Thread: F-1 brakes on early Ford spindles?

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I have read plenty on putting F-100 front brakes, 1953-56, on early Ford spindles(mine are 1937), but will F-1 Brakes work? I found a set at a junk yard and I will pick them up if I can put them on my 32. I am not sure of the year of the truck, but it looks to be 51 or 52. I am also getting the front shock mounts from this truck.
Thanks,

Originally Posted by Ralph Moore

I have read plenty on putting F-100 front brakes, 1953-56, on early Ford spindles(mine are 1937), but will F-1 Brakes work? I found a set at a junk yard and I will pick them up if I can put them on my 32. I am not sure of the year of the truck, but it looks to be 51 or 52. I am also getting the front shock mounts from this truck.
Thanks,

If you can get your hands on the Jan 2007, #19 edition of Ol' Skool Rodz magazine there is a detailed article on the installation. The article lists the Timken bearing numbers and seal numbers to use with the F-1 hub, this allows the F-1 hub to be instlled on 1937-1948 spindles.

There are two clearance issues:
-There is a shoulder on the spindle that the inner bearing race bottoms out against. There is a radius at that corner on the spindle. The new bearing has a square corner and consequently the bearing will not bottom against the shoulder. They recommend grinding a chamfer on the bearing race. Personally this does not appeal to me. I think I would investigate making a spacer that would pilot on the O.D. of the spindle and have a chamfer to clear the radius on the spindle. From what I can see on the picture the spacer might be approx. 1/8-3/16" thick.
-There is a clearance issue with the top of the spindle interferring with the wheel cylinder, the part of the wheel cylinder that sticks out of the backing plate. This is easily solved by removing a small amount of material off the top of the spindle.
If you want the bearing part #'s, let me know.
Regards

It's no big deal to take a die grinder and make a small chamfer on the inner race of the bearing. A spacer is going to put the drum out too far, leaving a gap between the backing plate and the drum, for small rocks to get in.

I have a set of spindles that have been ground to remove that radius where the bearing lays, and it is a very small amount taken off. Almost unnoticable.

One thing I will add is that I see folks asking all the time if they can put these F 1 or F 100 brakes on and run Buick finned drums. The answer is NO, they are 11 inch, and the Buicks and early Ford are 12.

Don

Originally Posted by Itoldyouso

I have a set of spindles that have been ground to remove that radius where the bearing lays, and it is a very small amount taken off. Almost unnoticable.

One thing I will add is that I see folks asking all the time if they can put these F 1 or F 100 brakes on and run Buick finned drums. The answer is NO, they are 11 inch, and the Buicks and early Ford are 12.

Don

This sounds like a good approach. I could machine the radius on the spindle smaller so as to clear what radius the bearing has. It would be important to not make the corner square as this is a stressed area.

Thanks for the input, I have Tex Smith's chassis book and it covers the conversion. My big question was why 53-56 and not the earlier 48-52 Ford truck brakes? I bought a set at a local junk yard. They are 11" and appear to be self energizing. My big problem is that my 37 front axle, along with the spindles, is sitting in Texas waiting for me to pick them up. I won't be traveling till Sep. so I will have to wait till then to see if the hubs/backing plates will fit my 37 Spindles.

It has always been my understanding that the swap was for 53 to 56 F-100 stuff. I know that shoes and drums ( not the hubs ) from 53 to 66 interchange. I can use the 1966 springs and brake hardware to make my 56 brakes " Self adjusting "



I know the 52 back F-1 drums are different. I know that 57 up hubs and backing plates are different.

I wish I had an answer for you too, but I really don't know the difference between F 1 and F 100 brakes. I'm like Deuce, everything I have ever seen refers to '53 up brakes, not '52 down.

But that doesn't mean they don't work, and I hope someone on here will post an answer for you.

Don

Well the ones I have look just like the photo. But the truck was definitely of the 48-52 body style. But after 50 years many things may have been swapped out.

Hey Ralph, got any more pics of that red 5 window in your signature? The little 2" pic I'm seeing has me wanting to see more!