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Old 03-31-2011, 08:30 AM   #2
Special Coupe Frank
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: Northeast Penna
Posts: 2,108
Default Re: Mechanical vs. Juice brakes on an A

I can tell you from years of experience with flat-head MoPars ( which use the same damned Lockheed Brakes as the Ford) that the fixed-anchor Lockheed hydraulic brakes can be just as lousy as poorly-maintained Ford mechanicals, if they are not set-up properly.

There are two adjustments: the "heel" contact on the lower anchor pin (referred to as "Major Adjustment", which requires a special gauge, such as the Ammco 1750 brake gauge ), then the service adjustment, which is another eccentric, more easily adjusted by feel, with the drum in place. The linings MUST be correctly arced to match the curvature of the drum.

If the Lockheed hydraulics are not adjusted / functioning properly, the only "advantage" you will gain is that the juice brakes are "self-equalizing" between all four wheels.

You'll spend a fair amount of time & money gathering parts for the conversion, and modifying your car, and still wind-up with an obsolete, fiddly braking system.

I think it's six of one, half-dozen of another, having dealt with both types of brake.

The Model A brakes are a bit simpler to adjust, and do not mandate that use of the special (expensive) brake gauge to set the anchor-pin adjustment.

My two-cents worth.
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