Hi All

I'm currently installing a Tom Pryor Drum/Drum Reaction arm kit and having some issues that I believe are design related and looking for advise from members that have experiencing installing this kit themselves. Firstly I a bit disappointed that the kit was missing some of the installation tools and supplies that are indicated as being part of the kit. OK I was able to acquire what I needed but why? The Next problem is that the instructions illustrations do not match well the actual parts of the kit.

The trunion bearing on the rear of the torque box illustrations or instructions simply show a round plate but the actual plate has a flange. The instructions show to install the torque box plates on the trunion, But that would mean that the flange actually increases the space between the plates and they will not bolt up. If put the trunion after the box (With the Fl;ange on the outside then it seems to fit better so I'm not sure Im right but I hope so.

The real problem right now is that when I need to install the backing plate on the torsion box it WILL NOT seat. The lower two bolts of the lower spacer plates are too high on the torque box!!?? They interfere with the flange of the backing plate??!! They should neatly protrude into the indentation of the backing plate so there would be no problem. The bolts should be at least 1/2 inch or more lower on the torsion box ( The Box should be longer by that much too!!!)

In order to allow the nuts, Lock washers and bolts to fit I experimented with drilling large holes in the backing plates as a relief for the fasteners and it seems to work at the moment BUT Why do I have to re-engineer this thing?? I have photos in a personal photo album to more clearly describe my problem. its at:

http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/g7235-drum-brake-reaction-kit.html

If you have installed one of these kits, What did you do to accomplish this task without the re-engineering of the plate? Do you have any advise I need that I seem to be missing? There are another couple of issues that concern me and that is that it does not rotate and use the spindle as a means of centering the backing plate in the drum. Normally the backing plate is positioned centered on the spindle, It certainly seems to "Float" Way to much for my liking. I haven't been able to get it finished enough to actually see how it works but I'm Concerned.

All help will be appreciated.

John

Sir: here are pics of my first install. The bolts are put in from backing plate side. My bearing spacers were different as I also installed the rear bearing greaser kit which had its own issues. As for the flange on the plastic bearing, you may have a kit for disc brake? It has been a while and my memory is not good. It seems the kit I put on LaBraun's coach was shipped with the wrong size counter sink bit, wrong pivot bushings, and ended up being for a disc brake set up. I was very disappointed with the lack of quality control as some of the bolt holes would not line up in the pivot box and had to be egged shaped and some pivot boxes were made of different thickness steel material. I would also advise talking to Tom.

http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/drum-brake-reaction-arm-system/p49348-parts.html

http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/g6386-rear-wheel-bearing-greasers.html








John Heslinga wrote on Sat, 03 August 2019 03:04

Hi All

I'm currently installing a Tom Pryor Drum/Drum Reaction arm kit and having some issues that I believe are design related and looking for advise from members that have experiencing installing this kit themselves. Firstly I a bit disappointed that the kit was missing some of the installation tools and supplies that are indicated as being part of the kit. OK I was able to acquire what I needed but why? The Next problem is that the instructions illustrations do not match well the actual parts of the kit.

The trunion bearing on the rear of the torque box illustrations or instructions simply show a round plate but the actual plate has a flange. The instructions show to install the torque box plates on the trunion, But that would mean that the flange actually increases the space between the plates and they will not bolt up. If put the trunion after the box (With the Fl;ange on the outside then it seems to fit better so I'm not sure Im right but I hope so.

The real problem right now is that when I need to install the backing plate on the torsion box it WILL NOT seat. The lower two bolts of the lower spacer plates are too high on the torque box!!?? They interfere with the flange of the backing plate??!! They should neatly protrude into the indentation of the backing plate so there would be no problem. The bolts should be at least 1/2 inch or more lower on the torsion box ( The Box should be longer by that much too!!!)

