RE: {Chrysler 300} HELP! Need front brake backing plate for 1957 300C

For those folks that want to learn more about the return spring link, watch the video that I linked to. It’s discussed at the 15:20 mark.

Ron

From: John Grady
Sent: Tuesday, July 09, 2024 7:53 PM
To: Ron Waters <ronbo97@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: chrysler-300-club-international@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: {Chrysler 300} HELP! Need front brake backing plate for 1957 300C

hi ,

while what you describe is common , the fsm parts book is useless as to where that spring or actually adjusting cam related pivot link ( not a spring does not bend) or arm goes and a great many are put it on the wrong side of the cam if someone “ restores the backing plate “ by disassembling —- then the return springs do nothing , as they move with the shoe when you turn cam . Look at the drawing !!

Do you see it ? NO

Look carefully at the pictures attached , there is no clear view of the cam location vs that piece . .or for that matter , that piece at all . The support is shown assembled . That part is inside it

The drawing or FSM has no real information ,on that piece . I went through this many years ago , had it wrong on a car i had bought , not obvious why all the hassle ( although it is obvious now , once pointed out ) as it looks ok , when in wrong as you view it .

I was extremely frustrated , as while looking at it carefully on the car , for third time , my first reaction was this can never work . Went to fsm to see what was going on and found out zero . Turn the cam with hub off and watch .

I had another one sitting in parts pile — then you can see first one was in on the wrong side of adjuster— and it fits there fine but that part of cam where it touches is in between the two plates , you do not see it directly .

Once you are aware , a big aha happens.

i was really upset about poor info in fsm on this , so much so that I drew a ghost view of it installed correctly on top of the drawing attached here . easy to do , won’t happen again .

FSM needed a competent proof reader , just like today — re : other emails about “ inspecting for quality “ which is different than “ are all the file drawers full “

You can’t ever inspect quality in , you can only ( hopefully ) catch mistakes . No one caught this one , still causing problems 45 years later .

On Jul 9, 2024, at 12:26 PM, Ron Waters <ronbo97@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

In addition to reading the MTSC booklet, here’s the accompanying video:

https://mymopar.com/mtsc-1958-volume-11-5-brake-service/

Ron

From: chrysler-300-club-international@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx On Behalf Of Henry Schleimer
Sent: Tuesday, July 09, 2024 12:13 PM
To: 'Ron Waters' <ronbo97@xxxxxxxxxxx>; 'Ray Melton' <rfmelton@xxxxxxx>; '300 Club' <chrysler-300-club-international@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: RE: {Chrysler 300} HELP! Need front brake backing plate for 1957 300C

Like Ron says, if the “return spring link” is not broken, it may just be out of place. Please refer to pages 16 to 19 of the 1958 Brake Service book on the club website https://www.chrysler300club.com/tech/125.pdf It has a good picture on p18 as well.

Make sure the link is properly seated on the pin it pivots around when assembling the brakes. Otherwise the coil springs won’t provide even tension.   Worth a close inspection first. I’m pretty sure I looked at that when I put mine together because I was choosing the best ones out of some spares.

Otherwise there may be some other advice from the book to assist in diagnosing the problem. Hope this helps.

Henry

From: chrysler-300-club-international@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:chrysler-300-club-international@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Ron Waters
Sent: Tuesday, 9 July 2024 11:28 PM
To: 'Ray Melton'; '300 Club'
Subject: RE: {Chrysler 300} HELP! Need front brake backing plate for 1957 300C

Ray –

The parts book will supply you with illustrations and proper terminology for the part that you need. If you don’t have one, it’s best to get the 1955 thru 58 book, published May 1964. Blue and white cover. You can find them on ebay or you can download it for free from MyMopar.

Have you already pulled the center support piece and confirmed that your square spring is broken ? It’s pretty difficult to snap that guy. What I’ve seen happen is that the square spring dislodges from the eccentric adjuster so that it can no longer hold the brake spring correctly. If you actually have a broken spring, then a replacement should come from a 57-8, or early 59 Desoto or Chrysler with 12” brakes. John Fowlie at Big M Auto can help you out with that. Be sure you verify that the hex head adjusters work and replace small circular dust shields by adjusters.

From the parts book, here is an illustration of the front brakes. The numbers associated with the parts are reference numbers, not part numbers.

Ron

From: chrysler-300-club-international@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx On Behalf Of Ray Melton
Sent: Tuesday, July 09, 2024 8:02 AM
To: '300 Club' <chrysler-300-club-international@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: {Chrysler 300} HELP! Need front brake backing plate for 1957 300C

Hello All -
Following an extensive restoration of virtually every system on my late father's 1957 Chrysler 300C convertible, I have endured five maddening years of the right front brake dragging, pulling, and sometimes even locking up hard enough to stop the wheel from turning! I've replaced wheel cylinders, shoes and return springs to no avail. Last month the RF brake locked up hard enough to skid the tire at 5 mph in a parking lot, and I only could get it unlocked by backing up a few feet, but then it would either drag hard or lock up again as soon as I went forward. I was lucky to nurse it a few miles back home, where I had to again skid the jammed RF wheel 20 feet into the garage.   I won't dare drive it again until I get it fixed for good! Everything looks OK when I pull off the drum (although the lining on the trailing shoe is worn down to 1/8" after less than 1000 miles on the restoration - that's how bad the RF brake has been dragging all this time! With nothing obviously wrong, I just didn't know where to go from here.
Just today I came across a very old article from George Riehl that described my symptoms exactly and diagnosed that one of the long, square-section springs within the backing plate had broken, and the only fix is to get another complete centerplane backing plate - suggesting that one from a 1957 New Yorker or perhaps even a '57 Dodge or DeSoto would work (must specify for 12" brakes).   This is the link to that article:   FRONT BRAKE BACKING PLATES with 12" brakes (ch300imp.com)     That article includes photos of the backing plate I need.
My problem is that I don't know exactly the terminology for what I need and don't know the best places to start looking for such an old part. I can provide a photo of the backing plate I (think) I need, but can't post it with this message on the listserver.
Can anyone please help me clarify exactly what to ask for and perhaps even more importantly, who/where might be the best place to start looking?
Ray Melton Las Cruces, NM 1957 Chrysler 300C cvt      s/n 3N572517 (April 1957)     (575)642-3151
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