Mechanical Brakes

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by [email protected]

How do your mechanical brakes work after the 3rd or 4th stop light at 40-45mph?

....... I hate to change the look of my car but I am thinking of going with juice brakes

Ummm, without the use of the Flathead Ted floaters, I can do ten 45 mph - 0 mph panic stops in a row and then still have enough pedal left to slide the wheels if I so choose on each of the cars we rebuild the brakes on. Many others share this same phenominon. THAT may not be good enough for you, --and if so, hydraulics may be what you need to convert to.


BTW, would you feel confident with your converted hydraulics if you went a year or two without checking the master cylinder fluid level?

[Bassman/NZ]

Who would go even one year without checking the master cylinder level? Even on my new car I check once a month.

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by Bassman/NZ

Who would go even one year without checking the master cylinder level? Even on my new car I check once a month.

WOW, ...I guess since this is NOT something I would need to do on a Model A equipped with mechanical brakes, I guess I forgot how this 'inconvenience' is such a necessity for you guys!!

.

[Bill Stipe]

I would never put juice brakes on a model A unless it had a V-8 power plant. I have 100 HP model B engine in my Tudor sedan and it stops on a dime even on the HWY cruseing at 60 and stoping they don't fade. I can run right in town with heavy traffic and feel very comfortable only problem is rain and the skinny tires not a lot of surface on the pavement. If you put cast iron drums on (that is a must) and replace all the worn out bushings, levers and pins and install the soft linings you will be amazed how well the original Ford brakes will be. You can even let go of the steering wheel it stops so straight.
Bill

[mickeyb]

Stick brakes are fine on my motorbike,but my A has hyd and i like them

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

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Originally Posted by mickeyb

Stick brakes are fine on my motorbike,but my A has hyd and i like them

Why do you like the hydraulics on your Model A? What is their advantage over the "Stick brakes" in your opinion?

..

[john in illinois]

I had mechanical brakes with all new parts,cast iron drums and floaters. They would stop great. The only trouble is, they were erratic. They would work fine for 2-3 months and then one day at the worst moment grab and shudder in the front.

After 3 years I gave up and put on Bendix hydraulics. Couldn't be happier.

[1931 flamingo]

I think that people converting to hydraulic brakes feel more comfortable with their understanding of their adj and operation. Not having done anything with my brakes yet but have red thru Les Andrews on how to it seems intimidating, rollers, cams, weld up and grind, etc. I've had 32's w/ hyd brake conversion and 40's and easy to understand how they work and how to adj the eccentrics, etc. JMO
Paul in CT

[roccaas]

Originally Posted by [email protected]

How do your mechanical brakes work after the 3rd or 4th stop light at 40-45mph? I have had my car for 4 years now. In the past I was happy with the brakes if I used my head But this year I have a little more power and a lighted flywheel and my brakes suck not bad on the flat stops but a big down hill with that bumb ass stop light at the bottom they suck big time. I hate to change the look of my car but I am thinking of going with juice brakes

Drum brakes=FADE on repeated use. Many wrecked (Mustangs, 442's, 409's) cars got that way when all of the money went into the the engine and none into the brakes.

Drop a 2 HP motor on your 10 Speed, and your caliper brakes won't last very long.

Ted's might help if the shoes/drums are in excellent condition. I can hold my car with the brakes at higher engine speed than I could before conversion.

That doesn't mean you won't have fading, but you can put more force into the brake rods/cranks/pins and hence the shoes with less leg force.

[Kevin in NJ]

Having had to repair the brakes on a 39 Ford and a 65 Mustang many times I wondered how others faired in my area. The basic problem is usually one or both rear wheel cylinders with get partially or fully stuck from muck.

The problem is simple. In our area we get wide temp swings during the colder months. The temp differentials can cause the fluid to push through the seals and then suck back in with the moisture. The same process that gives you a good whiskey.

So at car shows I started asking people with juice brakes. I asked all years and makes. It was scary the number of people that have been driving their cars with moderate to significant pull when they brake. They had no intention of fixing the brakes because they only drove the car a little.

The only fix for the brake problem is either climate control or driving often. A local guy, one of the Millers that owns Carlisle, has his cars in a climate controlled room. He has never had a brake problem.

I would also like to point out that with juice brakes you still have to make sure the shoes are arched to fit the drums. It could take years to get full brake surface contact if you do not fit the shoes to the drums. You need to find someone with a brake shoe grinder.

So as much as people do not want to listen. The juice brakes are at best equal in braking and more likely to have failures that reduce the total braking. Mechanical brakes take just as much work to set up properly and are unlikely to fail if you select good original parts and certain reproduction parts.
Seems like a no brainer to stick with mechanical brakes.

FWIW we sold the 39 as it was a pain to keep on the road. My 65 convertible Mustang is driven much more often just so I do not have to do more brake work.

[Bruce Adams]

Hi BCCHOPIT,
Instead of going to juice brakes, consider CAST IRON brake drums with your mechanical brakes, which are three times thicker than your present steel drums and made from material which expands less than steel drums, thus pretty much eliminating brake fade.
I live in a very hilly area and I am thrilled how I still have plenty of brake power at the stop signs at the bottoms of the steep hills which I did not have before going to the cast iron drums.
Good luck !

[marc hildebrant]

Group,

The Ford Service Bulletins detail a method to set the brakes. However, I have not seen in the bulletins a method to hold the brake at the precise lengths.

Andrews book shows a tool to make...What did the Ford Techs use ?

Marc

[BCCHOPIT]

Thanks for the input guys... I just have to decide if I wont to spend 600 bucks on parts and hope I like them or less then 200 bucks to get the the 48 juice brakes on and know I will be happy. I know all about brake fade in big 1970 cars my buddy in high school almost killed me 3 or 4 time but today my friends AV8 has over 250 hp and he drives like a jack ass and never gets brake fade the car is too light
thanks Bill

UP DATE!!!!

I put 35 brakes up front and 32 brakes out back.
Used Teds kits on all 4 corners and the car stops
On a dime I could not be happier. I don't even think
about my brakes they just work. I can drive hard and
Have 0 problems for 3 years now.