40 Front Axle With 49 F2 Brakes?

[Sivarti]

I've been reading on this all evening and can't find anything that makes perfect sense to me.

I have a 40 front axle and what I believe to be 49 F2 front brakes. I was planning on keeping my truck 8 lug but have decided to go 5x5.5 I hope to use the spindles and backing plates, I'm also hoping it is as easy as finding some 5 lug drums and hubs. What year/years should I be looking for? Also I see 42-48 listed a lot, not 49. Am I out of luck all together on what I've bought if it is in fact 49? Sorry it's all boxed up outside and I don't have pictures. Thanks everyone.

[skidmarks]

49 and 50 F2 front backing plates/brakes are the same as 42/48 ford car and 42/47 pickup but used a 8 lug drum. Find 40-48 fronr drums from a car or 1/2 ton . They will fit the F2 spindle. The bendix lincoln style backing plates on F2 started in 1951 and went to 1956 on the front

[TJ]

Look for 53-56 F-100 front brakes.

[19Fordy]

Sivarti, Rather than search for old parts you may want to consider the Bendix Lincoln brake conversion offered by MT BRAKE PRODUCTS. I installed them on my 40 Ford. Or, install disc brakes as the cheapest alternative.

[V8COOPMAN]

'48-'52 were referred to as F2 , and the '53-'56s were referred to as F250s, just the nomenclature used for the 3/4 ton Ford trucks. Essentially, they're the same 12" Bendix-style brakes, with 2"-wide shoes. The F-2/F-250 backing plate is larger in diameter than the Ford Lockheed plate was and the lip of the '40-'48 passenger drum hits the flange on the backing plate instead of slipping over it. The drum ends-up about 5/8" out from seating on the hub. This is partially due to the F2/F250 backing plates having no offset on the spindle mounting surface, where-as the Lockheed passenger backing plates had a significant offset toward the inboard. Hope this helps!

Additionally, the F1s were also a Bendix-type, but only 11" diameter. DD

[Sivarti]

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Ok Coop, I think I'm following and then I called the antique auto ranch here in town and get thrown again.

Before I asked my original question I felt secure that my 49 F2 backing plates were the same as the 42-48's and my square back spindles would work with 42-48 pickup and car hub/drums.

Now if I understand Coop his info conflicts with the previous posts.

I'm not a dumb person but this subject has so much info and it doesn't always match. I don't have deep enough pockets to buy parts I can't use so I try to get all the info I can. Thanks for the help.

[rich b]

'48-'50 F-2's etc still used the Lockheed brakes.

Easy enough to tell, if you have the two adjusters at about 2 and 10 on your backing plates; they are Lockheed, if you have the slot at the bottom to access the star wheel; they are Bendix.

You got to remember these were work trucks, I have seen many non-stock combination brakes and axles on these old trucks that were probably done to keep them working.

[Sivarti]

Will these be a good start to what I need?

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showth...highlight=Hubs

[19Fordy]

Here,s some info. that might be helpful.
http://www.basskustom.com/blog/?p=608
Also, be sure and read all the articles and links in this thread.
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/t...brakes.226861/

[V8COOPMAN]

Sivarti .......I'd hate to be part of the confusion, and maybe I am. Can you post a clear picture of your backing plate? DD

[Sivarti]

I'll dig them out this weekend, I think that would help me out a bunch rather than have you guys shoot from the hip. If I don't get back on tonight everyone have a great thanksgiving and thanks for the help. I tell people about this site all the time, lots of tech help here.

[TJ]

The 53-56 F-100 brakes work on the early spindles with a simple inner bearing and seal change. currently have them on my 41 pickup and installed them on two other early V-8's.

[Sivarti]

Would you consider my 49 square back spindles "early"? I am going to run '35 wires on this set up. Does that throw a whole new wrench in?

[rich b]

Originally Posted by Sivarti

Would you consider my 49 square back spindles "early"? I am going to run '35 wires on this set up. Does that throw a whole new wrench in?

Yep; it does.
'35 wires will not fit on F-1/F-100 brakes unless you use some really thick spacers along with the usual wire wheel support ring.

The diameter of the '49 truck spindles where the inner bearing rides is larger in diameter than the '48 and earlier car (along with '47 and earlier truck) spindles, as a result you can not use the earlier hubs and brakes on '48-'52 F-1 and '53-'56 F-100 spindles even though the backing plates will fit. With some machine work, you could probably use some F-1 hubs with either stock or aftermarket
early drums.

Best way and probably cheapest way would be to just get some earlier spindles and put them on your '40 axle.

Actually, maybe best first step would be to figure out what brakes and spindles you really have.

[Ross F-1]

If you are going to make a change, I'd try to use newer than '52 parts. Brake drums for F-1's are over a $100 each, for chinese crap. F-2 drums are even more expensive, $133 each at MACs. If you can adapt '60's F-100 parts, they are more common still and cheaper.

This may explain why different people have different descriptions of the F-2 brakes.

