The Ford Barn

highbeams · 12-09-2022, 04:34 PM

Thoughts on using the original mechanical brakes. Thank you.

J Franklin · 12-09-2022, 05:00 PM

Repair them correctly and enjoy good stopping without worry.

DavidG · 12-09-2022, 05:14 PM

Squared. If they were so awful, how do we explain the survival of so many cars equipped with them?

Willit Stop · 12-09-2022, 05:39 PM

Floaters help a bunch.Easy to install and affordable.

sugarmaker · 12-09-2022, 05:58 PM

High beams,
Well I am using them, does that count?
Regards,
Chris

cas3 · 12-09-2022, 06:18 PM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

They never ever leak !

tubman · 12-09-2022, 07:01 PM

"The safety of steel from pedal to wheel".

Kube · 12-09-2022, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by highbeams

Thoughts on using the original mechanical brakes. Thank you.

I'm with the others that like them. I do know (firsthand) that the floaters make a world of difference.

deuce lover · 12-09-2022, 07:49 PM

Woven linings as opposed to bonded also.

BoxCar Tom · 12-10-2022, 12:38 AM

On my daughter's 11th birthday (twenty years ago) some of the boys at the party asked if I could give them a ride in my 32 sedan, all original, yes with original mechanical brakes. My wife suggested that I drive them to the bowling alley where the party was being held. Yup, no problem. Big mistake!!! I took the wrong route, ended up on a long steep downhill with a pick up on my back. As much as I tried to slow down, standing on the brake pedal, they were toast, downshift to 2nd, popped out, did it again popped out. At the bottom of the hill is a traffic light and a four lane highway. Started to look for a place to ditch it with the least amount of harm. Just before the traffic light the road flattens out and I was able to pull into a service station parking lot. Kids had a great time. I spent weeks going thru the brakes. Replaced the shoes and cut the drums. Moral of the story, make sure your brakes are well maintained and stay off steep roads.

cas3 · 12-10-2022, 01:00 AM

Irrelevant story. Juice brakes or mechanical, its up to the operator/owner to know that every thing is working properly

aussie merc · 12-10-2022, 02:21 AM

old and new just dont mix if you use the correct lining and set them up correctly the will work as they where supposed to and are more than up to the job change the lining type and trouble starts its just to hard and wont grip the drums as its suppose to and just polishes the drums so if you change one thing you must balance it out

ford38v8 · 12-10-2022, 02:55 AM

When Ford went to bonded linings in mid '37, they never went back to woven. No reason to go back now.

farmertom · 12-10-2022, 09:57 AM

Ihave a '37 fordor still with mech. brakes woven linnings redone 2 and 1/2 yrs ago. ever since iv'e had the '37 i drive it allmost every day. iv'e been adjusting at the wheels a few times during my ownership. iv'e been looking for new shoes or even just the linning and rivit kits and seems as though out of stock everywhere. any ideas? thanks, Tom.

Cool Hand Lurker · 12-10-2022, 12:47 PM

Has anybody here tried using a power brake unit on early Ford cars with brake shoes, like this one?

svm99 · 12-10-2022, 02:55 PM

I've rebuilt the mech brakes on my '34 Fordor with woven linings and new bushings, NOS parts etc. Not yet running but have confidence they'll stop. My brother has a very original 5W with mechanicals, not yet rebuilt but work very well on his car.

Paul J

cas3 · 12-10-2022, 03:03 PM

Farmer tom, send your shoes to brake & equipment in mpls to be relined

deuce lover · 12-10-2022, 03:16 PM

Try Thirdgen in TN or Southside Obsolete in MN.I also have found the rivets on EBAY.

aussie merc · 12-10-2022, 05:15 PM

while we are on the subject of linnings has anyone seen o/size for sale all i seem to find is standard

Bored&Stroked · 12-10-2022, 05:27 PM

I went through the mechanical brakes on my 32 Cabriolet - parts were NOT worn out as the car only have 5,000 miles on it. I put new woven brake linings in it as well. They were perfectly fine - up to about 55 miles per hour. They did exactly what they were intended to do. I drove the car like this for 2 years - until I put the big stroker motor in and rebuilt the whole undercarriage (new late 32 rear, 3.54 gears, etc).

At higher speeds or on longer down-hill grades, they are not up to the task. While the woven brake linings are good for slower speeds, they do fade at higher speeds and more continuous braking. These are part of why I switched over to energized Lincoln style hydraulic brakes - as I wanted a better braking system for how I drove the car (which was different than Henry intended).

12-09-2022, 04:34 PM	#1
highbeams Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: California Posts: 802	the original mechanical brakes Thoughts on using the original mechanical brakes. Thank you.

12-09-2022, 05:00 PM	#2
J Franklin Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Oregon Posts: 5,963	Re: the original mechanical brakes Repair them correctly and enjoy good stopping without worry.

12-09-2022, 05:14 PM	#3
DavidG Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: southeastern Michigan Posts: 10,102	Re: the original mechanical brakes Squared. If they were so awful, how do we explain the survival of so many cars equipped with them?

12-09-2022, 05:39 PM	#4
Willit Stop Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Eureka Calif. Posts: 969	Re: the original mechanical brakes Floaters help a bunch.Easy to install and affordable.

