Brake shoe end caps

[John Mims]

When fitting new brake shoe endcaps, does everybody use the method described in the Woodrow manual, using 3/16" Whitworth countersunk setscrews to retain them, or is careful crimping over of the tips sufficient?

The reason I ask is that countersinking sufficiently for the head of the screw to lie flush takes quite a lot of material out of the endcap. And that's with going down to M4 - smaller diameter than 3/16 Whitworth.

I did wonder about simply drilling through the endcap and into the shoe with the same diameter as the original aluminium 'pip', and then filling with epoxy up to the face of the endcap, thus replicating the 'pip'.

[bob46320]

I would not trust epoxy in that application. The screw just prevents the endcap sliding off. The screw can be as small as you like - It wouldn't shear off. I think that I would epoxy the endcap on and then put a 3mm screw or rivet into the wet epoxy. It wouldn't matter that the screw did not engage the threads as it is in shear (But a very light load). Out of preference I would use one of those "Liquid Metal" epoxys

[John Mims]

I would not trust epoxy in that application.  The screw just prevents the endcap sliding off.  The screw can be as small as you like - It wouldn't shear off.  I think that I would epoxy the endcap on and then put a 3mm screw or rivet into the wet epoxy. It wouldn't matter that the screw did not engage the threads as it is in shear (But a very light load).  Out of preference I would use one of those "Liquid Metal" epoxys

Thanks, bob46320. Good idea.

I suppose that since the purpose of the screw, like the 'pip', is only to stop the endcap sliding off sideways, a grubscrew would work?

[Dave Wortley]

I have been welding on a new piece of 1/16” plate on top of the worn endcap, as long as it is not loose, for the last 50 years. First I used my stick welder and latterly mig. File the unworn part of the end cap down first. With just 4 dots of weld at each corner I have never had any problem caused by the welding heat. I then use an old brake drum with two holes in the shoe contact area to set the shoes equally from the brake drum by filing down the new end caps.

[Chris KC]

Haven't done this for years but I just folded the ends over, don't recall one ever dropping out, not sure why it would.