The Ford Barn

wingski · 01-04-2018, 07:03 PM

OK, here we go again. I just found out that to accurately adjust the brakes on a model A you must use a brake board according to Les Andrews. Come on guys, some of you have let me know how great you think mechanical brakes are compared to hydraulics. What planet are you guys living on? Apparently one without asphalt roads so you don’t wear your tires out when testing them after adjustment.

I don’t know about you, but the idea of skidding my rear tires to see if the brakes are correctly adjusted is bogus.

I have come to the conclusion that the brakes on a model A are the most complicated part of the whole car. I’ve tried to find something else that requires you to kneel down, bend over, stick your head under a fender four times and do it over and over and over. And wait, you have to use a board that you have to make for the correct pedal adjustment. You’ve got to be kidding me! It’s like a mini marathon to work on the brakes on an A.

I hate to say it, but you guys that think mechanical brakes are great have been hit in the head with a big wrench or a brake drum too many times.

Mike

mike657894 · 01-04-2018, 07:12 PM

you can just apply them heavily and you will feel the car pull this way or that. I made a brake board and at the same spot on the board my rears stop and one more notch the front get some drag. but the car pulls right on braking not bad but it pulls.

michael a · 01-04-2018, 07:12 PM

It's not that bad there is a good video on YouTube

quickchange · 01-04-2018, 07:19 PM

But at least the wheel cylinders don,t leak , & you still have too adjust
juice brakes,

wingski Ar but the wheel cylinders don,t leak & you still have too adjust juice brakes, coupled with Teds floaters are as good or better ,

mhsprecher · 01-04-2018, 07:20 PM

Mine work great and adjustment is easy.

d.j. moordigian · 01-04-2018, 07:23 PM

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Quote:

Originally Posted by wingski

OK, here we go again. I just found out that to accurately adjust the brakes on a model A you must use a brake board according to Les Andrews. Come on guys, some of you have let me know how great you think mechanical brakes are compared to hydraulics. What planet are you guys living on? Apparently one without asphalt roads so you don’t wear your tires out when testing them after adjustment.

I don’t know about you, but the idea of skidding my rear tires to see if the brakes are correctly adjusted is bogus.

I have come to the conclusion that the brakes on a model A are the most complicated part of the whole car. I’ve tried to find something else that requires you to kneel down, bend over, stick your head under a fender four times and do it over and over and over. And wait, you have to use a board that you have to make for the correct pedal adjustment. You’ve got to be kidding me! It’s like a mini marathon to work on the brakes on an A.

I hate to say it, but you guys that think mechanical brakes are great have been hit in the head with a big wrench or a brake drum too many times.

Mike

Well...GEE!,.....how do you adjust drum brakes that are HYDRAULIC !

CarlLaFong · 01-04-2018, 07:31 PM

Are you sure a Model A is the car for you?? Maybe a nice Prius would be less taxing.....

zzlegend · 01-04-2018, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CarlLaFong

Are you sure a Model A is the car for you?? Maybe a nice Prius would be less taxing.....

X2. I was just going to add this same comment. Maybe his toast got burned.

1930artdeco · 01-04-2018, 07:54 PM

Actually they are really pretty good. For the time and speed we are going. The trick is to adjust them correctly initially and then after that it is just a tweek here and there. But I can see how doing this on gravel roads would get tiresome very fast.

Mike

1930-Pickup · 01-04-2018, 08:04 PM

Maybe we should go back to the Model T. Having NO wheel brakes was so popular it almost put ford out of business.

BillCNC · 01-04-2018, 08:31 PM

Some folks put masking tape on the side of the brake pedal with the same increments as the board. Either have someone hold the pedal at that mark or make spacers (same as the board) to go under the pedal and then put weight on the pedal.

Regards
Bill

Bob C · 01-04-2018, 08:55 PM

If you use Henry's adjustment instructions you don't need no stinking board.

Bob

denis4x4 · 01-04-2018, 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by d.j. moordigian

Well...GEE!,.....how do you adjust drum brakes that are HYDRAULIC !

You use a wrench! Very easy and I must do something right as my wheel cylinders haven’t leaked in 25 years. Maybe it’s because I drive them all the time.