12-09-2022, 05:58 PM	#5
sugarmaker Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Albion PA Posts: 1,677	Re: the original mechanical brakes High beams, Well I am using them, does that count? Regards, Chris __________________ 1932 AAB Truck 1953 Ford Jubilee 2015 Ford F250 SuperCrew Lots of Allis tractors Some Cub Cadets

12-09-2022, 06:18 PM	#6
cas3 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: sw minnesota Posts: 4,578	Re: the original mechanical brakes Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) They never ever leak !

12-09-2022, 07:01 PM	#7
tubman Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Minnesota, Florida Keys Posts: 10,320	Re: the original mechanical brakes "The safety of steel from pedal to wheel".

12-09-2022, 07:49 PM	#9
deuce lover Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Southern France Posts: 5,307	Re: the original mechanical brakes Woven linings as opposed to bonded also.

12-10-2022, 12:38 AM	#10
BoxCar Tom Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Basking Ridge, NJ Posts: 591	Re: the original mechanical brakes On my daughter's 11th birthday (twenty years ago) some of the boys at the party asked if I could give them a ride in my 32 sedan, all original, yes with original mechanical brakes. My wife suggested that I drive them to the bowling alley where the party was being held. Yup, no problem. Big mistake!!! I took the wrong route, ended up on a long steep downhill with a pick up on my back. As much as I tried to slow down, standing on the brake pedal, they were toast, downshift to 2nd, popped out, did it again popped out. At the bottom of the hill is a traffic light and a four lane highway. Started to look for a place to ditch it with the least amount of harm. Just before the traffic light the road flattens out and I was able to pull into a service station parking lot. Kids had a great time. I spent weeks going thru the brakes. Replaced the shoes and cut the drums. Moral of the story, make sure your brakes are well maintained and stay off steep roads.

12-10-2022, 01:00 AM	#11
cas3 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: sw minnesota Posts: 4,578	Re: the original mechanical brakes Irrelevant story. Juice brakes or mechanical, its up to the operator/owner to know that every thing is working properly

12-10-2022, 02:21 AM	#12
aussie merc Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: sydney australia Posts: 1,034	Re: the original mechanical brakes old and new just dont mix if you use the correct lining and set them up correctly the will work as they where supposed to and are more than up to the job change the lining type and trouble starts its just to hard and wont grip the drums as its suppose to and just polishes the drums so if you change one thing you must balance it out

12-10-2022, 02:55 AM	#13
ford38v8 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: SF Bay Area Posts: 6,646	Re: the original mechanical brakes When Ford went to bonded linings in mid '37, they never went back to woven. No reason to go back now. __________________ Alan

12-10-2022, 09:57 AM	#14
farmertom Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2020 Location: iowa Posts: 140	Re: the original mechanical brakes Ihave a '37 fordor still with mech. brakes woven linnings redone 2 and 1/2 yrs ago. ever since iv'e had the '37 i drive it allmost every day. iv'e been adjusting at the wheels a few times during my ownership. iv'e been looking for new shoes or even just the linning and rivit kits and seems as though out of stock everywhere. any ideas? thanks, Tom.

12-10-2022, 12:47 PM	#15
Cool Hand Lurker Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: So Minn Posts: 1,565	Re: the original mechanical brakes Has anybody here tried using a power brake unit on early Ford cars with brake shoes, like this one?

12-10-2022, 02:55 PM	#16
svm99 Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Garlic Country of CA Posts: 537	Re: the original mechanical brakes I've rebuilt the mech brakes on my '34 Fordor with woven linings and new bushings, NOS parts etc. Not yet running but have confidence they'll stop. My brother has a very original 5W with mechanicals, not yet rebuilt but work very well on his car. Paul J

12-10-2022, 03:03 PM	#17
cas3 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: sw minnesota Posts: 4,578	Re: the original mechanical brakes Farmer tom, send your shoes to brake & equipment in mpls to be relined

12-10-2022, 03:16 PM	#18
deuce lover Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Southern France Posts: 5,307	Re: the original mechanical brakes Try Thirdgen in TN or Southside Obsolete in MN.I also have found the rivets on EBAY.

12-10-2022, 05:15 PM	#19
aussie merc Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: sydney australia Posts: 1,034	Re: the original mechanical brakes while we are on the subject of linnings has anyone seen o/size for sale all i seem to find is standard

12-10-2022, 05:27 PM	#20
Bored&Stroked Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Central Ohio Posts: 5,070	Re: the original mechanical brakes I went through the mechanical brakes on my 32 Cabriolet - parts were NOT worn out as the car only have 5,000 miles on it. I put new woven brake linings in it as well. They were perfectly fine - up to about 55 miles per hour. They did exactly what they were intended to do. I drove the car like this for 2 years - until I put the big stroker motor in and rebuilt the whole undercarriage (new late 32 rear, 3.54 gears, etc). At higher speeds or on longer down-hill grades, they are not up to the task. While the woven brake linings are good for slower speeds, they do fade at higher speeds and more continuous braking. These are part of why I switched over to energized Lincoln style hydraulic brakes - as I wanted a better braking system for how I drove the car (which was different than Henry intended).