Time for a brake job

CarlG said:
I find it amusing that some suggest "everything original", but will recommend something that is NOT original. :confused:
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Carl
Sorry you feel that way but lets not forget that in '31 there were cast spoke drums available. I have used many if these. Of course a cast iron drum is better than the steel .
My post was for recommendations as the original poster had requested .
Some folks just have to pick I guess..
Have a good day
Larry
 
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Good afternoon all,
This is just a follow up on my original post. I just completed my brake job today. Wow, I did not know what I was missing. Rebuilding the brakes made all the difference in the world. I installed new drums and linings from Mel Gross (thanks Randy) and new rods, pins, etc. It now stops well and straight, with just a little more effort than my Tacoma. I will admit that I was a bit skeptical when I first started, but after I got into it, found that what I had was not assembled correctly by the previous owner. This may be a common problem, but one that I did not expect. The previous owner had built three other previous Model A's, so I assumed he knew what he was doing. A wrong assumption on my part.

Either way, it is now up and running and I have much more confidence in the car's ability to stop. I would like to thank everyone that helped walk me through this on this site. Thanks again.

Chris
 
Chuck, No. I went with the stock set up. It may have been a little more work, but it is stopping just fine now.

JWilli, Amen!
 
Chris - I bought cast iron drums, relined shoes and rebuilt backing plates from Randy Gross and couldn't be happier. Installed Flat Head Ted floaters at the same time. Good brakes are more important than a good engine!
 
I disagree with not bonding woven linings. Twenty plus years ago I rebuilt the brake systems on my early '28 open cab pickup, '28 roadster and '34 roadster. Both 28's had steel drums but the '34 had cast iron ones.

I took all of the brake shoes and new woven linings to a truck repair shop in the industrial area next to the Houston ship canal. The owner of the shop was a Model A guy. When I went there to pick up the shoes I was surprised that he had bonded them. He told me not to worry and that he did this all the time.

After carefully sanding all of them to fit the brakes felt a little grabby. I beveled the leading edges of the linings and that solved the problem.

Last year the '28 roadster brakes felt like they needed a little adjustment, mostly on the front. I pulled off the drums and the linings still looked like new.

All three of the cars will still lock up their wheels easily.
 
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