Brake floater kit A-2051-F review
 

I'm thinking of buying this kit sold by Snyder's and other vendors, is it worth doing? Do you have to use the front brake roller track with this set up. thanks

Re: Brake floater kit A-2051-F review
 

Yes, the tracks, rollers and pins need to be in good shape not worn out.

Re: Brake floater kit A-2051-F review
 

I purchased the A-2051-F from Snyder's and in the installation I noticed that the two oval washers are thinner approximately 3/32 than the original washers approximately 5/32. This resulted in a poor alignment with the rollers . See below photos. I am sending them back.





https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/pictur...ictureid=31416

Top original w/o nut, A-2051 with nut, note difference in washer thickness.


https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/pictur...ictureid=31417

Original, note how the rollers seat against the thick washer.


https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/pictur...ictureid=31418

A-2051-F, note how the rollers seat against the thin washer.

Re: Brake floater kit A-2051-F review
 

GREAT PICS!!!!!
Bill W.

Re: Brake floater kit A-2051-F review
 

The washers in the floater kit I got from Bratton's and the ones I took off both measure .125". Works fine.

Looking at my brakes I'm not really sure I understand what the issue is? The Roller Track and the Wedge is what the rollers ride on and operates the brakes.

Re: Brake floater kit A-2051-F review
 

I agree with The Master Cylinder. The wedge should be touching the rollers when the brakes are adjusted and at rest, and the wedge is the only thing touching the rollers as soon as the brakes are applied.

Re: Brake floater kit A-2051-F review
 

In reviewing what this thread is talking about, A handy review would be someone who has installed this kit and see either braking improvement or not! Hopefully now that some time has gone by....... there is some info on the pros and cons of installing this kit! ???

Re: Brake floater kit A-2051-F review
 

I got mine from Brattons and they have worked well for me .This type floater floats and centers the lower part of the front shoes . In other words this type floater gives side to side centering for the lower part of the front shoes . Building up or grinding down the brake tracks will center the rest of the shoes within the drums .

Re: Brake floater kit A-2051-F review
 

I have been using these "Floating Wedges" for more that 60 years. They have been around almost as long as the Model A has.

They help center the bottom end of the shoes and will provide a small amount of self energization. Not as much as Ted's Floaters but some. They are very simple to install and do help add a little more to the front brakes which is a good thing.

I would recommend them.

My experience.

Chris W.

Re: Brake floater kit A-2051-F review
 

I had a set that I put on a Sport Coupe I wish I had back. A fellow gave them to me because he said they chattered on his car. They never did any chattering on mine and the braking was improved enough that I have a set on order for the front of my 31 coupe.

Re: Brake floater kit A-2051-F review
 

In my opinion, and having tries a few of the so called floater systems, none are as good as Flathead Ted's. Flathead Ted's brake floaters give unbelievable brake performance because his kit assures that the brake shoes when applied, center on the drums. The brake lining material surfaces makes full contact with the brake drums!

Re: Brake floater kit A-2051-F review
 

what does the sliding pin do when installed in the anchor bolt and then the wedge is installed over it. I just don't see what the pin does if the wedge can slide up and down and side to side.
thanks

Re: Brake floater kit A-2051-F review
 

Re: Brake floater kit A-2051-F review
 

I agree . On the other hand if the tracks are worn they will need to be built up to overcome the wear . If the shoes are too high and off center the tracks will need to be ground down to overcome the height of the shoes. This is how the upper end of the shoes can be centered . To acurately center the shoes within the drum . Some sort of centering tool will be needed to show which direction the shoes will need to go . The centering tool doesn't actually center the shoes , it only shows the direction that the shoes must go . The floater kit with the pin only gives side to side centering of the lower end of the shoes . The centering process that I have mentioned for the upper end of the shoes doesn't solve the centering issue permantly. After the tracks get a dip worn in , the shoes drop to the level of the worn level of the tracks. When the lining is replaced the up and down centering will be off so much that the drums won't slip back over the shoes. This is when the lower tracks will need to be reworked to once again to center the up and down of the shoes. I've never used Teds brake centering system . I know the shoe connection must be different at the top because the method of adjustment is different . The upper adjustment wedge is no longer used and it is obvious that the system is no longer original .

Re: Brake floater kit A-2051-F review
 

What the pin does as it moves side to side is self energise the brakes as the wedge moves downward . The sliding pin will allow the wedge to slide over to the side with the most slack . The wedge gets wider as it goes downward . The sliding pin allows the wedge and shoes to center as they move down . It is a simple method to center the lower end of the shoes to the brake drum .

Re: Brake floater kit A-2051-F review
 

The set that I got work well, and I made sure the shoes were centered. However, the posts that bolt to the backing plate are probably 1/4 inch shorter than the stock set! This causes the bolt to not be able to be pinned with the cotter pin. In the spring, I will probably get another set. I don't even remember who I got them from, but I think it was Mike's.

For now, I put a lock washer on it and that has held for the little amount of driving I do.

Re: Brake floater kit A-2051-F review
 

Re: Brake floater kit A-2051-F review
 

http://i63.tinypic.com/1043ku0.jpg

http://i66.tinypic.com/p16ps.jpg


beware junk parts,the guide head was welded on,and crooked.Overall the stud was too short.

Re: Brake floater kit A-2051-F review
 

I have a set of those that I took out of a car parked in 1941.The owner signed up for the navy the day after Pearl Harbor,and when he got back he didn't want to fool around with his old junk Model A.So,I can date those being around at least back that far.That set does not have a castle nut,but a thin nut and a very thin lock washer.The pins are not round,the best way I can describe them is a double D shape.Two flats and two curved sides.I'm using them in a car right now,I installed them in the 70's.

Re: Brake floater kit A-2051-F review
 

I have used a set of these on my Roadster for about three plus years. They are excellent in keeping even ware on the shoes and and centered.