Brake life?

Bill G

Bill G

Well-known member
How long (in terms of miles) should one expect new brakes with new woven/riveted pads + new cast iron drums to last? Also assuming correct installation and smoothing out the roller track, etc.

Thanks,
 
OK, admittedly that was a fuzzy question. And a fuzzy answer is ok, because I know that nobody drives the same and it's also a matter of highway versus city driving and all that.

Here is maybe more of the information I am looking for. I owned many cars in the past from the 50's, 60's and '70's that have had drum brakes. So, maybe the question ought to be:

Compared to any more modern car with drum brakes, I.E from the 1960's how does the life of a Model A's brakes compare?

Would it be safe to say that the brakes on a Model A will last about as long as any other car with drum brakes: Half as long? Or any number in-between?

Fuzzy and snarky answers are permitted.:D

And to Kurt in NJ: Wow, 52k! I think that is great mileage. Sounds like the rears were doing all the work.
 
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my Victoria was down to the rivets at 30,000 with original steel drums, I went to Mel Gross cast iron drums, and boy they work a lot better than before.
 
Magicbox51 said:
OK, admittedly that was a fuzzy question. And a fuzzy answer is ok, because I know that nobody drives the same and it's also a matter of highway versus city driving and all that.

Here is maybe more of the information I am looking for. I owned many cars in the past from the 50's, 60's and '70's that have had drum brakes. So, maybe the question ought to be:

Compared to any more modern car with drum brakes, I.E from the 1960's how does the life of a Model A's brakes compare?

Would it be safe to say that the brakes on a Model A will last about as long as any other car with drum brakes: Half as long? Or any number in-between?

Fuzzy and snarky answers are permitted.:D
"FUZZY" answers should be in quotation (""") marks, SNARKY answers should be followed by---LOL:D
Bill Jolly
Click to expand...
 
I like the question. I did my brakes three years ago and drive about 1,000 miles per year. I also have an old (1961) Studebaker. The obvious thing to us new guys is the thickness of the new (1961) pads to the old (1929) pads. I too thought are these old Model brakes up to 10,000 miles or what? I did notice the pedal wore in from up high to about 3/4 to 1/2 and now has settled nicely. So you old guys answer directly... are these good for like 15,000 miles before a complete re-do?
 
Where and how you drive greatly effects brake life yesterday and today.

The Model A is a light low speed car. If your brakes are done right, they will go a long time.

I have seen cars with reported 30,000 plus miles on brakes. However, with all the different parts involved, things do start to ware out.

With the mileage most of us drive, brakes will out live our grandchildren. Enjoy.
 
30,000 miles on the highway is quite different from 30,000 miles in city traffic or in the mountains.
 
Anyone ever notice if a husband has a new car; and his wife has the exact same kind of car; and both drive about the same type of routes; after approximately one hundred thousand miles later; did one car possibly need brake job(s) more than the other.

Be careful ...... some wives may read Model A Forum messages.
 
What to expect by way of forum is a good way to pass the time, but otherwise worthless. There are too many variables, and no owner would go for a complete re-do because the speedo says it is time. Brakes are always monitored by timely inspection or inspected because of complaint or symptom. If what you see looks good, put it back together with an idea of how much time you might have before another inspection. Know what is going on.
 
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