1957 dodge custom royal front brakes questions

[moparcuda]

Hi everybody I'm rebuilding my front brakes,I can say restoring with new shoes,cylinder,New tubes,but I saw that the rod where the return spring is welded to the plate,,,,what is the function of this rod and I want to remove the welds that retain this rod to this plate,,I saw some other people's who have their rod weld like mine,,,why they do this,I drive my car since I bought from the first owner,,,,did this rod help the shoe to touch the drum when I brake?,,,your opinion please,the car in a 57 dodge custom royal

 

[MONC440]

That weld is needed for the return spring. Do not remove it because the spring will not be able to be attached. The springs put the shoes back when you release the brakes.

 

[Jakter]

I don't believe I've ever seen them welded.
I do remember that those rods as you call them can be pushed in but you could not pull them out.
Perhaps at some point the innards that prevented them from being pulled out were broken and someone welded the loops in place to be able to hook the return springs to.

I don't know why those "rods" were able to float in though but the ones I've seen were never stationary.

 

[70NEWYORKER]

The rod that the spring is attached to also rides the adjustment cam. Return spring tension stays the same as the cam adjusts the rest position of the shoe

 

[sb61fury]

I converted to front disc brakes on my '61 fury for better stopping I am thinking about converting the rear brakes from drum to disc I got to find some one who can do this for me since my father is no longer around( He passed away this past January 13)

 

[WikedPlymouth]

I agree with 70NEWYORKER, those spring attachments, at least on my 1959 Dodge and 1958 Plymouth, are moved in/out by the adjustment cams on each side to push/pull the brake shoes. I just finished rebuilding my brakes on the 1959 Dodge and had to turn the cams all the way inward to get the new shoes pulled in for the drums to fit on. I don't think I've ever seen them welded. Once welded, not sure how you would adjust the brake shoes.