Bendix brakes for my roadster

[Karl Wolf]

I have an oportunity to pick up an 1948 F2 truck chassis AND a 1948 Lincoln, both are different stories... Both have brakes that I'm considering using on the roadster...
I have the idea from reading that the F2 front brakes are the right size-12", bolt pattern is good, but they have a different offset, that the shoes stick out where the drum wants to be... How about using the F2 rears as fronts on 46-48 spindles?
I have read that the Lincoln front brakes have a similiar problem- the backing plates have an ofset that requires the use of Lincold spindles (not ready to do that) BUT the rear backing plates will work as fronts on 46-48 car spindles...
And I would realy appreciate hearing from those who know what they have done faced with these possibilities
Thanks, Karl

[Brendan]

Karl, i think i remember a friend talking that he has Lincoln rear brakes on the front. he said that he filled the hole for the E brake cable
Brendan

[Deuce Man]

Karl I got a set of mid fifties f250 ford frond brakes from my friendly junkyard in North Dakota. you are right about the offset I machined about 1/4 to 3/8 of an inch off the lip on the extreme outer edge of the backing plate. I then dug out another i/8 or more out of the recess in the outer edge of the drum. I have buick drums so the original 2 inch shoes work. If you use ford drums you have to find 1and 3/4 shoes. Best part is all these parts are available from most parts stores.Ishould have kept better record of how much I cut on each part, but I just put on old spindle in a vise and machined away until everything fit.

[rich b]

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If the F-2 is a '48 it probably has Lockheed brakes, don't think the F-2's went to Bendix until '52.
Ford drums won't work with F-2/F-250 Bendix plates for several reasons. The Bendix plate is larger in diameter than the recess in the Ford drum, and if you were able to overcome this in some manner you would find that due to the lesser offset of the Bendix plate there would only be room for about 1-1/2" wide brake shoes. In the picture with the cut away, the drum is bottomed out on the 2" wide shoe and is still about 3/8" from seating on the hub.
With a little work the F-2/F-250 Bendix brakes work great with Buick drums and '40 Ford style inside the drum mount hubs.
If you use the outside the drum Ford hubs with Buick drums and F-2/F-250 Bendix brakes you will have to do the extra work as described by Deuce Man due to the difference in hub offset.