VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND NEWER 1946-1948 BRAKES change

With the recent post re shocks change I now know what direction I'll be going with my car -- leaving the shocks alone.

What about the brakes?

Any comments/suggestions for those items?

Well for me... I am for having driver controlable brakes on every wheel that is rolling on the road.........

Thank you, MrMack.

The question should have been .... what is the opinion/suggestion/recommendation for keeping the original style drum brakes as opposed to upgrading to something more modern, whether drum/drum or disc/drum.

I have driven my '51 Chevy tens of thousands of miles in the last 45 years with the stock brake system and they have worked great. If your stock brakes are in top notch driving condition, then I would leave them alone.

I wondered about what you really did mean, if you want an old Chevrolet that drives, rides and stops like an old Chevrolet, do like the ones that drove them when they were new did, maintain the original setup by replaceing the shoes, wheel cylinders (for Juice brakes) and do regular brake adjustments, I adjust mine with each oil change and lube every 1500 miles or every six months whichever comes first. Now.....a restoration should include new steel lines and hoses, mastercylinder rebuild, new wheel cylinders, drums inspected and turned (trued up) new replacement shoes and new brake shoe hardware. It ain't cheap but neither is a good coffin and a decent burial.....I might consider changing from the older (49-50) style to the newer (51-54) because the parts seem to be easier to locate, Just my personal opinion.

Also, some day I hope to get to know the mechanical system on the '28 well enough to always have them at the very peak of efficiency, as of yet after 2 years of working on and adjusting them I am only at the "end of the beginning' rather than at the "beginning of the end"

MrMack, your notes re updating and/or refurbishing the brake components were exactly what would be occurring under my game plan.

I just didn't want to start doing that work if anybody else thought that would be a waste of time.

ALL comments are appreciated ... THANKS!

That's good Murrary, but again you gotta just remember these guys around here only call me "Macky Wacky" out of respect....Don't you, guys???

No comment!

I would consider the brakes on a 1947-48 adquate for normal driving speeds - say up to 70 MPH.They will lock up the wheels and thats about all brakes can do.As previously mentioned replace or recondition all parts.I find that adjustment is required from 8 to 10,000 miles is open road driving.Perhaps a little more often for city driving.Also have the hand brake in good working order.
The 1949-50 models, although having the same brakes with some minor changes, are often changed to the 1951 and up Bendix brakes.This is done because those years require considerably more pedal pressure and its eaiser to convert them because of the 5 lug wheels-drums.
I have driven my '39 many miles (with same brakes as '47) over the years and always felt safe with the brakes.Wish I could say that for my '50.If there is an area that could use improvement its the tires.Would recommend radial tires for improved steering, both in comfort and safty, and better braking traction.

Yeah, your brain connected to your foot has to control the "anti-brakeing system" as for the radial tires I agree, but sometimes the older wheels aren't stiff enough with the radials, since they flex much more, you will first notice it when your full wheelcovers come off on a curve, then later a wheel will develop metal fatigue and crack just inside the bead area of the rim.

Chevgene, you mentioned the 1951 and up brakes upgrade to improve the 50 brakes with the higher pedal pressure, but said I wish I could say the same for my 50. So, I take it you haven't made the switch. My 50 brakes improved when I went to a 53 master cylinder, but I would be interested in which parts from which years are required to make the upgrade and just what is it that helps prevent pedal pressure problems permanently.

Falco rogenus ornessus

I changed the original brakes on my '40 pickup to bendix , because the original diff was never there , I have a '55 open diff in it now. The front brakes I got off a '54 pickup , just drilled the lower 2 mount holes out to 1/2" and basically bolted the complete front hub assys right up.
edit: I put the bigger kingpins of '54 in also , but you will have them already.
End result of course is lighter brakes due to the twin leading shoe design and the increase from 1 3/4" linings to 2" linings.
I kept the original master cyl. and have done over 47,000 miles on this setup.
ps. truck loves the 3.9 diff .

IMFALCO -- pedal pressure problems ?????

Changing to the 1951 Bendix brakes involves changing the front spindles,hubs, backing plates and shoes, cyls. -etc
On the rear the axle shafts, backing plates, drums , etc.
Intresting that you mentioned the 1953 M/cyl...I experimented with one on my 1950 had had a problem getting a full pedal.Perhaps I didn't take my time and bleed it out well.The smaller 7/8" M/cyl. made a big improvement in 1953 as they require much less pedal pressure than a 1952.Also may require adjusting a little oftener.
The cars with the "poor" brakes were the 1950 Power Glides.The 3.55 axle ratio and less hold back due to the torque converter require real excessive pedal pressure.Never would believe that my '39 and '50 had the same brake system.The owners as well as road tests of the day also complained about the brakes.
There was an after market prodct call "brake floaters" sold back then. The lower pivot pins had a sleve mounted in rubber that allowed the shoes to wrap into the drum - a self-energizing action.Installed them on my'50 that I owned years ago but they began to rattle after a period of time because the rubber fell out.Thye did improve the pedal feel.

When I first got my 50 Belair w/powerglide, I had to apply extreme leg pressure on the pedal and found that sliding the seat forward a little gave me better leverage. The first thing I did was replace the shoes and cylinders. This helped but I still had to put a lot of foot into it. The 53 master cylinder was the next improvement and that made the pedal pressure problem a lot better. Dusty mentioned updating his truck with 54 parts, so which car years should I look for? (51-54?) Can I use my stock front drums?

Falco rogenus ornessus

Note first paragraph in my last post for parts required for change.

Happy to hear the '53 M/cyl. helped--I will try it again next year. :)