Flathead Teds Reproduction

ctvpa

ctvpa

Senior Member
I am converting my 28 Tudor to Flathead Teds. However when I checked some of the catalogs, they listed 'Brake Floater Kit' without the brand name. I called and asked if they are Flathead Teds and I was told that these are "Reproduced for the American Market".
I have 2 issues:
1) I take these words to mean they are reproduction, most likely imported.
2) I have seen photos of Ted, so I know he is a real person. I think that when a man thinks of an idea, develops it, works hard on it; then he should get compensated for his 'intelectual property'.

The 'American Market' kits are cheaper, but these are the brakes of my car, do I really want to trust that to a lower quality product?
I am installing them now, and I hope they work as well as people say they do.
My message is, when ordering them, lets support the man who developed them. Please check to see that they are the real thing.
 
The question is if they are the same as Ted's or are they the type that are narrowed wedge studs with a cross pin to let the wedge float. They are two different things. Was there a photo? Can you point to a web site that shows those parts? Who was offering them?
 
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This is an "American Market Kit", it looks exactly like my Flathead Teds kit, but $30 less. It does not have his name on it, and when I called they said it "Is the same, but built for the American Market".
I got mine from Snyders, and it has Flathead Teds name both in the listing and on the box. My thought is that Ted did not get an American Patent, this looks like a direct copy.
 
I have flat head teds kit i ordered direct from ted, an a set of repo"s. I dont know the difference, but i do know the set from ted work better. They have been on the car for two years with no adjustment needed. The repos i am adjusting them all the time. Buy teds kit not the repos.
 
It has always been my belief that the Model A is an American car and represents American culture and ethics at their near best. The thought of an asian part on a Model A is, to me, unthinkable, regardless of how cheap the part might be.
 
After talking to Ted, and at his suggestion, I got mine from Snyders, has the official "Ted" label on the box and Ted's literature inside the box.
 
Front brake floaters and the Flat Head Ted's kit are two different things. The floating adjustment wedge in Teds kit has been around in some form for a long time.

On another note;
Junk reproduction parts are made in the USA too, not just on other parts of our planet.
 
2manycars said:
The question is if they are the same as Ted's or are they the type that are narrowed wedge studs with a cross pin to let the wedge float. They are two different things. Was there a photo? Can you point to a web site that shows those parts? Who was offering them?
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Chief's buddy Bill Ogan, owner of our local Ford Dealership, showed him how to file the anchor pins for better centering of the shoes a loooooong time ago! Chief then taught me how to do "BRAKE MAGIC"! Bill W.
 
I fitted a set of Teds floaters to my Town Sedan 5 years ago, Big improvement in braking
I have fitted a number of his kits since then all with similar results
Ted has made some subtel modifications since then to make them even better
 
Jim Huseby said:
It has always been my belief that the Model A is an American car and represents American culture and ethics at their near best. The thought of an asian part on a Model A is, to me, unthinkable, regardless of how cheap the part might be.
Click to expand...

I totally agree with your sentiment, but let's face it, if it weren't for those reproduction parts a lot of Model As wouldn't be on the road today. Many of us don't have either the time or the money to seek out good original parts and have to take what we can get. That said, given the choice, I will always buy a USA-made reproduction part, even if it's more expensive. Too bad Americans can't say the same about everything we buy. If we were willing to pay a little extra for stuff made here, our economy would be in a lot better shape. But no, too many aren't willing to do that. Go to a Hobby Lobby, for example, and just try to find anything in the whole store that wasn't made in China.
 
Brent and others , I had the ted floaters on my car and they probably did as advertised but I removed them when I was having problems that I felt they added to . I feel the money is better spent on things like cast iron drums and new brake rods ect. Things to watch for( NOT the ones from Ted's ) is roller pins and rollers , cams shafts and cams . Some of these parts are just plain made wrong. The only source I will buy roller pins and rollers from is Bratton's . A properly set up set of Model A brakes ( cast drums ) will stop just as quick with the $ 22 floaters, at least that has been my experience after over a dozen brake jobs . Bubby Sharp in KY
 
Ponder this: When a vendor offers a certain part, off shore or USA made, wonder what percentage of the purchases go to either source?? Vendors could probably give us some interesting statistics!!!!! (My point is, sometimes TALK is cheap & some don't have the $$$$$$ to buy the more expensive parts. Bill W.
 
Hello SteveB31- I thought I should clarify that I welcome FH Ted as an entrepreneur with a good (I have a set of his floaters) product and don't consider his and his country's wholesome values as being foreign to ours, especially in our hobby. I still will not, when avoidable, consider using an asian part on a Model A. That's just my peculiarity.
 
BRENT in 10-uh-C said:
Now if someone would chime in and tell of their experiences if these units are even needed! That would settle it all!!


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I have to agree, has anyone taken good, restored, and properly adjusted model A brakes then added "Teds" to them or have they just been installed to cars with worn brakes to start?

One more thing, IF I were ever to install them I would purchase them from Teds. I just don't like the idea of copying someones hard work and underselling the guy, just not right!
 
Jim Huseby said:
Hello SteveB31- I thought I should clarify that I welcome FH Ted as an entrepreneur with a good (I have a set of his floaters) product and don't consider his and his country's wholesome values as being foreign to ours, especially in our hobby. I still will not, when avoidable, consider using an asian part on a Model A. That's just my peculiarity.
Click to expand...

Thankyou for that. Us guys Down Under can get a worried feeling when rants appear on FB about suspicions of foreign quality or expertise.
The interest in products of the great American automaker Henry Ford should help to foster international friendship & respect, not the opposite
Tom in New Zealand














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I think ted would be the first to say the brakes need to be working good before installing his kit. They don"t repair worn out brakes, the make good brakes work like modern ones. If you have never used them you don"t know the difference. (try um youl like um).
 
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