After 2 weeks of day and night wrenching on the 72 Chieftain - 1 day before our trip the motor runs I'm getting the mufflers put on tomorrow! Unforuntalely our very first vaction may have been halted for good! The front brake has been grinding - figured I was chewing thru the brake shoe - but I just pulled the drum - and found all of the adjustment hardware scored up and ground down to almost nothing - in the bottom of the drum!!
The adjuster, the spring and the clicker are all destroyed! We were planning to leave for California in 12 hours!!
I've got new shoes and spring hardware from Alretta - Thank you Geoff!! However these destroyed / "unobtainum" parts just may have cancelled our trip. It's 12:26AM in Denver - and I'm doing all I can to figure out how to make this work - but unfortunately the right side front brake is out of commission!
Real Live help needed here everyone - It's Friday - and if someone has one of these adjuster sets - I'd be forever in debt and grateful if you'd contact me. Perhaps FedEx with a Saturday delivery could save our trip! Words can't communicate the attitude in the garage at the moment. I'm doing all I can wracking my brain to come up with a fabrication solution for these adjuster pieces - and I'm gonna do my very best - but I really need some help!
Please contact me - message, email or call please! I know it's not the best to post emails in forums - but this is a 9-1-1 emergency here!
vudublu 40 at g mail
Thank you all so much for your support - really hoping for a solution here!
Have you tried NAPA? There usually pretty good with that stuff.
1. NAPA (take bad parts with you)
2. O'Riley (if they can identify it they can get it)
3. Local Brake Shop/franchise.
Need to do this ASAP as the wholesalers where #3 get their parts from are closed on the weekends.
You can get "real live help" in the Gear Box chat. Several members have been saved while on the road through the chat room.
The M375 chassis is the ball and chain chassis. Except for the parts you have already gotten, even I cannot help you with this one. (Junkyard for the rest)
Shoes and Spring kits: http://centriccatalog.com/Inquiry/AppResult.aspx?id=WEB_PADS&v=MD&y=1972&m=40&mm=21337 (http://centriccatalog.com/Inquiry/AppResult.aspx?id=WEB_PADS&v=MD&y=1972&m=40&mm=21337)
Google the Centric P/N for the item you want.
Dave
M375 Ref Info: http://dave78chieftain.zxq.net/M375Late.html (http://dave78chieftain.zxq.net/M375Late.html)
On the following, scroll down to the relevant data section
http://dave78chieftain.zxq.net/DodgeHdw.htm (http://dave78chieftain.zxq.net/DodgeHdw.htm)
http://dave78chieftain.zxq.net/MasterCylinder.htm (http://dave78chieftain.zxq.net/MasterCylinder.htm)
http://dave78chieftain.zxq.net/FrontBrakePads.htm (http://dave78chieftain.zxq.net/FrontBrakePads.htm)
Mfg's stop making parts so you may not be able to find everything. No guarantee I cross-ref each part correctly as I could only use the information that was online and their infor may be incorrect.
Dave even has a disclaimer... W%
If you still need the brake parts i may be able to help you.
Which of the hardware items are damaged? If you have working star wheels and springs, maybe one option is to assemble the brakes without the self adjusting hardware. Will need to manual adjust from time to time.
Do you have any pics.
I have the same problem with mine. As Travco said as long as you have the star wheel you just need to adjust it and then find a way to keep it from backing off. I used a hose clamp that happened to fit nicely. 10,000 miles and the brakes have just started to squeal again. Still looking for that donor M375...
When looking for M375 parts, also try searching for the 72 Dodge P400 (forward control) chassis. They both used the same parts.
The medium duty Raybestos catalog (http://www.raybestosbrakes.com/magnoliaPublic/home/catalog.html (http://www.raybestosbrakes.com/magnoliaPublic/home/catalog.html)) lists several brake parts for under the P400 banner. The M375 is not listed however the P400 is.
One other 69-72 M300/M375 antidote: Dodge also covered these chassis' in the 69-71 Models 100-800 Service and Supplement Manual Conventional (D100-D800 , Forward Control (P100-P400), Motor Home (M300/M375), 4x4 (W100-W500), School bus (S400-S600)
The star wheel for the rear brakes is still available.
Dave