[deucemac]

I don't know where the idea that "49 F2 brakes are Lockheed style. I took my F2 backing plates of a '49 F2 that sat in the desert for over 25 years. The owner parked it and walked off. I bought the backing plates for $30 and they are Bendix style with a single side wheel cylinder. I used '55 F100 wheel cylinders and push rods, new brake hardware, #33 shoe set from Napa and adapted Finned aluminum Buick drums with a Wilson welding hub kit to '42-'48 passenger spindles (21A). Five years on the road on my roadster and no problems what so ever. And they ARE '49 F2 with Bendix style shoes. I really don't think anyone snuck out to that truck and changed the backing plates.

[Sivarti]

Here is what I have.

[Sivarti]

Backing plate. Lockheed then correct?

[Ross F-1]

Originally Posted by Sivarti

Backing plate. Lockheed then correct?

Yep, the double-anchor type is Lockheed. (pic is upside down)

[Fordors]

And your spindle is '42-'48 style, it takes a 1/2" longer king pin than the '37-'41's.

[Sivarti]

So that confirms what I was starting to believe. Now back to the drums and hubs. Am I looking for 42-48 car (47 truck) hubs and drums? I'm sure I'll still need a spacer ring for the 35 wires as well.

[Sivarti]

Also I found a guy that will trade me my 49 axle, drums and backing plates and a set of 35 headlights (I keep spindles) for a complete 53 f100 front axle. Am I money ahead?

http://www.hotrodhotline.com/md/html...arly_fords.php

Found this too.

[quickchange34]

If you run the 35 wires you will need the spacer rings for the outside of the drums to support the wire wheels.

[rich b]

Kinda hard to tell the R/H '48-'52 truck spindle from a '42-'48 car spindle from the OP's picture.

Picture of dirty spindle is truck, painted spindle is car, see what I mean.

Need to measure, inner bearing area on a truck spindle is about 1-5/16" while the car spindle is about 1-3/16".

Or look at the L/H spindle, truck has bolt on steering arm and car has integral arm.

Point is; you can't use early car hubs on '48 up truck spindles due to inner bearing size.

[skidmarks]

Originally Posted by rich b

Kinda hard to tell the R/H '48-'52 truck spindle from a '42-'48 car spindle from the OP's picture.

Picture of dirty spindle is truck, painted spindle is car, see what I mean.

Need to measure, inner bearing area on a truck spindle is about 1-5/16" while the car spindle is about 1-3/16".

Or look at the L/H spindle, truck has bolt on steering arm and car has integral arm.

Point is; you can't use early car hubs on '48 up truck spindles due to inner bearing size.

Can you swap the inner bearing out of the 8 lug drum hub into a 48 and earlier car? To use the F2 spindle or just go with car spjndles?

[rich b]

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Don't think so.

Looked a little in the past and could not find a way to make it work.

The F series bearings are larger in OD and won't fit the race in the early hub.

There are no bearings listed that match the small outside diameter of the early Ford bearings with the larger F series inner diameter, probably too small a difference in size
between ID and OD to physically manufacture one.

Doesn't help in this case; but it's easy to go the other way tho and put F series hubs on early spindles, the 14116 bearing has the small inner diameter combined with large outer diameter.

[skidmarks]

The only time I used the 48/52 spindles was with the whole F1 brakes on a 40 ford but had to make a tierod with the special right tierod end with the hole to hook up the cross steer and cut off the funky left side arm for the truck drag link. Have also used the f2 bendix on a early ford but used the car spindles. Good to know you cant use the car drums on the truck spindle. The F1 and F100 brakes stop better and parts are cheaper then the lockheed brakes

[rich b]

I've used them a couple of times along with F-100 brakes. I trimmed the ugly off the L/H spindle and used bolt on steering arms.

I only used them since I already had the spindles, good truck bearings, and some steering arms sitting around, if you have buy stuff, it's probably cheaper to pick up the car spindles
to start with.

I used cross steer, just had the sling shot top arm on to show someone how it fit.

[Sivarti]

Very nice. I'll be looking to source those. I spent the entire evening reading and came up with this. The 49 f1-f3 spindles were the same. The 53f100 drums will fit with a 40.00 speedway bearing kit. I'll need to source the steering arms and probably go with my second choice of rims. Ditch the '35s and go with some circa 40 rims. Headed out in the morning to get the 53 axle and drag it home. If anyone has experience with someone who sells the arms please point me down that path. Thanks a ton for all the help.

[rich b]

The inner bearing in Speedway's kit fits the smaller pass car spindles, not your F series spindles. Check the '49 and '53 bearings; probably enough good ones between the two sets to get you going.

[Sivarti]

Again thanks for the help everyone. So when it all came out in the wash I ended the day with a pair of 49 F series spindles and 53 F series brakes. I now know without adapters that space the wheel out my '35 wires won't be ideal. I found an article on line that someone scanned that gives all the Timken bearing numbers for this swap, I'll link it once im on a real PC later.

My next step is to find arms and probably some '40/up 16" steelies. Hope everyone had a great weekend, mine was productive and I learned a lot. Having just turned 40 I can honestly say nobody I know has the knowledge base I find here.