Rear Brake Shoe Return Springs Install

rockitdoc · Mar 16, 2016

I have a spring install/remove tool; the kind with the hook on one end and a pointy thing on the other. It works on cars, but not the Norton. Is there another tool, or trick. Tried a screw driver to pull/lever it on, but no soap. :?:

PeterJoe · Mar 16, 2016

I made an installation tool out of a piece of 3/16 inch diameter brass tubing that I happened to have lying around. I simply baloney sliced one end and fit the baloney sliced end on the brake shoe nub. Insert the tool into the spring then simply pull the spring over the nub.

Brass tubing can be purchased at any hobby store and possibly hardware stores. Maybe a larger diameter tube would be preferable as well. Here is a picture of my 'custom' tool:

Peter Joe

batrider · Mar 16, 2016

Not the most elegant approach but I've always used vise-grips on the spring right near where it enters the hole. No I don't use vise-grips for everything, but this works and I still have my original springs.

htown16 · Mar 16, 2016

+1 on vise grips, needle nose type

rockitdoc · Mar 16, 2016

PeterJoe said:
I made an installation tool out of a piece of 3/16 inch diameter brass tubing that I happened to have lying around. I simply baloney sliced one end and fit the baloney sliced end on the brake shoe nub. Insert the tool into the spring then simply pull the spring over the nub.

Brass tubing can be purchased at any hobby store and possibly hardware stores. Maybe a larger diameter tube would be preferable as well. Here is a picture of my 'custom' tool:

Brilliant. To the tubing store I go.

Thanks,
S

Peter Joe

rockitdoc · Mar 16, 2016

The brass tube worked the trick. Mine was 1/4" and it bent pretty bad as I levered the spring in place. I'd use steel tubing next time.

PeterJoe · Mar 16, 2016

rockitdoc said:
The brass tube worked the trick. Mine was 1/4" and it bent pretty bad as I levered the spring in place. I'd use steel tubing next time.

I am glad that the tubing worked OK. With me I found that this tool makes installing the springs very easy. I should have mentioned that the 3/16 tubing that I used had a wall thickness of .026 inch and my tube held up just fine. I know that brass tubing in hobby stores can come in very thin wall thicknesses and the combination of that and the larger diameter would make the tube easier to collapse. Of course steel would be the best choice of material for anyone out there that wants to make something similar.

Peter Joe

Beach · Mar 18, 2016

I have a spring tool for cars and it has a cupped place on the end of one handle for installing springs like the tube pictured would...Didn't know what it was for until a friend showed me..

WEAL Norton · Mar 18, 2016

I place the springs on the shoes and remove the cam,place shoes on the pins, widen the gap between the shoes with a screwdriver and insert cam. No need to risc breaking the spring or the hook on shoe, no risc of sliding off and hurting self

rockitdoc · Mar 18, 2016

WEAL Norton said:
I place the springs on the shoes and remove the cam,place shoes on the pins, widen the gap between the shoes with a screwdriver and insert cam. No need to risc breaking the spring or the hook on shoe, no risc of sliding off and hurting self

Wish I'd thought of that. Sounds easy, too.

Brithit · Mar 18, 2016

WEAL Norton said:
I place the springs on the shoes and remove the cam,place shoes on the pins, widen the gap between the shoes with a screwdriver and insert cam. No need to risc breaking the spring or the hook on shoe, no risc of sliding off and hurting self

Same here!

texasSlick · Mar 22, 2016

WEAL Norton said:
I place the springs on the shoes and remove the cam,place shoes on the pins, widen the gap between the shoes with a screwdriver and insert cam. No need to risc breaking the spring or the hook on shoe, no risc of sliding off and hurting self

+3

Take the springs off the same way .... by removing the cams first.

Slick

Rear Brake Shoe Return Springs Install

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