1930 Ford AA Brake Question

AA Ford Discussion Group relating to the repair and restoration of your AA Ford.
hattrick
Posts: 14
Joined: January 26th, 2013, 3:26 pm
Body Type: AA
Model Year: 1930

1930 Ford AA Brake Question

Post by hattrick »

I bult a puller and was able to remove my rear drums. The drums are lightly scored. I notice that these drums are pretty thin. Is it OK to have them turned? Also any recommendation on relining the breaks? Is it worth buying a Rivet tool and doing them yourself or is it recommended to send them off and have them lined. I noticed that Bratton's offers this.
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Chris Haynes
Posts: 2203
Joined: September 7th, 2003, 5:18 pm
Body Type: 82A
Model Year: 1930
Location: Camarillo, CA

Re: 1930 Ford AA Brake Question

Post by Chris Haynes »

Ford says NOT to turn the drums.
hattrick
Posts: 14
Joined: January 26th, 2013, 3:26 pm
Body Type: AA
Model Year: 1930

Re: 1930 Ford AA Brake Question

Post by hattrick »

I was pretty sure that this was the official answer. What I really wanted to know if it was OK to lightly turn them in the real world. I also see that you can buy a slightly thicker lining for drums that have been turned but not sure how safe and accepted this was.
spdway1

Re: 1930 Ford AA Brake Question

Post by spdway1 »

There is not much of a choice to turn them a bit. JMO
hattrick
Posts: 14
Joined: January 26th, 2013, 3:26 pm
Body Type: AA
Model Year: 1930

Re: 1930 Ford AA Brake Question

Post by hattrick »

Any recommendations on relining the brakes?
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AAholic
Posts: 278
Joined: October 27th, 2010, 7:24 pm
Body Type: 82-B
Model Year: 1931
Location: N.E.Illinois

Re: 1930 Ford AA Brake Question

Post by AAholic »

I didn't use the woven brake linings as I understand they will wear out the drums faster. segmented linings aren't a bad idea. floaters in the front wheels help to center the shoes.
hattrick
Posts: 14
Joined: January 26th, 2013, 3:26 pm
Body Type: AA
Model Year: 1930

Re: 1930 Ford AA Brake Question

Post by hattrick »

I am not sure what you mean by segmented lining. Is this a different material or differnt brake setup? Can you explain?
ModelAkid
Posts: 478
Joined: June 3rd, 2013, 6:15 pm
Body Type: 186-B stake
Model Year: 1931
Location: LHC Arizona & UP Michigan

Re: 1930 Ford AA Brake Question

Post by ModelAkid »

hattrick, in my experience the molded brake linings do not work as well as woven linings. Many Model A-ers who complain about brakes not working very well used molded linings. Woven linings may indeed wear more because of a higher friction coefficient, but more friction is exactly what you want for good stopping. Unless you plan on putting over 20,000 miles on your truck every year I would not be too concerned about how fast new brakes will wear.
As for drums, it should not be too difficult to find good replacements. Where are you? You want to find some near you because shipping has gotten quite expensive. I had a AA that was built in January 1932 and it had cast iron drums. They stop better, and they can be turned. I doubt you could find any cast drums however, they were only put on the last few trucks built. Henry started putting cast iron drums on Model A's in Sept. 1931. The AA cast drums seem to have come a bit later.
Whoever wrote the "Heavy Commercial Vehicles" (AA) section of the Judging Standards was apparently unaware that cast iron drums were put on AA's near the end of production.
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Brian T
Posts: 400
Joined: December 27th, 2008, 9:57 am
Body Type: 82A
Model Year: 1929
Location: San Diego

Re: 1930 Ford AA Brake Question

Post by Brian T »

I did have my steel drums turned on the rear, getting the drum centered was a challenge, and they need to be cut with small amounts of feed other wise the cutter will did in, it took most of an hour to do one of them, we also did not cut where the emergency brake shoes run, this allows for a little more heat dissipation, as most of us will be running with no or little load and with not to much removed I see no problem.
In addition I used the shoes and bonded woven linings from Stephen Salazar in La Verne Ca, much cheaper than doing it yourself, and the lining is the correct thickness.
Last edited by Brian T on December 31st, 2013, 12:47 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Nothing can be made fool proof, fools are ingenious bastards.
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AAholic
Posts: 278
Joined: October 27th, 2010, 7:24 pm
Body Type: 82-B
Model Year: 1931
Location: N.E.Illinois

Re: 1930 Ford AA Brake Question

Post by AAholic »

Segmented (molded) brake linings are cut into segments to presumably increase friction and cooling and channel brake dust away.
hattrick
Posts: 14
Joined: January 26th, 2013, 3:26 pm
Body Type: AA
Model Year: 1930

Re: 1930 Ford AA Brake Question

Post by hattrick »

Thanks. So is there anyplace that you can buy these shoes or the lining for a 1930 AA?
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AAholic
Posts: 278
Joined: October 27th, 2010, 7:24 pm
Body Type: 82-B
Model Year: 1931
Location: N.E.Illinois

Re: 1930 Ford AA Brake Question

Post by AAholic »

Most of the parts vendors offer the woven linings and some offer brake shoe relining I think?
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Chris Haynes
Posts: 2203
Joined: September 7th, 2003, 5:18 pm
Body Type: 82A
Model Year: 1930
Location: Camarillo, CA

Re: 1930 Ford AA Brake Question

Post by Chris Haynes »

Stephen Salazar is the man to get your AA brakes relined by.
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AAholic
Posts: 278
Joined: October 27th, 2010, 7:24 pm
Body Type: 82-B
Model Year: 1931
Location: N.E.Illinois

Re: 1930 Ford AA Brake Question

Post by AAholic »

The man to see for brakes (and then some) in the Chicago area is Ralph Knopf.
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tiredtruckrestorer
Posts: 338
Joined: April 20th, 2003, 7:09 pm
Model Year: 1931
Location: Orwigsburg, PA

Re: 1930 Ford AA Brake Question

Post by tiredtruckrestorer »

Old brake drum machines had a grinder attachment to grind the steel drums. Cutters do not work well on the steel drums and are used mostly on cast drums. The BB trucks used the cast drums which were interchangeable with the '30-'31 AA's until the larger wheel bolt pattern began use during 1934 when the full floating rear became standard.

I was taught that the woven lining works best on steel drums and molded lining on cast drums. Old brake lining machines also had a grinding attachment so that newly relined shoes could be ground to match the drum size. Take your shoes and lay them in the drum to make sure they make contact the whole length of the lining. Often they must be ground to make full contact. A belt sander can be used to do this if you don't have the special machine.

Keith
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