Brake Shoe Hold Down Hardware

-

dodgedart1968

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 7, 2021
Messages
184
Reaction score
44
Location
Amston, CT
1968 Dodge Dart with 9 in. drum brakes.

The hardware kit for my drum brakes contains brake shoe hold down hardware consisting of a stepped spring and T-retainer as shown below. The retainer is slightly too wide to fit through the hole in the backing plate. I have discarded my original hold down pins, and I can't find any listing for pins for 9 in. brakes, so I need to use the new hardware.

My plan is to enlarge the backing plate holes slightly to accommodate the new hardware. Has anyone else had to make this modification?

FVPFHH7037__ra_p.jpg
 
Grind the "T" holder.
Great minds think alike! I had the same thought late last night. Unfortunately, I think that would take too much material and strength from the T-retainer. Upon further reflection I decided that cutting a tiny notch at the base of the T, and slightly curling the T would allow it to fit without weakening the retainer. I'll proceed accordingly.
Thanks for your input.
 
Last edited:
Get a hardware set for something in the '70 with 9" brakes. Those should have the pin type retainers.
 
No, they don't. All of the kits for 9 in. brakes have the T retainers. I also searched extensively for the pins themselves. Lot's of pins for 10 in. brakes, and none for 9 in.
I even considered using the 10 in. pins, but that doesn't work because they are shorter than the 9in. pins.
 
So, all the ones listed on Rock Auto are wrong? Raybestos H4094, Dorman HW4030, and AC/Delco 18K749? I've taken hundreds of those brakes apart over the years and remember that the later ones were pin type. There had to be some of them available at one point or another.
 
So, all the ones listed on Rock Auto are wrong? Raybestos H4094, Dorman HW4030, and AC/Delco 18K749? I've taken hundreds of those brakes apart over the years and remember that the later ones were pin type. There had to be some of them available at one point or another.

Those kit P/N's are all for 10" brakes. I looked again at Rockauto and the later 9" kits do include pins, however those 9" brakes are not the same as my '68. My '68 9" brakes are 2 1/2" wide, the later 9" brakes are narrower.

BTW, here is my T-retainer mod.



20220407_151522.jpg
 
Last edited:
cudamark: When searching 1968 dart on Rockauto, you need to scroll further down to drum brake hardware kit. That's were you'll find the 9 inch brake parts. One comment about the original post. The most likely reason the retainers don't fit is aftermarket made in China parts. The Chrysler factory retainers #2072675 were used on abodies from 1960 to 1968 with 9 inch drums only.
 
cudamark: When searching 1968 dart on Rockauto, you need to scroll further down to drum brake hardware kit. That's were you'll find the 9 inch brake parts. One comment about the original post. The most likely reason the retainers don't fit is aftermarket made in China parts. The Chrysler factory retainers #2072675 were used on abodies from 1960 to 1968 with 9 inch drums only.

Yes, you are correct, and I bought my kits there. There are kits from six different suppliers listed, and the images associated with each of the six shows the same spring/retainer hardware. None of them contain the correct 9" pins.
 
Those kit P/N's are all for 10" brakes. I looked again at Rockauto and the later 9" kits do include pins, however those 9" brakes are not the same as my '68. My '68 9" brakes are 2 1/2" wide, the later 9" brakes are narrower.

BTW, here is my T-retainer mod.



View attachment 1715903387
Front brakes are 9 X 2 1/2", rears are 9 X 2". the kits are the same except for the pin length. Kit's I've gotten in the past had both sets of pins in them. That's been many years since I've done a 9" brake job, so, maybe they've discontinued the correct pins. Seems to me that the pins will be the same as the 10" brakes, if you get the ones with the same width shoes.
 
Front brakes are 9 X 2 1/2", rears are 9 X 2". the kits are the same except for the pin length. Kit's I've gotten in the past had both sets of pins in them. That's been many years since I've done a 9" brake job, so, maybe they've discontinued the correct pins. Seems to me that the pins will be the same as the 10" brakes, if you get the ones with the same width shoes.

I believe the 10" brake are 2 1/4 wide, which is why the pins don't interchange.
 
The 10" rear brakes on a '65-72 A-body are 1 3/4" wide. If that pin isn't long enough, use the pins from a front brake set and add a washer or two under the pin's head. This isn't rocket science. You just need some tension holding the shoes to the backing plate. There are pins for 2" brakes shoes from all sort of applications. If you have a local brake shop, they may have a bunch of them in stock. Even brand C and F used Bendix type brake systems.
 
Last edited:
-
Back
Top