J Franklin · 01-04-2018, 09:40 PM

I like to use the Grey-Rock (Model A) brake adjust pages, no board included. Hey Wingsky, you'll get the hang of it sometime if you keep at it. Take all this advice as just that. If you have decided to follow any of it, do a little research to verify if you want to for sure.

Railcarmover · 01-04-2018, 09:45 PM

all steel from the pedal to the wheel

denis4x4 · 01-04-2018, 11:01 PM

Fake news!

I understand the desire to keep the Model A as it was built from 1928-1931. By the same token, a whole host of other manufacturers were touting the benefits of hydraulic brakes in the 1930's. The "all steel from the pedal to the wheel" guys need to give it a rest.

Purdy Swoft · 01-04-2018, 11:27 PM

You don't need a board , I don't use a board and you sure as hell can't take Les Andrews book for gospel . Model A brakes are straight foward and simple for a person that really undertstands them . I agree with Bob C in post #12 . Its too late for me to get into it tonight . If you've got the service bulletins all of the correct info is there. they have info fopr the early style brakes and the later more common style brakes in two different places , don't mix them up . Les probably came up with the board adjustment system on his own . some use the board adjustment and like it . Experence with mechanical brakes is the best teacher . If you would like I will post how I do mine sometime tomorrow or not if you are not interested . It will take a lot of typing and I type with one finger .

daveymc29 · 01-04-2018, 11:39 PM

No drip or no stop. Choose as you like. Just like tube shocks, ride a little harder but don't drip.

3.6rs · 01-05-2018, 12:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by d.j. moordigian

Well...GEE!,.....how do you adjust drum brakes that are HYDRAULIC !

NOT ! If they are self adjusting !

Bikerider58 · 01-05-2018, 12:11 AM

Clearly modern works better. But well adjusted old stuff works for the purpose. Yes, it may take more regular maintenance, but juice systems need maintenance (some love) too.

Returning from a consecutive overseas tour, I pick up the old Dart and towed it to the new duty station. About a month after it became my daily driver, in stopping Los Angeles traffic, the pedal met the floor with the car not slowing. Luckily rapid pumping built pressure to stop. New master, wheel cylinders and replaced brake lines fixed it. That dot4 stuff likes to absorb moisture rusting important bits.

You flush your brake fluid every 3 years to keep the ABS working correctly, right?

01-04-2018, 07:12 PM	#2
mike657894 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Bay City Michigan Posts: 1,050	Re: Bogus you can just apply them heavily and you will feel the car pull this way or that. I made a brake board and at the same spot on the board my rears stop and one more notch the front get some drag. but the car pulls right on braking not bad but it pulls.

01-04-2018, 07:12 PM	#3
michael a Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Lone Jack Missouri Posts: 381	Re: Bogus It's not that bad there is a good video on YouTube

01-04-2018, 07:19 PM	#4
quickchange Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Nelson. New Zealand Posts: 2,009	Re: Bogus But at least the wheel cylinders don,t leak , & you still have too adjust juice brakes, wingski Ar but the wheel cylinders don,t leak & you still have too adjust juice brakes, coupled with Teds floaters are as good or better ,

01-04-2018, 07:20 PM	#5
mhsprecher Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Takoma Park, MD Posts: 2,817	Re: Bogus Mine work great and adjustment is easy.

01-04-2018, 07:31 PM	#7
CarlLaFong Member Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: Sunny SoCal and Valley Mills, TX Posts: 63	Re: Bogus Are you sure a Model A is the car for you?? Maybe a nice Prius would be less taxing.....

01-04-2018, 07:03 PM	#1
wingski Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2017 Location: Cave Junction, Oregon Posts: 432	Bogus OK, here we go again. I just found out that to accurately adjust the brakes on a model A you must use a brake board according to Les Andrews. Come on guys, some of you have let me know how great you think mechanical brakes are compared to hydraulics. What planet are you guys living on? Apparently one without asphalt roads so you don’t wear your tires out when testing them after adjustment. I don’t know about you, but the idea of skidding my rear tires to see if the brakes are correctly adjusted is bogus. I have come to the conclusion that the brakes on a model A are the most complicated part of the whole car. I’ve tried to find something else that requires you to kneel down, bend over, stick your head under a fender four times and do it over and over and over. And wait, you have to use a board that you have to make for the correct pedal adjustment. You’ve got to be kidding me! It’s like a mini marathon to work on the brakes on an A. I hate to say it, but you guys that think mechanical brakes are great have been hit in the head with a big wrench or a brake drum too many times. Mike

