'36 to '39 brakes

Steve in Denver

Steve in Denver

Well-known member
I want to switch to hydraulic brakes in my '36. I do have the '39 pedal assembly and I do have front Bendix backing plates and other stuff.


One of the local supplies happens to have a '39 front end, drums, springs and all. Will it fit? I think I would still install the Bendix backing plates.


What is the front track on the '36 and on the '39, anyone know?


I do also have access to a '37 front end, but I hear that I will still have to do some modification to get rid of the manual brakes on the '37 front end. I would prefer a bolt in conversion.


Steve
 
I know this is a different approach, but why don't you investigate the conversion to floater brakes on your current brakes. Flathead Ted from down under has a really good set up. I say this as I have put several sets of these on Model A's with good out comes. I put a set of these on a 36 sedan last year and the brakes are better with his conversion than the hydraulic brakes on my 40 or 41 and as good as the Bendix backing plates/hubs/drums that I put on my 41 3/4 ton truck.
 
MAC's Antique Auto Parts did have Ted's floaters the last time I checked their catalog. I'm using a different/older brand on my 35 fordor with great results as well.
 
The 37 axle will fit ,but it is longer so you front wheels will be farther out and won't look right.I went from hydraulic brakes back to mechanical with floaters. as long as they are adjusted properly they are every bit as good as hydraulics.Best of all you don't have to worry about them working!
 
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billbob412 said:
The 37 axle will fit ,but it is longer so you front wheels will be farther out and won't look right.
Click to expand...


Actually, the above info is just WRONG! Note the chart below. The '37 axle is actually shorter by almost an inch per side. To use the '37 axle, you must also use the '37 wishbone and spring which are original to '37, but the entire assembly will bolt-into your '36 chassis like it grew there. The '36 in the picture has a '40 (same width as '37) axle in it. The '40 axle has been dropped, so STOCK would sit just a tad farther out, like a 1/2" or so farther out. DD


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Thanks DD. I have access to a complete '37 front end, wishbones and all. Somewhere I heard that if I put the Bendix backing plates on the '36 suspension, it would make the track an inch wider. Per your drawing, if the '37 is almost 2 inch narrower than the '36, if I put the Bendix plates on the '37, it would have the same track as the '36. But now thinking about that, that does not make any since either because the track is controlled by the location of the brake drums, not the backing plates.


Back in my high school days, the '60s, I had another '36 and a mechanic converted it to hydraulics. That was way before all the communication we have now. I seem to recall that all he did was switch the backing plates out and the drums and the track stayed the same. He did not change the spindles as best as I remember, besides, there was no where to just go buy different spindles back then.
 
Well, now i'm confused, I guess i'll have to go out and measure my old axle. I apologize if i gave out false information I only know that when i went back to stock the track changed a couple of inches.
 
If Ted's floaters were around when I switched to Lockheeds on my 38, I would've never switched. Now I have to wait for Ted to come out with Lockheed floaters cuz my mechanical setup is long gone. 8^( Jack E/NJ
 
:)OK, i went out and measured the axle that i believe to be the one that came off the car when it had hydraulic brakes, it measures to be a 36 axle according to the above chart. It must be the later spindles that makes the track wider,I guess i shouldn't be making statements as facts about things that i did 25 years ago.I still say unless you are building a Hot Rod there is no reason to switch over providing all the rods pins and cross shaft are in good shape.Thats my story and i'm stickin to it:)
 
My '36 has a '40 axle that is dropped 2", the spindles and king pins are '41, brakes are '42-48 with '39 drums. Front spring is a '41. Steering gear box is a '40 and the peddle assembly is a '39.
My rear axle is a '48 Columbia with the original '36 banjo and drive line, '39 drums with '42-48 brakes.
I know that the axle track is a little wider than the stock '36, however, I don't find it to be that much different. The wheels/tire sit in the wheel wells in what appears to be the correct position. If someone got under the car with a ruler and wanted to split hairs, they could make a big fuss, in my way of thinking the slight difference is not worth the bother.
I would not consider a '34-37 EFV8 with hydraulic brakes to be a hot rod, just as a 59 AB engine does not make a car a hot rod.
If Steve has a complete '37 front axle assembly I would suggest he use it with '41 spindles and '42-48 backing plates and brakes.
 
Well now.. Looking at the axle chart that V8COOP... attached, revealed some very interesting info to me.
The front axle is not under my '36 so it is very easy to measure it. I know the axle is a '40-41 because I bought it from my friend after he was forced off of the road in his '40 coupe, which resulted in the axle being bent. My friend bought a new axle, he gave me the old one and I had it straightened and installed it in my '36.
Earlier this morning I went out into my garage and measured my front axle assembly. The king pin centers measure 47-1/4", the wish bone centers are 38-1/2".
The measurements would indicate that I have a '40 wish bone (38.5") on the '40-41 axle. The axle being shorter than a '37-41 (48.5) 47.25" would be understandable with a 2" drop. Actually I would have thought it would be more, that is only a loss of less than 3/4". Since I have '41 spindles on the axle, the true overall width might be close to stock '41. Someday I'll have to measure the wheel track when I put the '39 wheels back onto the axle.
Checking the printed spec.s I have for tread width revealed the following:

'36 ... Frt... 55.5"
Rr.... 58.25
40 ... Frt.. 55.75
Rr.... 58.25
41 ... Frt.. 55.75
Rr.... 58.25
Reviewing the above info would indicate that there is not much difference between the '36-41 tread widths, only 1/4 of an inch on the front.. 55.5 vs 55.75.. Variations in tire sizes would negate the difference very quickly...
 
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Bill,i agree the small differences in track don't amount to a hill of beans in most cases, I have a 46 Buick that i can almost wash the entire tire on the one side with the skirts on but on the other side i can't even come close. these cars were not built to exact standards even back then when people gave a crap about what they were doing! I remember years ago i was talking to Dickie Spadaro about the fit and finish of 36 Fords,he said you got to remember these cars cost 600 bucks back then .I never forgot that.They wern't perfact by a long shot.
 
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