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1966 self adjusting rear brakes ?

coupe66

Sr. Member
Joined
May 14, 2006
Messages
777
Loc.
Cedar Park Tx
The 66 I just picked up has a big bearing 9inch with 11 inch brakes and when I tore it apart I noticed that it didn't have the small cables and cable guide and small bracket that keeps the brakes shoes adjuster from backing off. I thought I read some where that the 66 models didnt have self adjusting rear brakes ?
Thanks Robert
 

wildbill

Old Bronco Guy
Joined
Jun 29, 2001
Messages
6,885
:mad::mad::mad: Dont say that my 66 has big bearing and 11" brakes that is the way it came from ford.:p:p:p Bill %):cool:;D
 

72Sport

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jul 8, 2002
Messages
2,954
My old Eis catalog lists springs and cables only for a HD 66 3.3M rear axle with 11" rear brakes. It looks like they are the same up to 75. Looks like self adjusters started in 67. Catalog may have some problems. It did show self-adjusting cables and springs for a 66 in one section but did not have anything listed in the self adjusters part section for springs, cables etc. It just might be there are some parts that are different than later years and it wasn't worth including them in a kit. Good luck. I think I would look into changing the backing plates etc to later stuff up to 75.
 

ryansbronco

Bronco Guru
Joined
Mar 6, 2002
Messages
1,160
Loc.
The place of bronco
I went to my original ford shop manual. As far as I can tell in 1966 there wa on the preliminary shop manual. I have never found a full volume set like the later year broncos. The preliminary tells the difference between the early bronco and the Econoline. The preliminary dose not show how the breake shoes are installed. When I got to my econoline shop manual; there is a blow up of the rear drums and front. Section 2-2 shows both axles have both adjusters
 

73azbronco

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 11, 2007
Messages
7,791
I had a 65 econoline and those had the self adjusters so, maybe they did come with adjusters?
 

bobo8929

New Member
Joined
Feb 3, 2014
Messages
16
I have a '66 as well which did not have the self adjusters on there. I purchased them and went to install, however the slots in the backing plate aren't at the right position to install them. I'm opting not to install the self adjusters rather than either (1) installing them without the option to back them off or (2) cutting the backing plate so I can get to the adjuster nut. Anyone else have any other options or opinions on this? I also thought about just switching L and R backing plates which would work for the fronts, but the backs I would have an e-brake issue. Just wondering if the self adjusters are a must have?
 

mrdrnac

Contributor
Sr. Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2010
Messages
524
On my 66, I ended up cutting an extra adjusting slot in the driver side backing plate to be able to add the adjusters and to get them "adjustable".
 

DirtDonk

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 3, 2003
Messages
47,275
Lots of older rigs did not have self-adjusting brakes. The "self" was the owner/user or their mechanic.

In my case, as in most cases of older cars and trucks that I've worked on or known of, the self adjusting feature was rarely functional. In my case, my brakes were kept pristine and maintained for it's entire life and they never worked. Ever. Well, ever since I got it that is. They might have worked in the 5 years between the dealer's lot and when I picked it up, but I stopped worrying about it and just kept adjusting.

It was kind of a ritual with me, after experiencing some pretty scary braking moments in other Broncos. Sometimes it seemed I was re-adjusting my brakes every other week, just to keep them perfectly set. Never had a problem, and they stopped straight and true every time.
Except once, after which I went to front discs and never looked back.;D

If you want it to drive well on the street, and do it consistently, you're probably going to become very well versed in brake adjusting.;D

Paul
 
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