Quote Originally Posted by TerryOMT View Post
Good advice, thanks. Googled it and found tons of info. Seems that pre-1953 brakes are not a good idea, since they are not self energizing. Naturally all the stuff I've collected is the pre '53 stuff. Says those grab, maintenance probs etc. so now I have to find some '53 to '56 stuff. One guy said that clear through the 50's and into the 60's the brake drums were the same and he THOUGHT the backing plates, though different, could be modified. ANYBODY ?
However it sounds like a different problem exists with early wires on '53 up drums since spacers are needed, but no discussion on that same old situation with the wires needing support inside the bolt pattern. So now I don't have it figured out, again. ANYBODY use pre-'53 non self-energizing brakes to good effect? Sounds like "Roadster '32" did. What say you, Roadster? TerryOMT
Starting in 48 brakes were self energizing. I believe in 53 they also became self adjusting. But you can use later hardware on 48 and later and make self adjusting as well. I put 48,49 f1 brakes on my 47 square back spindles, with later self adjusting hardware. I have the bearing numbers and seals to install these on the round back and square back spindles. The seal is the hardest, although I did manage to get crossreference numbers for National, Timken, and Napa Seals. Let me know if you need these numbers. Also the inner bearing won't seat completly on the later spindles, they say to bevel the inner edge of bearing, I filed the radius more square on my spindles, that way if I have to replace a bearing, especially in BFE I can just put it on right out of the box. And the spindle isn't hardned, that race is....................