the original mechanical brakes

[highbeams]

Originally Posted by cas3

Irrelevant story. Juice brakes or mechanical, its up to the operator/owner to know that every thing is working properly

Not irrelevant when one (I) receives a quote of $2,500 for NOS hydraulic parts from a reputable supplier we all know.

My '33 will be driven at in-town and roads-around-town casual-no-slam-on-the-brakes speeds. Thank you.

[highbeams]

Thank you all for your reply comments.

[farmertom]

thanks cas3,duece lover i'll check those out. the '37 still has good pedal and stops well. i stick to the 25 and 35 mph roads i'm retired so i usually pick the lowest traffic part of the day. all i need is about a 15 mile ride to get me right. Tom.

[baceves]

I still drive with the single master cylinder mechanical brake system set-up in the 47 Ford and they work fine along with the original V8 Flathead engine. A braking system set-up will be dependent on what engine you currently have and how frequent you are using your early ford. If you are using this as a daily driver and you like to speed down the highways i would suggest a non-mechanical braking system. But in the end, there is no right or wrong and if you feel safer upgrading to a power braking system please do so.

[J Franklin]

Hydraulic brakes are not a power braking system, it is just a different way to actuate the shoes.

[DavidG]

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I'm pretty sure that no '47 Ford was built with a mechanical brake system, but rather they had a hydraulic system used by Ford since the '39 models. Mechanical brake systems use no fluids and have no master cylinder.

[Karl]

Originally Posted by J Franklin

Hydraulic brakes are not a power braking system, it is just a different way to actuate the shoes.

Exactly their only advantage is that they are naturaly self equalizing, My 1930 and 1934 all have original brakes which have been correctly rebuilt and will stop on a dime -Karl

[52flthed]

A very interesting thread!

[mfirth]

Granted we were on a gravel road in my friends 30 coupe when I asked how good the mech. brakes were. He slammed them on, all 4 wheels locked up & it tracked straight as an arrow. Good nuff for me !!

[J Franklin]

Originally Posted by mfirth

all 4 wheels locked up & it tracked straight as an arrow. Good nuff for me !!

Post #2 summed it up in a few words.

[tomkc1]

Is there one reputable supplier for all mechanical brake parts? Mine work o.k. but I certainly can't "stop on a dime".
Tom

[Model "A" Fords]

#2 says it all. Here is my backup story.
I had an issue on a steep hill with my 29 roadster, quite scarry. I finally stopped after a long flat section at the bottom of the hill. I adjusted the brakes on the side of the road and continued on. I tend to leave things alone that work and that's my problem.
When I got home I had my mechanic brother check them over and he did a bit more adjusting. Everything was fine he said but asked why I hadn't bothered to keep up on maintenance and that I had put others in danger because of my stupidity?
Read #2 again and happy driving!

[David J]

Something not mentioned yet. The bushings in rear brake shafts and crosshaft under u-joint are critical to having good brakes. Worn bushings in either place = uneven braking. Speaking strictly 33-34 but i would assume others are similar.

[pistonbroke]

I had the cable mech brakes on my 38 Lincoln Zephyr. They worked like and as good as any juice brakes . They required less maintaining and that car was a daily driver for my mom for years. She never complained about them and that's saying something. Tim

[woodiewagon46]

With a car with hydraulic brakes, a new set of linings, wheel cylinders and drums and you can consider it rebuilt. A mechanical brake system, depending on the year, consists of levers, rod's, cables and bushings and many other parts. To totally rebuild a mechanical brake system takes both time and money. That being said, if you do a mechanical system and do it right and completely it will serve you well. A complete mechanical drum system for a Model A will run you somewhere between $2,000 and $3,000.

[john greco]

I have two v8 cars that will lock all 4 wheels up and put u threw the windshield with stock brakes

[Karl]

Originally Posted by john greco

I have two v8 cars that will lock all 4 wheels up and put u threw the windshield with stock brakes

A couple of winters ago I was driving the 34 at the tail of a group of three cars
. It had rained recently and the road was slightly wet still. The two moderns in front of me and I were all about the same distance apart and all travelling at about 30 mph .A cat ran out in front of the lead car and we all hit the brakes at about the same time. The car in front of me ran into the back of the lead car . All four wheels locked up on my car and I pulled up to a perfectly straight stop about 2 yards behind and clear of the badly frontally damaged middle vehicle and the rear ended lead car -Again good enough for me.

[V8COOPMAN]

Originally Posted by Karl

A couple of winters ago I was driving the 34 at the tail of a group of three cars
. It had rained recently and the road was slightly wet still. The two moderns in front of me and I were all about the same distance apart and all travelling at about 30 mph .A cat ran out in front of the lead car and we all hit the brakes at about the same time. The car in front of me ran into the back of the lead car . All four wheels locked up on my car and I pulled up to a perfectly straight stop about 2 yards behind and clear of the badly frontally damaged middle vehicle and the rear ended lead car -Again good enough for me.

The "Two Second RULE" works great! The "Three Second RULE" works equally-well in wet conditions.

Coop

.

[Karl]

Originally Posted by V8COOPMAN

The "Two Second RULE" works great! The "Three Second RULE" works equally-well in wet conditions.

Coop

.

Yep Coop I was applying that but so was the guy in front and my original brakes appeared to outperform his modern -Of course he may have had the reactions of a sloth but that would spoil the story -As would detailng the fate of the cat LOL-Karl

[tubman]

Actually, this surprises me as the tires on the '34 have a much smaller contact area than any late model tires (especially on wet pavement).