1936 Ford mechanical brake information

[dave t]

Could anyone please tell me if the rear stock brake shoes should both move outward equally as the as the brake pedal is engaged ? Also who sell 1936 brake wedges?
thanks Dave T

[Willit Stop]

Yes. Equally. C&G Ford parts MIGHT sell them.As long as you're into the brakes you may want to install "floaters" or "energizers". I used them on my coupe and they work as well as juice brakes.Easy install too.

[Terry,OH]

There are two different wedges for 36. If your brake pedal has the number 17 embossed on the arm inside the car you need 68-2050 which is the later style. Early style is the same as 35 Ford 48-2050 the 68- style results in a smoother brake.

[OLD AS I]

willit stop, what are "floaters" or "energizers" that you refer to ?.

[Don Rogers]

Floaters/energizers were aftermarket devices that replaced the fixed wedge adjuster in 1935/38 Fords. The energizers floated and allowed the upper part of the brake shoe to center on the hub, giving better braking. Here are some photos.

[JM 35 Sedan]

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Another posibility for mechanical brake equalizers/energizers/floaters are offered by a member here known as "flathead ted". Folks who have used these say they work well, and Ted has some videos of cars making panic stops, when using his floaters, on his website. I'll post pics of these if I can find them.

I haven't personally used Ted's floaters, but have used some of those posted above by Don Rogers, and they work very well in my avatar 35. In fact they work as well as the hydraulic brakes on some of the 39 - 48 Fords I have driven. JMO.

[Admiral]

If you're looking for brake wedges, get in touch with Fred at Southside Obsolete out of Minnesota (http://www.southsideobsolete.com/Sou...e/Welcome.html). I bet he has NOS ones in stock.

[Floyd]

Floaters work great. I have them on my 32 and it stops as good or better than my 40. The very best floater setup is from Flathead Ted. I can't imagine anyone wanting anything less than the best when it comes to brakes. Flathead Ted is the only way to go.
My opinion

[Kurt in NJ]

The wedge can float alot, one shoe can move before the other, but it should be almost the same unless some of the springs are weak, wrong, modified

later in 36 the factory came out with "floaters", much like the flathead ted ones, but no lock nut needed

both rollers and pins can be different size, if you have one oversized roller it could cause shoesto move at different times ---the oversized heads of the pins are for centering the shoes to the drum/axle