1946 Brakes
- Thread starter old46ford
- Start date
rotorwrench
Well-known member
The Lincoln style Bendix design brake set up will work with your stock 12-inch drums if still in good shape and are a lot easier to maintain. MT Products and a few others supply the kits with backing plates, shoes, and wheel cylinders. The Ford F100 brakes can also be set up to work but they are only 11-inch.
Disk brakes gets more complicated than it's worth in my opinion.
Disk brakes gets more complicated than it's worth in my opinion.
Seth Swoboda
Well-known member
I drive a '47 Tudor quite a bit, stock brakes and I have no problems. It is possible your drums are worn or out of round. Maybe you need to have the brake lining arced? Disc brakes can be done, expensive however. I have a friend that has a '48 Mercury, all stock except he installed disc brakes on the front.
Charlie Stephens
Well-known member
Take the drums and have them measured. Anyone that turns drums will have the tools to measure them. My local Pep Boys will do it. In general most places don't charge to do this. Maximum diameter is 12.060. Let us know the results. Did you have the shoes arced when you did the rebuild? You should add your general location to your profile.
Charlie Stephens
woodiewagon46
BANNED
If you rebuilt your brakes and the car still does not stop, yes something is wrong. As others have suggested have your drums looked at. You don't say if they are original drums but if they are, it might be times for replacement and as Charlie and Seth suggest, have the shoes arced to the drums for optimum contact.
Agree with most of what's posted... Adding, make sure you have the correct parts. I'm thinking of my own 47, where I found that a previous person had installed the wrong wheel cylinders, and new lining, but it was very HARD lining. I replaced the wheel cylinders with the correct ones, and used new SOFT lining, plus the other stuff posted above, and the brakes worked SIGNIFICANTLY better.
mrtexas
Well-known member
Yes and available from hot rod suppliers and cheap. IMHO way easier than trying to adjust lockheed brakes. I have a set on my 46 and 41. The bendix brakes work pretty good as well but a little more than the disc conversion.
http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Brake-Kit-1969-77-GM-Caliper-to-Early-Ford-Spindle-Ford-B-P,2004.html
mrtexas
Well-known member
Yes and available from hot rod suppliers and cheap. IMHO way easier than trying to adjust lockheed brakes. I have a set on my 46 and 41. The bendix brakes work pretty good as well but are more $$ than the disc conversion.
http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Brake-Kit-1969-77-GM-Caliper-to-Early-Ford-Spindle-Ford-B-P,2004.html
jagnweiner
Senior Member
FWIW, my '47 Merc with stock brakes also stops pretty darn well in normal driving situations. That's one part of the car that I never worry about. Sounds like there may be an issue with either adjustment or components.
deuce lover
Well-known member
This is the kit you need if you go that route plus you should change the master cyl etc.It gets a bit involved.
http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Complete-Disc-Brake-Kit-1937-48-Ford-5-on-5-1-2-BC,1997.html
http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Complete-Disc-Brake-Kit-1937-48-Ford-5-on-5-1-2-BC,1997.html
drolston
Well-known member
I just put taller rear end gears (3.25 versus 3.78) in my '41 coupe to keep up with Interstate traffic on the longer trips. That brings my sweet spot of 2700 rpm up from 56 mph to 65 mph. Nice.
But for traveling at those speeds, I wanted better brakes. I changed the front from stock Lockheed to Bendix (Lincoln) self-energizing brakes. Fortunately my drums were good so the cost of parts from MT was only $400. Stopping power per pedal pressure is substantially improved, and should get better as the new shoes arc themselves to the drums.
My wife's '34 pickup has disc brakes in front. They work great, but without power boost they also take substantial pedal pressure, even in that light weight vehicle.
With a tie in performance, I would go with the cheaper, simpler drum brake upgrade.
One post said .060 as the limit oversize for turning drums, but I have also heard .080. If you go over that far you should probably have the snoes professionally arced, versus wearing them in on the road.
But for traveling at those speeds, I wanted better brakes. I changed the front from stock Lockheed to Bendix (Lincoln) self-energizing brakes. Fortunately my drums were good so the cost of parts from MT was only $400. Stopping power per pedal pressure is substantially improved, and should get better as the new shoes arc themselves to the drums.
My wife's '34 pickup has disc brakes in front. They work great, but without power boost they also take substantial pedal pressure, even in that light weight vehicle.
With a tie in performance, I would go with the cheaper, simpler drum brake upgrade.
One post said .060 as the limit oversize for turning drums, but I have also heard .080. If you go over that far you should probably have the snoes professionally arced, versus wearing them in on the road.
Can't use stock wheels, as stated.
Vintage Copper 47
Senior Member
I put the MT Bendix style brakes in my '47 last fall.. I even splurged and got the removable drums for the rear.. A new master brake cylinder as well as new hoses..
I couldn't afford to do the removable drums on the front.. that will come later... It stops great!
I couldn't afford to do the removable drums on the front.. that will come later... It stops great!