Wheel Drum Spring - 9 in Drums

[mydart270]

hi folks

anybody know what the spring is for on my front wheel drums for 1968 Dodge Dart 270? I removed the R/F tire and guess what...spring fell to the ground. Bad spring? Can I reinstall? The L/F wheel drum spring is very loose and can slip over easy, the R/F requires some effort.

Thx...great forum as usual. A pleasure communicating with so many experienced folks that know A-Bodies.

 

[halifaxhops]

@mobileparts

 

[CFD244]

I believe that the spring is there to quiet them down by absorbing vibrations. I have a generic one that goes around drums on my brake lathe.

 

[mydart270]

I believe that the spring is there to quiet them down by absorbing vibrations. I have a generic one that goes around drums on my brake lathe.

Sounds like an OK answer. Wonder why no spring on the rear drum. Maybe because the front shoes are wider and offer more braking, hence more possibility of vibrating from increased pressures/forces on the contact surface of the drum area. I need help in understanding the dynamics of brakes with expanding shoes.

thx again..

 

[Joey4speed]

I believe the external spring that wrapped around the drums were supposed to prevent "chatter" and absorb other break noises.
IDK how well they did work but if it's loose, I would remove it.

 

[cudamark]

Sounds like an OK answer. Wonder why no spring on the rear drum. Maybe because the front shoes are wider and offer more braking, hence more possibility of vibrating from increased pressures/forces on the contact surface of the drum area. I need help in understanding the dynamics of brakes with expanding shoes.

thx again..

Originally, your car probably had external brake drum springs front and rear. They can rust and break over the years, and sometimes when new drums are installed, the spring doesn't get transferred to the new drum. They were used to reduce any harmonics produced by the shoes rubbing the drums. It's similar to what you would get rubbing a wet finger on a crystal wine glass.