39 Brake Questions.

Shampipple

Shampipple

Senior Member
Are there differences in the wide 5 front drums? 38 vs 39 in particular.

Also, I have both a 38 and a 40 front axle. Can I drop the 40 backing plates on my 38 axle to convert it to juice brakes?

I’m also curious of a source for 39 rear drums.

Thanks!
 
Hi,
I put hydraulic brakes on my 38 pickup. Just used 39+ backing plates, pedals and master cylinder. Easy.
Dave
 
Shampipple said:
Are there differences in the wide 5 front drums? 38 vs 39 in particular.

Also, I have both a 38 and a 40 front axle. Can I drop the 40 backing plates on my 38 axle to convert it to juice brakes?

I’m also curious of a source for 39 rear drums.

Thanks!
Click to expand...


1939 through 1948 backing plates (front & rear) will bolt directly to your 1938 spindles and rear axle.

'37-'38 is a one piece hub/drum drum and '39 is by its self as a hub and separate drum held together by the studs, although they are interchangeable with each other.

1936 FRONT drums are a ONE-YEAR-ONLY and must be used on '36 spindles. They have a long snout, and ribs around the perimeter. 1936 on LEFT in picture BELOW!

235757



1937-'38 BELOW


436124



436129



1939 Two-Piece DRUM Below


385249



18852



18853




Good Luck on a source, other than continuing to watch the SWAP MEET section here on the 'Barn. They DO show-up. Beware of OVERSIZE (over 12.060"). Remember, 1937 & '38 will work perfectly-well.
.





.
 
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Much appreciated! I think I have a mixture of a bit of everything unfortunately. But fortunately enough to get it together.


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I “fergot more than I ‘member” this one of them being out of the hands on for several years. Now back into the game, I am taking stock myself of what is in the stash. I talked to a machinist friend about making sleeves & press fit. Said spray weld is cheap & easy compared, so I don’t throw nuthin away. I do know I have 3 ribs so some are no good for hydraulics.
 
Rodrelic said:
I “fergot more than I ‘member” this one of them being out of the hands on for several years. Now back into the game, I am taking stock myself of what is in the stash. I talked to a machinist friend about making sleeves & press fit. Said spray weld is cheap & easy compared, so I don’t throw nuthin away. I do know I have 3 ribs so some are no good for hydraulics.
Click to expand...

So, ask your machinist friend why spray welding hasn’t replaced sleaving if it’s so cheap & easy?
 
I have the rears sorted out.

I’m still having issues with the front. I believe my spindles were 1938 spindles. I picked up a 39 front axle that has 40 drums. I also scored some nice nos front backing plates.
The backing plates don’t fit my 38 spindles, as in the centering hole is larger, and the bolt holes are larger. I have 6 front drums in the ribbed 38 style. When I mock up the ribbed drum with the 39 spindles and 40 backing plates, they seem to rub on the backing plates.

Am I dead in the water with this configuration or is there a work around?

I was thinking a spacer or wider bearing.
 
Your spindles are not 38 they must be 35-36 All spindles from 37 on have that big centre hole & larger bolt holes. These will take all take 39 on backing plates.
Phil.
 
'37'-'41 spindles are the same. Ford was pretty good about putting meaningful numbers on the spindles. EG: 78 for the four years. 21 for the '42-48 etc. Good Luck: Fred A
 
V8 Coupeman, I have been confused about one piece and 2 piece drums. I agree that 1937/1939 will interchange, but not sure the 2 piece is 1939 only. Looking at your pictures 2 and 4 both styles show a 78- part number which is 1937.
 
Fred A said:
'37'-'41 spindles are the same. Ford was pretty good about putting meaningful numbers on the spindles. EG: 78 for the four years. 21 for the '42-48 etc. Good Luck: Fred A
Click to expand...


Fred ....Not TOTALLY true. All five ARE what we refer-to as "round-back" spindles. But .....Some 1941 PASSENGER-side spindles have the drag link hole tapered from the TOP, instead of being tapered from the bottom like '37-'40 spindles. In stock form, you can't use an oddball '41 on a '37-'40 car, because the drag link will hit the wishbone IF going in from the top. 1941 cars have some really goofy, one-year-only parts on their front axle assemblies. '41 wishbone looks identical to a '40, but stands about four inches higher when leaned against a wall beside a '37-'40 wishbone. '41s have two different drag link assemblies....I guess it's an early/late thing. DD
.
 
fordyford said:
V8 Coupeman, I have been confused about one piece and 2 piece drums. I agree that 1937/1939 will interchange, but not sure the 2 piece is 1939 only. Looking at your pictures 2 and 4 both styles show a 78- part number which is 1937.
Click to expand...

I saw that, and I do NOT have a good answer for ya. But remember, that "78" could have been for a part that was PLANNED for '37 introduction, and could have been put-off for any number of reasons. Those numbers get you close most of the time, but not ALWAYS! DD
.
 
I have a pair of 36 drums that are 3 ribbed just like the one on the left in the first picture in post # 4, and a friend told me that the drum and hubs are 2 pieces and can be removed from the hubs and used on the 39 hubs. Is that true? He told me he did it years ago when he couldn't find good replacements.
 
DD: You got me on that. I have run into that variable long ago. I simply used a tapered reamer to flip the knuckle and survived. The difference was discovered when using '41 Zephyr front brake backing plate. I needed to radius the top of the spindle for the brakes then spotted the difference. Saved me some time and may alert others. Still insisting on the Bendix brakes like on my most recent '40. The ringless repops won't do. Good Black Friday: Fred A
 
Pete pa said:
I have a pair of 36 drums that are 3 ribbed just like the one on the left in the first picture in post # 4, and a friend told me that the drum and hubs are 2 pieces and can be removed from the hubs and used on the 39 hubs. Is that true? He told me he did it years ago when he couldn't find good replacements.
Click to expand...

In the past we took a pair of good drums off some two piece '36 hubs and put them on later hubs after removing the worn drums.

Only hassle was finding enough correct studs; lot digging in bins at Little Dearborn.
 
For a few newbies asking questions about years. Ford didn't just change things new to every year. Every year wasn't a scrap and new idea. They made changes to the elite line of cars then it worked its way out of other versions. Usually trucks maintained a lot of old tech far after the cars or Lincoln brands. Effective way to change over tooling and controlling stock made.
 
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