The Ford Barn

Dave N. · 10-23-2016, 01:02 PM

Is it soft woven material for steel brake drums and hard molded for cast brake drums?
What if you have the hard molded on steel drums?

James Rogers · 10-23-2016, 01:29 PM

I prefer woven. The hard molded is more for hydraulic systems and the woven is better for mechanical brakes.

Tom Wesenberg · 10-23-2016, 02:13 PM

Either will work on the cast iron drums, but I also prefer the woven.

H. L. Chauvin · 10-23-2016, 02:14 PM

If you ever want to go on a very successful elk hunt for the first time, never a bad idea to call a hard core successful elk hunter who hunted and monitored elk every day for most of his life, just for his opinion.

You may or may not agree with all opinions.

But, if you call Mr. Randy Gross in CA, don't really know if he hunts elk, but he can offer his opinion after taking over his father's Model A Ford cast iron brake business.

Years ago, his father, Mr. Mel Gross recommended & provided bonded brakes on mine ......
they may recommend something different today, not sure ...... but like knee replacement for today's knees ..... (a) depends what type of material is used ...... and (b) depends who does the work.

Failure with (a) or (b) ........ and/or (a) + (b) occurs often; hence, different opinions.

Kevin in NJ · 10-23-2016, 08:43 PM

Really the key is proper set up.

Somehow I doubt anyone here is qualified to say which one is better as I doubt anyone has done a controlled set of tests to really know. I say this because there are really too many variables controlling brake function.
If you have spent enough time on this board you will find people saying good things about each and never really any negatives about either.

The correct answer is to spend the time and money to get shoes sized and centered to cast drums and you are most likely to have wonderful brakes.

Now to throw in some back ground on shoe types.

Ford started with woven then switched to a solid shoe. The change to solid shoes came before the cast drums. The solid shoe material is different then what you get today, but so is the woven stuff.

Doing A brakes is never cheap or easy.

BILL WILLIAMSON · 10-24-2016, 03:47 AM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

I LUCKED OUT, Vermin came with beautiful, .010" oversize Steel Drums & woven linings, that have "maybe" 20 stops on them! The linings show full length contact, even!
BUT, don't wurry, I'm a downshift ARTIST, on downhills!
Bill Elated

10-23-2016, 01:02 PM	#1
Dave N. Junior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Indianapolis,Indiana Posts: 26	Brake shoe material for cast brake drum Is it soft woven material for steel brake drums and hard molded for cast brake drums? What if you have the hard molded on steel drums?

10-23-2016, 01:29 PM	#2
James Rogers Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Asheville,NC Posts: 3,104	Re: Brake shoe material for cast brake drum I prefer woven. The hard molded is more for hydraulic systems and the woven is better for mechanical brakes. __________________ http://www.model-a-ford-4bangers.com/

10-23-2016, 02:13 PM	#3
Tom Wesenberg Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mpls, MN Posts: 27,582	Re: Brake shoe material for cast brake drum Either will work on the cast iron drums, but I also prefer the woven.

10-23-2016, 02:14 PM	#4
H. L. Chauvin Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 4,179	Re: Brake shoe material for cast brake drum If you ever want to go on a very successful elk hunt for the first time, never a bad idea to call a hard core successful elk hunter who hunted and monitored elk every day for most of his life, just for his opinion. You may or may not agree with all opinions. But, if you call Mr. Randy Gross in CA, don't really know if he hunts elk, but he can offer his opinion after taking over his father's Model A Ford cast iron brake business. Years ago, his father, Mr. Mel Gross recommended & provided bonded brakes on mine ...... they may recommend something different today, not sure ...... but like knee replacement for today's knees ..... (a) depends what type of material is used ...... and (b) depends who does the work. Failure with (a) or (b) ........ and/or (a) + (b) occurs often; hence, different opinions. Last edited by H. L. Chauvin; 10-23-2016 at 02:33 PM. Reason: typo

10-23-2016, 08:43 PM	#5
Kevin in NJ Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: South East NJ Posts: 3,398	Re: Brake shoe material for cast brake drum Really the key is proper set up. Somehow I doubt anyone here is qualified to say which one is better as I doubt anyone has done a controlled set of tests to really know. I say this because there are really too many variables controlling brake function. If you have spent enough time on this board you will find people saying good things about each and never really any negatives about either. The correct answer is to spend the time and money to get shoes sized and centered to cast drums and you are most likely to have wonderful brakes. Now to throw in some back ground on shoe types. Ford started with woven then switched to a solid shoe. The change to solid shoes came before the cast drums. The solid shoe material is different then what you get today, but so is the woven stuff. Doing A brakes is never cheap or easy.

10-24-2016, 03:47 AM	#6
BILL WILLIAMSON Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: FRESNO, CA Posts: 12,560	Re: Brake shoe material for cast brake drum Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) I LUCKED OUT, Vermin came with beautiful, .010" oversize Steel Drums & woven linings, that have "maybe" 20 stops on them! The linings show full length contact, even! BUT, don't wurry, I'm a downshift ARTIST, on downhills! Bill Elated __________________ "THE ASSISTANT GURU OF STUFF"

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