Brake rod return springs

[Chip Watford]

Hello,I am working on my '29 AA and I need the retorn springs that attach to the radius rod and the brake rods.Will the springs that the venders sell work on the AA ?Also I noticed that they changed from a flat spring to a coil spring at some point.I believe mine should have the flat spring but not sure.Thanks for any help.Chip Watford

[Neil Wilson]

The '29 AA has a brake rod return spring connected to the rear brake rocker arm and the rear spring shackle bracket.

[Chip Watford]

Thanks for the reply Neil.While my truck has the '29 cab,I think the chassis and running gear is 1930.Would the return springs for a '30 be different?I will look closer when I get a chance.It seems that there should be some type of support for the long brake rods going to the rear. Chip

[Brian T]

Hello Chip,
What you refer to as return springs are anti rattle springs , Snyder’s have the flat ones and come in a 6 piece set, you will be using the long ones , 2 front 2 rear, they also have the rocker arm return spring AA-2523-R that Neil posted, the coil springs I believe are for the later 31s.

[rollingsculpture]

they are called service brake rod springs in the service bulletins pg 584. they changed to the round wire to improve the strength of the spring action .

[Bladehorse]

I think I would tend to use the round wire ones anyways, as they are not stamped metal that cut the break rods in half. Unless your going after points, I would steer clear of these.4500 miles and 3/4 worn thru the brake rod.

[Chip Watford]

Thanks for all the help.I could see what was left of the flat springs hanging on the rod but didn't know what they were for.They just keep some tension on the brake rods so they don't rattle at the clevises.Learning every day! Chip

[Stakebed]

Digging up an old thread, i ordered the return springs fro the rear rocker arm for my 29 AA but Im not sure how they attach to the rocker arms themselves. I see Neils picture up there and cant tell if they are attached to the side of the arm or go around the clevis pin...

[Neil Wilson]

Stakebed,
I don't have any Ford documentation regarding how the retraction spring was attached to each of the six different rocker arms. The Ford archive photos I have seen are not good enough to zoom in for information. I know there were different attachment locations and it would have depended on the AA's production date and design of rocker arm.

Rocker arm AA-2521-B was use beginning late 1928 through 1929 and there were three designs. Design 3 was the stamped steel version which was used starting early 1929. The spring attached to a hole in this AA-2521-B D3 rocker arm as shown in the attached.

Post a picture of the return spring which you have and the rocker arm please.

[Stakebed]

Neil - i dont have a picture right now but they are cast and look identical to the very first picture you posted in this thread (posted mar 23,2010) which you say is version 3 from 3/28 to late 28

My truck is a early March 29 and the frame i got another identical set of rocker arms from was a later 29 with the extra hump on the worm drive worm part.( i don't have its frame number and not sure when they added that hump for the oil drain to lube the rear bearing)

i have never seen arms like the ones youve just posted (altho look to be a better design)

the springs i bought have the squared hooks on the ends, i have one spring as shown in both your pictures but is very rusty.
id like the correct springs if anyones got a set...

I do have the small hole in the rear shackle bracket for the springs.

[Neil Wilson]

Starting late 1928 through 1929, the AA-2521-B rocker arm was used. There were three designs. Your early 1929 AA would have likely had the design 2.

[Stakebed]

Ahh yes it does have design 2

[Neil Wilson]

Attached is a crop of a 2-3-29 AA Cowl and Chassis from a Ford archive photo. At 100% resolution, the picture is grainy. But, it looks to me like it is the AA-2521-B rocker arm and that the spring is hooked to the arm (not the pin).

[BrianT]

Here is a pic of the brake rocker arm on my May 29, the springs were missing when I received the truck, I used a pair of springs from Ace hardware , then later purchased the 3rd version spring from the vender, I saw no wear on the rocker arm itself that may indicate it was attached to the arm ? -- so I attached the spring thru the cotter pin.

[Neil Wilson]

Brian,
The pin should have a cotter. Springs which were attached to the pin were at the head originally. The rocker arm you have is AA-2521-B D1 (see above drawings).

Attached is an example of a spring attached to a pin.