Lincoln Axle and Hydraulic brakes in AV8?

[southfork]

We have a Lincoln front end with wishbone, spring, spindles, backing plates, and brake shoes that we are considering putting in an AV8. The brakes are hydraulic, and look like they may be Bendix style (assume they're better than non-Bendix). The diameter on the brake shoes appears to be 12 inches. Will '39-48 Ford brake drums fit this Lincoln front end? Anybody know? Oh yeah, the Lincoln backing plates are the deep-dish type, so they may not be the most popular ones such as Wilson Welding reproduces, but if the whole Lincoln front end is used including spindles and brakes, wouldn't it work OK with Ford drums?

BTW, the wishbones are really long like '32 Ford, I think they measured about 47 inches from the king pins to the center of the wishbone ball.

[Richard (EV8G)]

My inclination would be to "harvest" the deep Lincoln brakes AND hubs/drums
and send the rest away. The deep Lincoln-Bendix brakes can be installed on
32-34 or 35/36 spindles with the small bolt pattern IF a special kingpin/bearing set is also used, which eliminates the "sockets" for the mechanical brakes and moves the bearing/load to the bottom of the axle. It will be necessary to do some minor grinding on the spindles to clear the plates in the area below the wheel cylinders. You can then mount the spindles on an "A" or 32-36 front axle with wishbones and end up with something that fits your A-V8 and looks good. IF the Lincoln drums have been machined too large, new USA drums can be mounted on the Lincoln hubs and still align with the deep brakes. There are some more details involved... feel free to contact me with any questions.

[southfork]

We don't have the Lincoln drums. before we decide what to use and what to set on the curb, I would like to know if '39 - '48 Ford drums will fit the Lincoln front end. I like the looks of the Lincoln beam axle and don't want to trash it if it can be used. There are lots of Model A and early Ford V8 front end components out in the "possibles" pile behind the barn to canabalize , but this is the only Lincoln front end that we have. We kindof want to use it.

[Richard (EV8G)]

With the "deep" 39-40 brakes, you will need either the original hubs/drums, or at least the hubs (39-48 Lincoln front hubs are all the same; the offset of the drums varied to fit the 3 styles of brake plates) and install new USA drums. 40-48 Ford (39's are wide-5) drums AND HUBS will not fit due to the 1" inward offset of the deep brake plates - the drums will be about an inch away from the brake plates when the wheel bearings arrive where they need to be. 1935 front hubs/drums may also work, as they have the same inward offset as the Lincoln hubs/drums BUT they are one-year-only and good usable 35 fronts are very scarce, and mounting new 40-48 drums is complicated, impractical or
impossible?

The best solution is in the first sentence above.

[Bib Overalls]

I am in the middle of adapting a Lincoln axle for use in a hot rod.

Here are some things I have learned and some things that I have done.

1. The Lincoln axle is to wide for use in most hot rods. The bosses for the spring perches are also to wide apart. Greg Haynes, who posts as 296 V8 on the HAMB, narrowed mine so the perch bosses are the same distance apart as a 28-36 Ford axle. Overall king pin width is now 48". Perfect for most hot rods (picture).

2. Lincoln spindles have the same brake backing plate bolt pattern as 37-48 Ford. You can use Ford hydraulic backing plates on Lincoln spindles and Lincoln brakes on Ford spindles.

3. Early Lincoln spindles have the same snout as 37-48 Ford spindles. You can use Ford hydraulic brakes with Ford hubs and drums on these spindles.

4. Later Lincoln spindles have a longer snout but still use the same bearings and grease seals as Ford. You can use Ford hubs and drums on the later spindles by machining the ends of the snout to match a standard Ford.

5. The Lincoln wishbones have a more acute "knuckle" angle. This an be an advantage when using split bones. Top axle is Lincoln, middle 37-41, and bottom is 42-48 (upside down).

6. The spring perch hole in the Lincoln axle is the same size as the one in a Ford axle. You can use 28-34 spring perches with the Lincoln axle for a spring over configuration.

7. The king pin bosses on a Lincoln axle are 2 5/16" tall. 28-31 and 37-48 Ford are 2 1/4" tall. With a bit of file work you can use the Lincoln axle with 28-31 and 37-48 wishbones. With a little machine work you can use them with the 2" 32-36 wishbones.

I will be using the reproduction "39" Lincoln brakes made by MT Products on my Lincoln spindles. I will also use their hubs and 2" wide drums.

If my axle and spindles came with good brakes I would use them instead.

Bib

PS Don't put your Lincoln stuff on the curb. Send me a PM instead.

[southfork]

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Lots of Good info here that will help me out. Thanks a bunch , Bib. I may contact you in the future.

-Jack

[Richard (EV8G)]

In Bib's #2, front 1941 "flat" brakes (same depth/offset as all Lincoln rears 1939-48) and front 1942-48 "medium deep" brakes have the same 1/2" holes and pattern in the brake plates as do the Lincoln spindles for those years AND 1937-41 and 1942-48 Ford spindles. HOWEVER, 1939-40 Lincoln "deep" plates and spindles have 3/8" holes with the same pattern as Model A and 32-36 spindles, and which were referred to in the original post and my previous posts.

Note again that ALL 39-48 Lincoln front HUBS are the same, but the drums vary in order to fit and work with:

1939-40 (same drum offset as 40-48 Ford, so new USA drums can be mounted on Lincoln hubs and used with the 39-40 "deep" Lincoln brakes)

1941 (drum is FLAT and no new repro's are available)

1942-48 (half the drum offset as 40-48 Ford.)

1941 and 42-48 cannot use the new USA drums, as the offset is wrong, although Ford front HUBS and drums CAN be used with 1941 front brakes or 39-48 REAR brakes installed on the front.

AND the 42-48 front "medium" brakes CAN be used with 40-48 Ford front hubs/drums by using a 1/2" spacer between the brake plate and spindle...
MT was making the required spacers at one time, but no longer does?