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Now that I have the drum oversize issue settled (thanks to Steve and Brian) time to move on to brake shoe materials. Looks like Carbotechs are getting hard to find so does anyone have experience with KFP or other materials compared to stock?

Mike

I have not had any iddues getting Carbotechs. Just bought a set a month ago.

Carboech has no more in production and is not sure of any new date or compound. FFP may have some but they are quite a bit more $. I don't think they have too many since they are getting short on cores.

Last year when I called Carbotech asking about brake shoes and availability, they seem to know who has them and who orders them for stock and then makes a run based on that demand. Maybe they can help you locate some.

Porterfield has shoes available and they work quite well.

http://www.porterfield-brakes.com/

Look around, with your over sized drums you should use the oversize carbotech's. Probably more over size still around than standard size.

Dave

From Mike Puskar at Carbotech:

"...We are not discontinuing the 913, we are replacing it. A few months back, we discovered one of our components used in that compound would no longer be available. We began working on a replacement immediately. We just concluded part 1 or 2 of the real world test, and it went very well. Part 2 should be completed this week. As long as that goes well, we will begin producing this lining and have it ready to start making shoes.

We are out of the old lining, and cannot make it and believe me, nobody in the country has any of those that they are willing to part with..."

Jean

Who could we send cores to? I have a lot of front and rear brake shoes from salvaged beams and transaxles. Would rather give them away than send them to the recycler.


Dennis

OK, so I got the new high-priced brakes from Company X and, after specifically asking for slanted-adjuster shoes, I got straights. So should I hassle with returning the non-returnable item or get a set of straight adjuster from Jim?

Mike

Or you could spend 5 mins with a disc grinder .... and put the shoes on your car and be done with it.

Or you could spend 5 mins with a disc grinder

Grind the angle into the brake shoes, not out of the adjusters.
Make sure you take the burrs off of both sides of the shoes. You don't want the ends to hang up in either the adjusters or the cylinders.

Most FV old-timers have a stache of both style adjusters. I generally buy shoes that are most available and least expensive. Because my grinder is usually easier to find than my adjuster stache, I usually just shape the shoe ends to suit. Even when you get the right shoes, you usually need a grinder (or file) to deburr and match up the ends which tend to be irregular. Not a big deal.

Thanks guys. I assume that the shoe length is not critical (within reason) so I could grind it so the full width of the "tab" is the right shape correct?

Mike

yep - it really doesn't take very much grinding... but do it gradually so you don't grind any more than necessary. (and grind the correct END )
Steve, FV80