floating brake shoes on 34 front drums

V

vincent

Senior Member
Hello
Due to my supercharged engine in the finishing stages I am thinking about better brakes. The drums are in good shape, almost new and correctly arched shoes, operated hydraulically but I think I could get a little more braking out of them if I convert them to a floating motion a la Bendix. Surely someone has done this before and can tell me if it is worth the work.
As always - Thanks for your help!
 

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Hello. You state the brakes are operated hydraulically. If they are they are are they 33/34 type brakes converted to hydraulic, or do you have 39 up type hydraulic brakes.
If you have 33/34 type brakes converted to hydraulic, any talk of "floaters" is not relevant. Hydraulic brakes already "float".

If you are asking if these brakes can be converted to self energising, like bendix, then that may be something that no-one has done before. I have heard mention of 46-48 type brakes being converted to self energising, but that would be different to 33/34 which have already been converted to hydraulic.

Sorry to be unhelpful but understanding what you would like to do is critical here.

If budget would allow, fitment of the lincoln style brakes might be the answer, but this might create other problems like track width increase, wheel fitment issues amongst others.

Edit: 33/34 drums are designed for a 1.5" shoe width. Ford and Lincoln are 1-3/4" and may not work with the 33/34 drums. 2" are available also, but need specific drums.

Mart.
 
My brakes are converted 34 brakes but still have the wedge adjuster. The wheel cylinder looks the same as the old Ansen conversions, each side of the cylinder is individually adjustable as the shoes in this layout on my car cannot float. Will convert to see what I can gain.
 
Mart said:
If budget would allow, fitment of the lincoln style brakes might be the answer, but this might create other problems like track width increase, wheel fitment issues amongst others.
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The Lincoln brakes use the same hubs and spindles as the '39-48 Ford hydraulic brakes, so no change in track width.
 
Vincent, how about some pics of your creation. Supercharged engine sounds interesting especially if it is a flathead.
 
jimTN said:
Vincent, how about some pics of your creation. Supercharged engine sounds interesting especially if it is a flathead.
Click to expand...

Jim, here are a couple pics of the mock-up stage. As the engine is so close between the front crossmember and the original firewall I had no choice but use a multi rib belt to drive all of it. Meanwhile I ground the cam to my ideas and prepare the block for paint and assembly. In a week or two this engine should be assembled.
 

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Vincent, thanks for the pictures of your engine, I particularly like the belt drive you have come up with to fit everything in. Keep an eye on the front bearing of the alternator, it looks like the hub loads would be high there due to the main drive belt as well as the fan drive belt pulling downward on it. I can't wait to hear it run.
 
Well, the alternator is the only item there with a bearing at each end of its shaft so I chose that to drive the fan. Time will tell if this will become a problem. Now back to working on the block to get it ready for paint.
 
Vincent, will that engine actually fit into the engine bay? Not a lot of room in a 34 ford. you still have the french governor casting piece at back of block; will that clear the firewall? I had to machine that boss off to enable fitment of a french block into my 35. And will your fan etc clear the radiator? Obviously you'll not be running a hood.
 
Brian, it will fit but not with Strombergs and the scoop. If I use the Holley that Ronnie suggested and have an only 2" high airfilter, I can squezze it all under the hood and keep the sides closed as well. The governor piece is gone already, had to cut that off just as on the other engine to make it fit the very limited space. The fan on the blown engine is in almost the same position as on the motor in the car so no problems there. No pics of the brakes yet, they are just ordinary 34s with an hydraulic cylinder to push the shoes outwards. When I start work on them and remember, I will take a pic.
 
Here is a picture of the Ansen wheel cylinder from the HAMB.
 

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Thats what I have in my front drums. The notched dish on both ends of the wheel cylinder allows individual adjustment and the wedge would help compensate wear. Still only one leading shoe.
 
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