01-04-2018, 07:54 PM	#9
1930artdeco Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Lynden, Wa Posts: 3,550	Re: Bogus Actually they are really pretty good. For the time and speed we are going. The trick is to adjust them correctly initially and then after that it is just a tweek here and there. But I can see how doing this on gravel roads would get tiresome very fast. Mike __________________ 1930 TownSedan (Briggs) 1957 Country Sedan

01-04-2018, 08:04 PM	#10
1930-Pickup Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2017 Location: southern California Posts: 725	Re: Bogus Maybe we should go back to the Model T. Having NO wheel brakes was so popular it almost put ford out of business. __________________ *"That's my wild unsubstantiated guess, and I'm sticking to it regardless of the facts!"*

01-04-2018, 08:31 PM	#11
BillCNC Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2017 Location: SoCal Desert Posts: 826	Re: Bogus Some folks put masking tape on the side of the brake pedal with the same increments as the board. Either have someone hold the pedal at that mark or make spacers (same as the board) to go under the pedal and then put weight on the pedal. Regards Bill

01-04-2018, 08:55 PM	#12
Bob C Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: So Cal Posts: 8,743	Re: Bogus If you use Henry's adjustment instructions you don't need no stinking board. Bob

01-04-2018, 09:40 PM	#14
J Franklin Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Oregon Posts: 5,959	Re: Bogus I like to use the Grey-Rock (Model A) brake adjust pages, no board included. Hey Wingsky, you'll get the hang of it sometime if you keep at it. Take all this advice as just that. If you have decided to follow any of it, do a little research to verify if you want to for sure. Last edited by J Franklin; 01-04-2018 at 09:45 PM.

01-04-2018, 09:45 PM	#15
Railcarmover BANNED Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: Sacramento Posts: 1,262	Re: Bogus all steel from the pedal to the wheel

01-04-2018, 11:01 PM	#16
denis4x4 Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Durango CO Posts: 1,309	Re: Bogus Fake news! I understand the desire to keep the Model A as it was built from 1928-1931. By the same token, a whole host of other manufacturers were touting the benefits of hydraulic brakes in the 1930's. The "all steel from the pedal to the wheel" guys need to give it a rest. __________________ No restorable Model A's were harmed in the building of this truck! Last edited by denis4x4; 01-04-2018 at 11:07 PM.

01-04-2018, 11:27 PM	#17
Purdy Swoft Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Alabama Posts: 8,099	Re: Bogus You don't need a board , I don't use a board and you sure as hell can't take Les Andrews book for gospel . Model A brakes are straight foward and simple for a person that really undertstands them . I agree with Bob C in post #12 . Its too late for me to get into it tonight . If you've got the service bulletins all of the correct info is there. they have info fopr the early style brakes and the later more common style brakes in two different places , don't mix them up . Les probably came up with the board adjustment system on his own . some use the board adjustment and like it . Experence with mechanical brakes is the best teacher . If you would like I will post how I do mine sometime tomorrow or not if you are not interested . It will take a lot of typing and I type with one finger .

01-04-2018, 11:39 PM	#18
daveymc29 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Danville, CA Posts: 1,553	Re: Bogus No drip or no stop. Choose as you like. Just like tube shocks, ride a little harder but don't drip.

01-05-2018, 12:11 AM	#20
Bikerider58 Member Join Date: Jul 2017 Location: SoCal Posts: 53	Re: Bogus Clearly modern works better. But well adjusted old stuff works for the purpose. Yes, it may take more regular maintenance, but juice systems need maintenance (some love) too. Returning from a consecutive overseas tour, I pick up the old Dart and towed it to the new duty station. About a month after it became my daily driver, in stopping Los Angeles traffic, the pedal met the floor with the car not slowing. Luckily rapid pumping built pressure to stop. New master, wheel cylinders and replaced brake lines fixed it. That dot4 stuff likes to absorb moisture rusting important bits. You flush your brake fluid every 3 years to keep the ABS working correctly, right?