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Special Coupe Frank · 03-31-2011, 03:43 PM

Juice brakes are much cheaper to make, and to install on the assembly line.

And cheaper to adjust (if you're paying someone to do it).

Remember, Ford was one of the last American auto makers to switch to Hydraulic brakes, so their mechanicals must have done an okay job of stopping the V-8 85.

The 12 cylinder Packards and K-series Lincolns used mechanicals to the end of their days, 1939 & 1940 respectively.

If you're bent on going with hydraulics, I would recommend investigating one of the conversions mentioned above, that uses the modern (post 1950) Bendix "self-energizing" / self-centering shoes... they work MUCH better than the fixed-anchor Lockheeds.

Just not enough advantage gained by the Lockheed set-up, in my opinion, to make me want to change my A; I've driven over 100,000 miles on Lockheed brakes in my vintage MoPars, so I have some experience with them.

03-31-2011, 03:43 PM	#19
Special Coupe Frank Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Northeast Penna Posts: 2,108	Re: Mechanical vs. Juice brakes on an A Juice brakes are much cheaper to make, and to install on the assembly line. And cheaper to adjust (if you're paying someone to do it). Remember, Ford was one of the last American auto makers to switch to Hydraulic brakes, so their mechanicals must have done an okay job of stopping the V-8 85. The 12 cylinder Packards and K-series Lincolns used mechanicals to the end of their days, 1939 & 1940 respectively. If you're bent on going with hydraulics, I would recommend investigating one of the conversions mentioned above, that uses the modern (post 1950) Bendix "self-energizing" / self-centering shoes... they work MUCH better than the fixed-anchor Lockheeds. Just not enough advantage gained by the Lockheed set-up, in my opinion, to make me want to change my A; I've driven over 100,000 miles on Lockheed brakes in my vintage MoPars, so I have some experience with them.