Anybody want a new friction tip for their vacuum brake?
 

I am in the process of refurbishing a Mallory "Rev-Pol" distributor. This is a "Z" model, meaning it has a vacuum advance. The vacuum advance in these things is actually a vacuum brake, just like older Ford V8's. One of the things that was "toast" on it was the friction tip on the brake piston. These are made of leather, and from my measurements, must be at least 1/4" thick. I did a little research and found that there is indeed leather this thick; it is called 16 oz. leather. I looked all over, and finally found a nice chunk of 16 oz. leather. Of course, I had to buy a lot more than I needed for a couple of distributors and then I needed a proper punch.These tips are 5/8" in diameter, which, I believe, is the same as an old Ford uses. I have never found a source for these, so if anyone needs one, I can make you one. I'd sell them for a few bucks apiece (including shipping) if anyone wants one. I don't know the exact price, because the Post Office says something like this has to go parcel post and not regular mail. If there's enough interest, I'll find out what they need and set the final price. Any takers? You can PM me.

Here are a few pictures of the tip I made, along with the old one I removed.

Re: Anybody want a new friction tip for their vacuum brake?
 

I can't figure out to add a picture to an existing post, so here's one I forgot :

Re: Anybody want a new friction tip for their vacuum brake?
 

That should be able to go in an envelope sandwiched between pieces or cardboard for a stamp or 2.

Re: Anybody want a new friction tip for their vacuum brake?
 

Nope, I talked to the people at the post office and specifically asked them about this. They said that regular letters go through a series of rollers during processing and anything the least bit inflexible can end up rejected or damaged. I'd rather do this properly from the start and not risk delivery to save a buck or so.

Re: Anybody want a new friction tip for their vacuum brake?
 

Gee, I wonder how the USPS treats those electronic greeting cards that are so popular nowadays - you know, the ones that play a tune or voice greeting. Some of those cards a quite thick....

Re: Anybody want a new friction tip for their vacuum brake?
 

Punch out one and mail it to yourself between 2 stiff cardboards in an envelope. I bet you will find it in your mailbox in a few days.

Re: Anybody want a new friction tip for their vacuum brake?
 

Gee, this turned our well. At least I got mine.:rolleyes:

Re: Anybody want a new friction tip for their vacuum brake?
 

Soak that leather in marvel mystery oil and lube really good with synthetic grease..........a dry leather will last just a mile or two....

Re: Anybody want a new friction tip for their vacuum brake?
 

Well to add to the off topic trajectory, to add a photo to an existing post, in edit click go advanced. On the top is a paper clip with a drop down arrow. Select that and a window pops up that says manage attachments. That will take you to the attachments window and so on.

Now back to the discussion on the postal service, or wait was it something about brakes?

Re: Anybody want a new friction tip for their vacuum brake?
 

I bet Walmart's supertech red-colored ATF and wheel-bearing grease works just as well. 8^) Jack E/NJ

Re: Anybody want a new friction tip for their vacuum brake?
 

Once a person has the new leather, what does he glue it on with?

Re: Anybody want a new friction tip for their vacuum brake?
 

No glue. Tight fit, and where's it going to go, anyway?

Re: Anybody want a new friction tip for their vacuum brake?
 

Take a closer look at the pictures. If you compare the disc as cut with the picture of the assembled piston, you can see how the deep piston is recessed to hold the disc (on my Mallory anyway; I would expect a Ford to be about the same). This is also why you have to have the thickest possible leather for this. Any wear on anything much thinner would put the metal piston in contact with the metal rim.

And yes, these should be saturated with lubricant before or after assembly. I would expect Ford used regular motor oil, but there have already been a couple of other suggestions here. Some may work better than others. This oil impregnation is one of the reasons glue is not used with these, either to attach them or make a leather laminate.

Re: Anybody want a new friction tip for their vacuum brake?
 

I checked the friction disc on the extra distributor I have for my '37 engine, and it is indeed 5/8" diameter. I'm in for a couple.

Re: Anybody want a new friction tip for their vacuum brake?
 

a couple drops of super glue.........

Re: Anybody want a new friction tip for their vacuum brake?
 

I had the lab do a analysis on Marvel Mystery Oil. No mystery now. Just a mixture of ATF and penetrating oil. Not magic.

Re: Anybody want a new friction tip for their vacuum brake?
 

If so I would dare you to use MMo in your Automatic transmission!

Re: Anybody want a new friction tip for their vacuum brake?
 

There were a couple of brave souls on here that decided to try the vacuum brake leathers I cut out. I sent them out today USPS. Funny thing is that when I took them to the post office, the clerk had a sorta "gauge" (a piece of cardboard with about a quarter inch slot in it) that she used to check the package. When she could push my envelope through it she said it could go regular mail, not parcel post. I asked her if this would be the way it would always be and she said as long as I kept using the shipping envelopes i did, it could got regular mail. I guess that settles that question.

If anybody else wants any, they're available at two for $5, including shipping.

Re: Anybody want a new friction tip for their vacuum brake?
 

Make that 2 for $7.00; postage is going up in January, and I have to use the specific envelope to ensure it goes regular mail and they are $1.39 in the quantity I use.

Re: Anybody want a new friction tip for their vacuum brake?
 

I made a punch to make new leather discs for my various distributors, though I went to a local shoe-repair shop and bought a replacement heel piece. The leather is about a quarter-inch thick and cost me all of a dollar. There was enough material there to cover about 10 vacuum brakes, far more than I'll ever need.