In order to allow the nuts, Lock washers and bolts to fit I experimented with drilling large holes in the backing plates as a relief for the fasteners and it seems to work at the moment BUT Why do I have to re-engineer this thing?? I have photos in a personal photo album to more clearly describe my problem. its at:

http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/g7235-drum-brake-reaction-kit.html

If you have installed one of these kits, What did you do to accomplish this task without the re-engineering of the plate? Do you have any advise I need that I seem to be missing? There are another couple of issues that concern me and that is that it does not rotate and use the spindle as a means of centering the backing plate in the drum. Normally the backing plate is positioned centered on the spindle, It certainly seems to "Float" Way to much for my liking. I haven't been able to get it finished enough to actually see how it works but I'm Concerned.

All help will be appreciated.

John

Sir: it appears from your pics that the torque box on your kit has the bolt holes drilled thru with washers and nuts. Mine had the spacer block drilled and tapped for short bolts with lock washers, ( and some of the holes were not tapped and would not line up.). Yours don't even look like the other ones I have installed that had mitered joints on the spacer blocks. Even after the full week of install hassles and re- engineering I was impressed with the results. After I got everstuff to fit with correct tolerances the brakes worked much better. It changed the braking effect from pole vaulting to squat and stop. Overall braking improved at least 30% across the board. I do recommend the kits but don't ask me to put it on.





C Boyd wrote on Sat, 03 August 2019 10:34

Sir: here are pics of my first install. The bolts are put in from backing plate side. My bearing spacers were different as I also installed the rear bearing greaser kit which had its own issues. As for the flange on the plastic bearing, you may have a kit for disc brake? It has been a while and my memory is not good. It seems the kit I put on LaBraun's coach was shipped with the wrong size counter sink bit, wrong pivot bushings, and ended up being for a disc brake set up. I was very disappointed with the lack of quality control as some of the bolt holes would not line up in the pivot box and had to be egged shaped and some pivot boxes were made of different thickness steel material. I would also advise talking to Tom.

http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/drum-brake-reaction-arm-system/p49348-parts.html

http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/g6386-rear-wheel-bearing-greasers.html








John Heslinga wrote on Sat, 03 August 2019 03:04

Hi All

I'm currently installing a Tom Pryor Drum/Drum Reaction arm kit and having some issues that I believe are design related and looking for advise from members that have experiencing installing this kit themselves. Firstly I a bit disappointed that the kit was missing some of the installation tools and supplies that are indicated as being part of the kit. OK I was able to acquire what I needed but why? The Next problem is that the instructions illustrations do not match well the actual parts of the kit.

The trunion bearing on the rear of the torque box illustrations or instructions simply show a round plate but the actual plate has a flange. The instructions show to install the torque box plates on the trunion, But that would mean that the flange actually increases the space between the plates and they will not bolt up. If put the trunion after the box (With the Fl;ange on the outside then it seems to fit better so I'm not sure Im right but I hope so.

The real problem right now is that when I need to install the backing plate on the torsion box it WILL NOT seat. The lower two bolts of the lower spacer plates are too high on the torque box!!?? They interfere with the flange of the backing plate??!! They should neatly protrude into the indentation of the backing plate so there would be no problem. The bolts should be at least 1/2 inch or more lower on the torsion box ( The Box should be longer by that much too!!!)

In order to allow the nuts, Lock washers and bolts to fit I experimented with drilling large holes in the backing plates as a relief for the fasteners and it seems to work at the moment BUT Why do I have to re-engineer this thing?? I have photos in a personal photo album to more clearly describe my problem. its at:

http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/g7235-drum-brake-reaction-kit.html

If you have installed one of these kits, What did you do to accomplish this task without the re-engineering of the plate? Do you have any advise I need that I seem to be missing? There are another couple of issues that concern me and that is that it does not rotate and use the spindle as a means of centering the backing plate in the drum. Normally the backing plate is positioned centered on the spindle, It certainly seems to "Float" Way to much for my liking. I haven't been able to get it finished enough to actually see how it works but I'm Concerned.

All help will be appreciated.

John