50 Merc Brake Improvement

P

Paul Bennett

Well-known member
Now that she goes well*, I need to make her stop. The pedal is reasonably firm but 1/4 to the floor. That's low enough to keep me home. The 2" rear lowering blocks are virtually 1" from the rear brake plate, costing any access to adjust the rear star wheels.

I've heard self adjusting hardware from a late '60s era F-100 fits 49-51 Mercs. Anyone using it and have details or illustrations?

?? Other ideas for the rear brakes ?? A front disc conversion is tempting but that will come later after the rears are fixed. The car is stock now with new shoes.

Stop me, please.

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*Sal Cicala did a marvelous job on my Holley 885 carburetor.
 
The 11" F100 self adjusting hardware does indeed fit the '49-'51 Merc. brake ***'ys.
I have had the conversion on my car for over 20 years and found all the left and right components required in the NAPA brake component display.
The main modification that has to be done is to install new adjustment slots in the backer plates that are located to the rear of the car.
 

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Good tip above..
Also I've found great value in the time and small expense to install brake line residual valves. Keeps the pedal much higher.
Here are the ones I installed in my car --
 

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Cut slots in the brake drums. The other way is to remove drums and adjust up until the drums can just fit on. Even if you install the auto adjust kit you will need to to either of those to initially adjust the brakes.
 
Big-Foot said:
Good tip above..
Also I've found great value in the time and small expense to install brake line residual valves. Keeps the pedal much higher.
Here are the ones I installed in my car --
Click to expand...
The '49-'51 Mercury has a single master cylinder that has a valve built in and does not need any additional valves.
 
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When the new shoes were installed were they arc ground to the size of the drums to have full contact?

No matter what system you end up with it makes a lot of difference
 
Brake drum wear is a possibility. The brake set up on the 49 to 51 Mercs is a lot like the 53 & up F100 set up. The shoes can be centered so arcing is not as much a necessity as it was on the old Ford brakes. Drum wear can lead to fit and brake response problems. The Mercury front drums are not reproduced to a person has the use F100 drums with some modifications to fit well. The rear drums are same as F100 so they are no problem.
 
I used the F 100 conversion on my 1946 Ford sedan.
then put the self adjusters on them. They work just fine.
My parts came from NAPA.
 
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