Ecklers hydraulic brake conversion kit

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Doc31

Junior Member
Does anyone have any experience with installing the hydraulic brake conversion kit that Ecklers sells? I know, the mechanical brakes should be just fine but I am determined to convert my 31 coupe to hydraulic brakes. Boling Brothers kit was recommended to me but they are not offering it right now and do not know when it will be available.
 
Interesting you should ask about this right now.
I am working on a front disc brake kit that uses the stock hubs, spindles, steering arms, tie rod and you don't have to cut the ball off the top of the spindle bolt (king pin) like the drum brake kit.
Now to get you on track with drum brakes. Call Bert's Model A in Denver. I was in there a week ago and Steve showed me the drum brake kit that they had in stock. That drum kit may have been spoken for but it would definitely be worth contacting them. The price for an axle kit was good too.
 
I used a Wilwood kit. Complete bolt on for the wheel parts. Hand brake kit also.
Pedals need some mods.

DOES NOT look stock.
 
The Aussie A Model facebook page had a story a while ago by Les Winter about the backing plate press being scrapped and a photo of it.

"This week we got to visit fellow hot rodder, Terry Warren in East Texas who owns a manufacturing business. He’s the guy who stamps the backing plates for the Lincoln Drum Brakes that many of us use on our Model A’s. He recently made the last batch for Wilson Welding and the massive press will now be scrapped"

Hope he is OK with me using the photo...
 

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It is a shame that we (USA) don't make things any more. And as a guy that made a living for a long time repairing and maintaining equipment it is a shame to scrap out a piece of equipment that still works. Just kinda breaks my heart when I see these type of things.
 
There are equipment traders here in the US that deal with manufacturing equipment. To scrap it would be a shame. I'd be surprised if no one would want it. Getting it moved is expensive but it still can be done. The presses also require dies and any company that uses presses generally makes their own dies which requires even more equipment.

Folks have been welding up & re-drilling the old Ford backing plates for years before anyone started manufacturing new ones. The Ford ones aren't as good as the Lincoln ones but the Ford ones were used before folks started looking around for the Lincoln ones. The 12-inch types fit better around the model A components than the later 11-inch types of the late 40s & 50s but those would also require replacing the rear axle with an open drive set up just to make them work unless the frame is extended for a rear mount spring on a later banjo axle.

I'd just overhaul the mechanical ones. When everything is set up correctly, the model A brakes don't have a problem stopping a stock car. If I was hot rodding a model A then I'd change everything for best possible function when going hydraulic. Hot rods with much more horsepower do need better brakes.
 
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In my experience the limiting factor in Model A braking is the friction between the tires and the road - meaning, locking up the brakes. Well adjusted Model A brakes allow the driver to lock up the wheels, and adding juice brakes will not change this. You will still lock up the wheels, but with a substantial additional investment. Now, if you are going to change to say 16" wheels and wider tires, then that's a different story, but for our stock As attempting to improve braking by installing juice brakes is, to me, not recognizing the basic issue.

My $0.02 worth, and likely of equal value.
 
To add to what JayJay said, the mechanical brakes on a Model A function a lot better (less foot pressure) with the floaters sold by Flat Head Ted through the normal vendors. Plus, it helps to bias the brakes to the front rather than the rear like modern cars.
 
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