certainly looks closer. I can't tell for sure. Also mine didn't have the big 'Ol spring at the bottom of the J-Bolt. Now I wonder what that's for?

Thanks for posting the pic.

-jim lee

The manuals are your friends! TM 9-8030 has beautiful pictures and directions on pages 308 and 338. Directions for assembling and adjusting the hand brake are contained in Paragraph 219 (page 338). There is also some information on the hand brake lever adjustment and assembly in TM 9-8031-2.

Good Luck with the reassembly. It's really not that difficult. The anchor screw spring is probably the toughest part.

52 M-42

UH huh, that's where all this started. Squinting at them blurry pictures in them manuals. The tiny blur that is supposed to be the middle tab looked closer to the blur than is the drum than what I'm seeing in the real world. But I can't be sure. There's no dimensions to go on here.

-jim lee

I don't know if you are using military paper manuals or computer manuals, but the military, old school, paper manuals are crystal clear. I can try scanning the manual pages if you would like.

52 M-42

The text is fine. If you could scan just the two pictures, that would be great! 'Cause the pix are the issue. I can't even tell what spots are point A, B or C on the drum. Although by now I've pretty much figured out how it works, so the different points arn't as important anymore.

-jim lee

Here's the manual illustrations. Since you have the manual verbiage, I'm just posting the illustrations. If you still have questions let us know.



You will notice in the second illustration that instead of jam nuts a heavy steel spring is shown on the bottom of the "J" bolt. I have jam nuts (which I prefer). I believe either is correct. I'm not sure which came first; probably the heavy spring.



Both these illustrations come from the TM 9-8030 dtd 1955 on pages 308 & 338. Adjustment instructions are in paragraph 219 on page 338.

Good Luck with the adjustment!

52 M-42

Thanks! That's a zillion times clearer than what I have. Looking at your top picture and the first one posted. It looks like there is maybe 1/8" clearance if that. Mine is more like 3/8" or more. So, as soon as I get a socket large enough for the drum nut, I'm going to pull mine off and have a look.

Oh and I see there's an anchor screw spring (by mark A) on the picture that I'm also missing. I was wondering how that all worked.

Notice the bottom of the J-Bolt. One picture shows a big O'l spring below the brake band. The other shows a double adjusting nut. I guess mine is the double nut type.

Thanks again for scanning the pictures!

-jim lee

Jim, this is why you need hard copies (old school) of the manuals. It will make life much easier. Really.

52 M-42

Well, I bit the bullet and pulled the part out this afternoon. Its called something like the transfer case rear casting? Had to buy a big 'Ol socket to get the drum off.


The arm and the tab just don't seem to line up right from this angle..



They really don't line up from this angle.

So, parts are on order. Maybe I'll have this running again by the end of the week?

We'll see..

-jim lee

Here's a little closure on the whole handbrake deal.


A new rear casting for the transfer case. This is the bit that holds the brake band. Also a new seal to keep more of the oil inside. With this new unbent part, everything suddenly fit really nice. And yes that is a shiny new brake band.


All done! Actually this is the day before all done. Seems you really need to let them sit compressed over night before you can get a decent adjustment. Went back in the next day and was able to readjust closer and actually get the brake to work.

We're talking able to skid the rear tires!
Woo hoo!

Thanks for the help everyone!

-jim lee

Looks great, thanks for posting the final pictures.

Any idea how that part got bent?

Chris P wrote:
Any idea how that part got bent?

Skidding the rear tires!

Sorry...couldn't resist.

No idea. I spent a lot of time under there wondering how it could have happened too.

-jim lee