1940 Ford Brakes
 

Just started in on a brake job and noticed that the front brakes shoes were mounted by the previous owner with the short shoe on the front and long shoes at the rear. My understanding is that the Ford installed Lockheed brakes should have the long shoes toward the front and the corresponding larger brake cylinder mounted toward the front as well, and this applies to both front and rear brakes. Am I correct on this?

Re: 1940 Ford Brakes
 

Yes.

Re: 1940 Ford Brakes
 

Here's 40 Ford Left Front Lockheed brake set up. Longer shoe on front.
Larger dia. of wheel cylinder faces forward towards front. Same thing on rear.
Last photo is right rear (pass side).

Re: 1940 Ford Brakes
 

Yes, long shoe to the front and larger dia part of wheel cylinder to the front.

Re: 1940 Ford Brakes
 

Thanks for the answers. I suspect that the previous owner was familiar with the more common Bendix type brakes and thought the short shoes go to the front.

Re: 1940 Ford Brakes
 

Yes, you're probably right.

I always just say to myself big big to the front. Big (longer) shoe, Big end of cylinder to the front.

Re: 1940 Ford Brakes
 

On the Lockheed style brakes, the short (primary) shoe goes toward the rear of the vehicle. That shoe is driven by the small end of the cylinder. I apologize for the mixup If you doubt this information, look it up. The correct illustration is in the 1939-48 shop manual., page 112. I guess my octo-generic brain was elsewhere that day.

Re: 1940 Ford Brakes
 

The diagram in post #4 shows the long shoe toward the front of the car. Isn't that diagram from the Green Book? This is confusing.

Re: 1940 Ford Brakes
 

Supereal is simply wrong.

Re: 1940 Ford Brakes
 

Mr. Serry's pictorial is the real deal for Lockheed brakes. The reply by Striper in the following thread explains all about Lockheed and Bendix brake operation.
Very thorough.
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/...9-ford.707399/

Re: 1940 Ford Brakes
 

This is totally incorrect information. And yes it is clear in the Green Book. 2021 is the forward facing shoe (the long one) and 2022 is the rear facing shoe (the short one).

Re: 1940 Ford Brakes
 

SUPEREAL...……....Your info regarding the Lockheed-style brakes is just TOTALLY INCORRECT, which means that you've obviously been doing these brakes all wrong for all those MANY years! You owe it to your customers to do some serious research and get this right. DD

Re: 1940 Ford Brakes
 

The diagram shown from the green book could be misinterpretated. Because it shows the rear on the right and the front on the left, so you might think the left side of the car is being shown. But look at the handbrake mechanism, the emergency brake lever is orientated for the right hand side of the car. So once you take on board that it is the right hand side, it is easy to see the big (long) big(diameter) towards the front (right side of image) relationship that we are discussing.

Re: 1940 Ford Brakes
 

In the event that anyone missed it, supereal acknowledged that the information he gave was incorrect while editing his original post.

Re: 1940 Ford Brakes
 

Thanks, Randy. I try not to make many mistakes, but when I do, I do try to correct them.

Re: 1940 Ford Brakes
 

I appreciate the correction! What started me in this inquiry is that the brakes in question were installed on a Model-A by the previous owner following the instructions in Les Andrews Model-A Ford Mechanics Handbook, Vol II. I borrowed a copy and it does indeed state that "Long shoe goes to rear". That publication came out in 2003, so I wonder how many Model-A's that were converted to 1939-48 Ford brakes are running around with the brake shoes installed backwards. I also wonder if Les Andrews ever corrected his error.

Re: 1940 Ford Brakes
 

Part of the confusion is the Bendix brakes are the other way around, short shoe in the front and long shoe toward the rear.