Juice Brakes Model A

T

toms32

Well-known member
Juice Brakes - I went to convert to Juice Braes on my Model A. I know they sell a kit for the fronts but does someone have an inexpensive way of changing the rear and also a set up for a master cyclinder or some photo's. Mamy thanks for any assistance
 
Forget it. IMHO. Mamy thanks? Is that thanks for the mammaries?

I'll second that!

I can lock up my wheel with the mechanical brakes. How much better do you want to stop?

Let's look at the Ford owner's manual that came with ever Ford...bla, bla, bla...yep says it will stop. Says so right here in the book.

In a six page letter to every dealer about the 'New Ford Car' from December 1927, the covers the following in these sub titles. Brakes are here somewhere.

A New and Modern Car
Why the Price is So Low
Beautiful New Body Lines
Lots of Room for Every Passenger
Choice of Seven Colors
An Unusually Speedy Car
A Remarkable Engine
Remarkable Acceleration, Quick on the Get-A-Way
Engine Practically Vibration-less
Gasoline Economy
Economy of Upkeep
Ford-Design Oiling System
A Word about Cooling
Unique Ignition System
Standard Selective Gear-Shift
Irreversible Steering Gear

AhhhHaaaa! Here it is...

New Four Wheel Brakes
"Here's a surprise for you. 4-Wheel brakes in the new Ford. When I say 4-wheel brakes, I mean the finest 4-wheel brakes made. They are mechanical, internal-expanding shoe type and are self-centering. Tests have proved that this is the most reliable and simplest type of four-wheel brakes and the easiest to adjust. All adjustment, you see, are made from the outside without removing any parts. No special tools are needed and uniform adjustment on each wheel is quickly and easily obtained. The emergency brakes operate on the rear wheel and are entirely independent of the service brakes. Thus there are actually six brakes on the car, with a total braking surface of 168 inches on the service brakes. Imagine that - 168 square inches of braking surface. That means real brake protection. There is no chance of the brakes getting rusty and sticking because they are plated with cadmium to make them rust-proof and are enclosed to keep out mud and dirt."
Single, Dry-Disc Clutch
The Best Springs of All
Hydraulic Shock Absorbers
Three-Quarter Floating Axle
Steel-Spoke Wheels
A quiet Car
Grease-Gun Lubrication
Standard Equipment

End of letter. Note that the ratio of weight to square inch is around 13 lb of car/sqin brake surface.

skip.
 
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My car only has juice brakes because the guy who owned it in the past installed them. I've driven and owned mechanicals in the past and can't really say that juice
is worth the extra expense. This is just MY opinion, so all of you that will disagree,
don't bother. JMHO

Jack
 
You know your going to Model A hell for this.

But until you do Sacramento Vintage Ford has every thing you need.

I never could understand why someone would spend thousands of dollars extra for something that does not stop the car any better than what's already, there but it's your money.
 
If you do convert use a dual master cylinder so you do not loose all your brakes when the fluid leaks out.

I had both a 46, and a 39, got tired of fixing leaking wheel cyls, the grabbing, pulling ,sold then both.

The model A, and the 36 have never have any problems , leaks, or failures with the reliable mechanical brakes, and in side by side testing the model A out stopped the 39 with shorter distance and 1 more stop from 60 before fade.

Inexpensive should not be your primary concern when fixing brakes.
 
toms32 said:
Juice Brakes - I went to convert to Juice Braes on my Model A. I know they sell a kit for the fronts but does someone have an inexpensive way of changing the rear and also a set up for a master cyclinder or some photo's. Mamy thanks for any assistance
Click to expand...
Nothing is cheap Sorry.
 
Mike V. Florida' the way I've looked at prices in the A catalogs, it's going to be an easy 800-1000 PLUS machining the hubs for mechanicals vs a hydraulic conv kit which is about the same money, less if you come up with swap meet parts for the conversion. Probably the biggest problem with the hyd system is most people don't know how to adj them either, Richard Lacy(?spelling) on the EV8 board has a long detailed explanation on how to adjust them. JMO
Paul in CT
 
1931 flamingo said:
Mike V. Florida' the way I've looked at prices in the A catalogs, it's going to be an easy 800-1000 PLUS machining the hubs for mechanicals vs a hydraulic conv kit which is about the same money, less if you come up with swap meet parts for the conversion. Probably the biggest problem with the hyd system is most people don't know how to adj them either, Richard Lacy(?spelling) on the EV8 board has a long detailed explanation on how to adjust them. JMO
Paul in CT
Click to expand...

How do you figure 800-1000 plus machining to put drums on your hubs? The drums are about $430.00 and brattons gets about $270.00 for machining, that's for all four and new races as well.

As for the adjustment part, your right on!!
 
I've done four A's with hydraulics that never leaked, grabbed or pulled from one side or the other. What am I doing wrong?
 
It can be done for $500 with used drums/backing plates and making your own master cylinder bracket.
 
My recently-acquired 1930 Tudor came equipped with hydraulic brakes and they seem just fine to me. Will probably upgrade to dual master cylinder one of these days.
 
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