How to Reline Your Automobile Brakes 



An easy method of inserting new lining in a brake drum 

 By Joseph Brinker 



MANY automobile owners who delight 

 in tinkering around their cars and 

 keeping them in repair would like to 

 reline the vehicle brakes were they sure 

 they could do it properly and not jeopardize 

 their lives through poor workmanship. 

 The drawings shown indicate the various 

 steps necessary in properly relining a brake. 

 First, jack up the rear axle of the car and 

 remove the rear wheels as per the instruc- 

 tion book furnished by the car maker. At 



about 1 3^ in. from the external measure- 

 ment to get the cutting length of the lining 

 for one internal brake. This is shown in 

 Fig. i. 



Then put the band in a vise as shown in 

 Fig. 2 and chisel off the heads of the old 

 rivets. In marking the new lining for the 

 rivet holes, lay the wheel on the bench or 

 floor with its hub side down. Put the 

 lining and band in place as shown in Fig. 3 

 and wire the band in place. Then with a 



Cutting the length of a new brake lining, marking the places for the rivets, punching and counter- 

 sinking the holes, placing the rivets, hammering them to a head and applying the band 



the same time disconnect the toggles and 

 remove the brake clevis pin, the adjustment- 

 screw and the various coil springs attached 

 to the brake-band. Then remove the band, 

 keeping in mind the top and bottom of the 

 assembly. Clean all the parts thoroughly 

 with gasoline and remove all the old grease 

 around the brake dust-guard and the axle- 

 stub. 



Buy the new lining in one piece but do 

 not attempt to cut it until the brake has 

 been removed. To obtain the correct 

 length, measure around the outside of the 

 external brake-band with a tape, allowing 

 an overlap of about }/£ in. so that the lining 

 is not short at the band opening. Deduct 



soapstone stick or pencil, mark the position 

 of the holes in the new lining, using the 

 holes in the band as a template. Then cut 

 the holes with a leather punch similar to 

 that shown in Fig. 4. 



Place the band and lining together in a 

 vise or on a bench as shown in Fig. 5, hold- 

 ing the lining in place by several small bolts 

 inserted through corresponding holes. A 

 wood countersinking bit and a brace will 

 serve for countersinking the holes in the 

 lining so that the rivet heads will be below 

 the lining surface. 



After that is done insert a rivet through a 

 corresponding hole in band and brake and 

 place the countersunk head of the rivet on 



