Your problem with the sale of brake parts is at the
far end of this nation's not irrational fear of litigation. I have never
heard of an individual reshoeing his own brakes. The complications
involved must surely need some rather intense technology.
I am writing because the issue I had was even more
inconvenient. When I had shoes fitted to the brakes of my 58 a few years
ago, the shop had to make a best guess as to the required thickness as I could
not find the specs. Well, they guessed wrong and the newly padded shoes
would not fit inside the drum. Well, no one would trim them for me and I
was told the pads could not be removed, which is logical as the glue they used
was designed to withstand an inordinate amount of heat and friction. I was
told I would have to buy new brakes shoes. Trimming the shoes was an
environmental issue. The materials involved are pretty toxic and no one
had a permit. To cut a short story long, I ended up trimming them
myself. It was nasty and unpleasant and worst of all, very
unscientific. I wore a breathing mask and goggles and used a fast spinning
wire wheel type machine to wear away the material, and a micrometer to check the
thickness. Keeping the depth regular was my biggest concern. I ended
up doing the best job I could and am still using the shoes today. Friction
from the drum has rendered the surface smooth, so I couldn't tell, the next
time I had the car apart, any difference between the ones I trimmed down on
one side of the car and the pads from the other side.
Hugh
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