How effective are mechanical brakes on a 36 ?

[zoegrant]

Never had a car with mechanical brakes before and am wondering how effective they are compared to a hydraulic system ?
I have a standard tranny and a 47-48 stock flathead in the car.
My average speed driving is 35-40 MPH.
I have only taken the car on the road once and my top speed was 30 mph
If the mechanical sytem is questionable ..What would be required to convert to a hydraulic system ?

[Seth Swoboda]

If they are set up and adjusted properly, VERY effective.

[Willit Stop]

Brake floaters are a HUGE improvement.Try doing a search on "Flathead Ted's Brake Floaters". He is a member on this site.

[rockfla]

Originally Posted by zoegrant

Never had a car with mechanical brakes before and am wondering how effective they are compared to a hydraulic system ?
I have a standard tranny and a 47-48 stock flathead in the car.
My average speed driving is 35-40 MPH.
I have only taken the car on the road once and my top speed was 30 mph
If the mechanical sytem is questionable ..What would be required to convert to a hydraulic system ?

As mentioned previously, your car made it in one piece and in tact from 1936 till you got it on them with obvious no problems, set them up correctly and they will do just great!!!

[Kurt in NJ]

after having a 46, and 39 I got the 36 because it has mechanical brakes, years ago I did side by side testing with the mechanical brake model a, and the 39, the model a out stopped it from 50 mph, after the 10th stop from 50 the 39 brakes faded

45 years after restoration the A brakes are still good
the 46, 39 would leak at a wheel cylinder every few years, then pull,grab ---got tired of the problems, total brake failures ---this was when you could get USA parts

---mechanical brake car if it sits 6+ months the brakes still work fine
---hydraulic brake car ---first take a test applications of the brake to see if they work, no grab, pull

if you live in the salt road in winter areas and your modern car is 6 years old make sure your brake pipes are inspected for rust
20 years ago it was rare to change a brake pipe, only once or twice a year I would see a rusted out pipe on a 15 year old car, the shop only used 20-30 feet of pipe a year, now 6 year old cars are having total brake failures due to rusted out pipes, pipe sales are 50+ feet a week

I get to drive a lot of older cars, the brakes I compare to the model A brakes as a standard ----there are a lot of much more modern hyd brake equipped cars with much worse brakes that I wouldn't want behind my mechanical brake car when I stop

[JM 35 Sedan]

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I have mechanical brakes on my 35 fordor (Avatar) with floaters (not Ted's) and it stops very well. I did go through the entire brake system and replaced/repaired everything that was worn, including the equalizer/cross shaft mechanism in center of X member where all brake rods attach. Those who avoid rebuilding/replacing a worn cross shaft will never get their mechanical brakes to work as well as they could/should.
I have a 35 Coupe that I purchased several years ago, with 39-48 style hydraulic brakes installed by a previous owner. They work very poorly, and my plans are to convert that car back to mechanical brakes with floaters.
IF I were planning to convert any Early Ford from mechanical to hydraulic brakes, I would go straight to the Lincoln Bendix type brakes. JMO

[Bill OH]

I have cable (mechanical) brakes on a 38 and I keep the cables lubed with Lubriplate every 3 - 4 years and adjusted and I can slide the wheels on dry paved road. Doesn’t get any better than that. And I do not have leaking wheel cylinders.

[zoegrant]

Thanks for everyones input on my brake question...I feel more confident of these brakes now....I have no idea what a brake floater is so I will research that....thanks again

[tubman]

"The safety of steel from pedal to wheel".

[barnfind08]

I have nos brake equalizers. The entire assembly. $100.00 Just bolt it on.

[jimTN]

I have Ted's floaters on my A, 32 and 34 and highly recommend them.

[36coupe]

Are floaters necessary on stock 38 brakes or are they the same as 36s?

[Bill OH]

I do not have floaters. Brakes are stock 38 Ford.

[JM 35 Sedan]

Actually the stock 37-38 brake adjusting components are already floaters. They look and work very much like Flathead Ted's floater design. I've often considered the possibility of retrofitting the 37-38 components into a 35-36 mechanical braking system to see how well these components function as floaters.

[Mike in AZ]

Check YouTube under "ted's floaters" and you should find a few videos about them. Mike

[Kurt in NJ]

actually there are factory floaters for the 36 ----as shown in the service bulletins
the 37-38 version fit too and are improved some with a xtra detent to give better feel when adjusting

[G.M.]

Plain stock brakes with good linings and drums adjusted according
to the Ford Service Bulletin will lock all 4 wheels and slide the tires
on concrete at 45 MPH. After initial adjustment it will take a few on
the road slight adjustments to get all four wheels "tuned". I trust
good mechanical brakes more than hydraulics, no cylinders or hoses
to break or leak. G.M.