Would it be safer to change out my 3 piece brake service shaft to the 1 piece ? I was pushing hard on brake pedal and center ball came out, pedal to floor no brakes! It was a ford change over from 3 piece to 1 in 28, what was the reason and what parts + the shaft for change over? Need to pick the brains.
1928 brake service shaft
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BRENT in 10-uh-C
Well-known member
I guess it depends. Are you doing this because (honestly) yours is worn out but it is easier to place the blame on the design rather than the condition of yours? The reason why the change was not necessarily due to inadequate braking, but more about Government telling him he needed to install a redundant braking system. That is why many call the Parking Brake an Emergency Brake. Many Model-A driver's today still use the Parking Brake to subsidize there worn-out Service Brakes!
pooch
Well-known member
Yep, and once the ball has fallen out once, it is always in the back of your mind .
Especially when approaching pedestrian crossing with people walking across.
Ok to say there is nothing wrong with the system if all is in good order, but once mostly any part of the early brake system fails, you are along for the ride with no emergency brake either.
I have been there, done that and never again, I ditched the old system and fitted the newer one with separate brake.
Ford could have easily kept the 3 piece shaft and just added a separate emergency brake, it would have been cheaper, but decided to re design it all .
So what does this tell you ?
Especially when approaching pedestrian crossing with people walking across.
Ok to say there is nothing wrong with the system if all is in good order, but once mostly any part of the early brake system fails, you are along for the ride with no emergency brake either.
I have been there, done that and never again, I ditched the old system and fitted the newer one with separate brake.
Ford could have easily kept the 3 piece shaft and just added a separate emergency brake, it would have been cheaper, but decided to re design it all .
So what does this tell you ?
pooch
Well-known member
And if just ONE clevis falls out or a brake rod breaks, you have nothing .
The whole system relies on pull of each rod pulling back on everything else .
Try it.
Disconnect just one brake rod and push the pedal.
The 3 piece shaft just flops around and does nothing.
At least on the one piece service shaft, if one or more brake rods falls off, you have SOME foot pedal and of course the full emergency brake.
The whole system relies on pull of each rod pulling back on everything else .
Try it.
Disconnect just one brake rod and push the pedal.
The 3 piece shaft just flops around and does nothing.
At least on the one piece service shaft, if one or more brake rods falls off, you have SOME foot pedal and of course the full emergency brake.
Tom Wesenberg
Well-known member
I like my original 3 piece service brake and the seperate parking brake bands.
The two changes didn't happen at the same time.
The two changes didn't happen at the same time.
George Miller
Well-known member
He did keep the 3 piece shaft for a while, with separate emergency brakes.
my 28 has that. They have worked great for the 20,000 miles that I have drove it. My car has very good brakes.
pooch
Well-known member
' He did keep the 3 piece shaft for a while, with separate emergency brakes. '
Was this a period of using up old parts in some plants, or was there a definite time frame between fitting of the separate emergency brake and the fitting of the one piece brake shaft.
What does the JS say ?
Just curious, as when I look for any A/s now, I dismiss any car with the early 3 piece shaft entirely, but if it was fitted with a separate emergency brake, I may reconsider them .
Maybe I have been spoiled by my second 'vintage' car back in the 70/s, being a 28 plymouth, with 4 wheel internal expanding hydraulic brakes.
I used to warn other guys with chevs and A/s, etc to not follow me too close, as I WILL stop quicker than YOU if I have an emergency .
Was this a period of using up old parts in some plants, or was there a definite time frame between fitting of the separate emergency brake and the fitting of the one piece brake shaft.
What does the JS say ?
Just curious, as when I look for any A/s now, I dismiss any car with the early 3 piece shaft entirely, but if it was fitted with a separate emergency brake, I may reconsider them .
Maybe I have been spoiled by my second 'vintage' car back in the 70/s, being a 28 plymouth, with 4 wheel internal expanding hydraulic brakes.
I used to warn other guys with chevs and A/s, etc to not follow me too close, as I WILL stop quicker than YOU if I have an emergency .
Tom Wesenberg
Well-known member
By May or June I think all the Model A's were being built with the seperate parking brake.
The one piece brake shaft was started in November 1928.
The one piece brake shaft was started in November 1928.