Four Wheel Brakes

That "Four Wheel Brakes" lettering on the spare tire cover must be a dig at the Model T's NO WHEEL BRAKES! (For non-Model T readers, Model T's were slowed down by a lined steel band clamping around on a brake drum inside the transmission, which in turn slowed down the drive shaft. High tech stuff.)
Jeez, even Buster Keaton felt compelled to make a joke at the Model T's expense!
M.
 
Buster Keeton was great. It a wonder he didn't kill himself on some of the stunts.

How did they do the stunts, no computer, no AI, no green screen, no nothin!
 
Buster lived with a broken neck for decades after a stunt in a 1920's movie when a train water tower burst and the water cascaded down over his head, knocking him out. He didn't know his neck was broken and continued making movies, doing his own dangerous stunts. It was years later when he had an X-Ray that the old broken neck injury was discovered.
One tough S.O.B., indeed!
Marshall
 
Marshall V. Daut said:
That "Four Wheel Brakes" lettering on the spare tire cover must be a dig at the Model T's NO WHEEL BRAKES! (For non-Model T readers, Model T's were slowed down by a lined steel band clamping around on a brake drum inside the transmission, which in turn slowed down the drive shaft. High tech stuff.)
Jeez, even Buster Keaton felt compelled to make a joke at the Model T's expense!
M.
Click to expand...


The model T chassis I owned had rear brakes. Maybe earlier versions didn't have them.
 
If they were external brakes, they were aftermarket Rocky Mountain style brakes, not available from the factory. If you are referring to the brake shoes inside the rear drums, those are for the parking brake only and will self-destruct if used as service brakes. The larger '26-27 e-brake lined shoes are more forgiving than the smaller earlier ones, but still not designed to be used as regular service brakes.
I am not sure, but the heavy-duty TT trucks may have had external clamping brakes on the rear drums. 'Not sure why, though. Those worm drive trucks were so slow, you almost didn't need brakes. Ha, ha, ha!
M.
 
That shows how little I know about the T. They were internal, so I guess they were parking brakes. Thanks for the info.
We almost bought a 26 Phaetom, but I worked a major crash involving a T on US 287 shortly after driving the T. The vision of the crushed T stayed in my mind. We finally got an A.
 
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