The Ford Barn

fleetpaint · 02-13-2011, 02:30 PM

This forum is awesome!....Just purchased a 1939 2 door sedan, & the members here have been able to help me through every issue!..thank you!

Now I have a question about the brakes! all shoes are in good shape, adjusted, and bleed. The best way to discribe them is they simply slow the car down

.... They are very scary! Is this the way they were?, or am I missing something? thanks agian, Dave.

Karl Wolf · 02-13-2011, 03:05 PM

They sure do have a different feel, don't they... Try more pedal pressure... I have the same brakes in my A-v8... A cement truck pulled out in front of me a couple of weeks ago, I locked up all four, stopped on an angle... Guess they were working for me!!

It maybe that you will benifit by installing relined shoes, make sure that they fit the conture of the drum with a bit of heal and toe clearance, they should rock on the center of the shoe, so by applying them, the center hits first and as pressure is aplied the shoe has an increased contact pattern... Hope this is clear... Karl

Charlie Stephens · 02-13-2011, 03:12 PM

I think you are missing something unless you are trying to compare them with the brakes on a 2011 Mercedes 500SL. Try driving another '39 and see what you should expect. Another option is to have the owner of another '39 try your brakes. Most common problems are not arcing the shoes to the drums and reversing the long and short shoes.

Charlie Stephens

Quote:

Originally Posted by fleetpaint

This forum is awesome!....Just purchased a 1939 2 door sedan, & the members here have been able to help me through every issue!..thank you!

Now I have a question about the brakes! all shoes are in good shape, adjusted, and bleed. The best way to discribe them is they simply slow the car down

.... They are very scary! Is this the way they were?, or am I missing something? thanks agian, Dave.

Richard (EV8G) · 02-13-2011, 07:43 PM

Another typical cause for lousy brakes on 39-42's is that the lower anchor adjustment was not made properly and therefore the shoe linings are not centered in the drums, so do not have complete contact...

FRANK PKNY · 02-13-2011, 08:37 PM

As richard says they adjust differently, they are not self actuating. The adjustment is not very easy. The instructions are in the repair manual. They will stop ok, but not like the more modern style with floating shoes.

COE Dan · 02-13-2011, 08:54 PM

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Another possibility is a slow bypass of fluid in the master cylinder. It doesn't take much force to bleed the brakes but if you notice a soft pedal or a slow drift of the pedal to the floor with no visible leaks outside, you probably aren't getting full pressure to the wheels and the master cylinder is bypassing...just a thought.

jerry grayson · 02-14-2011, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fleetpaint

This forum is awesome!....Just purchased a 1939 2 door sedan, & the members here have been able to help me through every issue!..thank you!

Now I have a question about the brakes! all shoes are in good shape, adjusted, and bleed. The best way to discribe them is they simply slow the car down

.... They are very scary! Is this the way they were?, or am I missing something? thanks agian, Dave.

You are missing something "big time". The 39 brakes with the proper lining and arc ground and adjusted correctly will slide all four wheels. What else do you want?

Modifieddriver · 02-14-2011, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jerry grayson

You are missing something "big time". The 39 brakes with the proper lining and arc ground and adjusted correctly will slide all four wheels. What else do you want?

I agree.

Something isn't right.

Also bad brakes can also be attributed to poor friction material.

Today's stuff isn't too good.

Anyone here tried any Potterfield relined shoes? I think they're Carbon Kevlar.

Fortunately I can turn my own front drums and contour grind all my own shoes. I might start doing it for other Barners.

v8nut · 02-14-2011, 09:31 PM

I have a '39 that has kinda mushy brakes but if I pump them once they harden up and stop pretty well. Is this what COE Dan calls buypass? I was thinking it is just an adjustment problem. Any thoughts?

Charlie Stephens · 02-14-2011, 10:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by v8nut

I have a '39 that has kinda mushy brakes but if I pump them once they harden up and stop pretty well. Is this what COE Dan calls buypass? I was thinking it is just an adjustment problem. Any thoughts?

Sounds to me like you need to bleed them. The mushy is while you are compressing air. This is especially true if you have Silicon fluid.

Charlie Stephens

FRANK PKNY · 02-15-2011, 09:20 AM

They will act that way if not adjusted properly also the first pump moves the piston out and the pumping moves it out further. I could not find anyone to contour grind my brakes and turn the drums in my area. I live in upstate NY. The Tax me state!! My drums are slightly off and my pedal pulsates .
If you keep adjusting the breaks they will seat to the drun in about 1000 miles.

02-13-2011, 02:30 PM	#1
fleetpaint Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: scottsdale az Posts: 25	39 brakes This forum is awesome!....Just purchased a 1939 2 door sedan, & the members here have been able to help me through every issue!..thank you! Now I have a question about the brakes! all shoes are in good shape, adjusted, and bleed. The best way to discribe them is they simply slow the car down .... They are very scary! Is this the way they were?, or am I missing something? thanks agian, Dave.

02-13-2011, 03:05 PM	#2
Karl Wolf Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mill Valley,Ca. Posts: 1,509	Re: 39 brakes They sure do have a different feel, don't they... Try more pedal pressure... I have the same brakes in my A-v8... A cement truck pulled out in front of me a couple of weeks ago, I locked up all four, stopped on an angle... Guess they were working for me!! It maybe that you will benifit by installing relined shoes, make sure that they fit the conture of the drum with a bit of heal and toe clearance, they should rock on the center of the shoe, so by applying them, the center hits first and as pressure is aplied the shoe has an increased contact pattern... Hope this is clear... Karl

02-13-2011, 07:43 PM	#4
Richard (EV8G) Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: La Verne CA Posts: 432	Re: 39 brakes Another typical cause for lousy brakes on 39-42's is that the lower anchor adjustment was not made properly and therefore the shoe linings are not centered in the drums, so do not have complete contact... __________________ Early V8 Garage Pasadena Roadster Club

02-13-2011, 08:37 PM	#5
FRANK PKNY Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: POUGHKEEPSIE NY 12601 Posts: 1,019	Re: 39 brakes As richard says they adjust differently, they are not self actuating. The adjustment is not very easy. The instructions are in the repair manual. They will stop ok, but not like the more modern style with floating shoes. __________________ [email protected]

02-13-2011, 08:54 PM	#6
COE Dan Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Now in Wichita, KS Posts: 251	Re: 39 brakes Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Another possibility is a slow bypass of fluid in the master cylinder. It doesn't take much force to bleed the brakes but if you notice a soft pedal or a slow drift of the pedal to the floor with no visible leaks outside, you probably aren't getting full pressure to the wheels and the master cylinder is bypassing...just a thought.

02-14-2011, 09:31 PM	#9
v8nut Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 203	Re: 39 brakes I have a '39 that has kinda mushy brakes but if I pump them once they harden up and stop pretty well. Is this what COE Dan calls buypass? I was thinking it is just an adjustment problem. Any thoughts?

02-15-2011, 09:20 AM	#11
FRANK PKNY Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: POUGHKEEPSIE NY 12601 Posts: 1,019	Re: 39 brakes They will act that way if not adjusted properly also the first pump moves the piston out and the pumping moves it out further. I could not find anyone to contour grind my brakes and turn the drums in my area. I live in upstate NY. The Tax me state!! My drums are slightly off and my pedal pulsates . If you keep adjusting the breaks they will seat to the drun in about 1000 miles. __________________ [email protected]