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Posted By Discussion Topic: Ford mechanical brakes     rlh37ford 09-01-2011 @ 6:02 PM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 28 Joined: Oct 2009 For my 37 Ford, I'm considering installing original, NOS Ford woven brake linings. This choice is based on the better braking experienced over the years with woven linings on Ford mechanical brakes. The car will not see lots of miles as it won't be a daily driver. Questions: (1) any down sides using NOS Ford woven linings?, (2) I plan to use the Ford brake springs with various tension ratings designed to produce better shoe-to-drum contact than in earlier year Fords; any recommendations in this reqard? (3) Any other recommendations while using these type linings to optimize braking? I see no reason to use equilizers. MG 09-01-2011 @ 6:11 PM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 1262 Joined: Nov 2009 I bought woven break linings from MAC's and installed them in my '34 E/W mechanical brakes. I'm really impressed with the improved braking. This message was edited by MG on 9-1-11 @ 10:14 PM MOXIE 09-01-2011 @ 6:24 PM reply profile send p.m. New Member Posts: 102 Joined: Oct 2009 I'll tell you my experience with NOS shoes. I purchased some off ebay. Over the years they lost some of the arc and when I tried to fit to shoes, they broke in the middle. they were brittle from age. Like MG said, I also purchased a set from MAC's and they fit perfect. All the rivet holes lined up nicely. ford38v8 09-01-2011 @ 8:07 PM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 2779 Joined: Oct 2009 Ford cable brakes are far superior than the previous rod mechanicals. I bought woven shoes for my '38 (same as '37), with the intention of installing them, and before I did, I discovered the advantage of floaters. All NOS components did not produce the dramatic improvement that the simple installation of floaters showed. With proper adjustment, even without floaters, you should be able to skid all four wheels with regular shoes. Woven shoes cannot improve on that performance. The advantage of installing floaters is due to the reliability of true uninhibited floating shoes, as opposed to the erratic action of the Ford type adjusters. Ford did not adopt this type of (star) adjuster until 1949, ten years after they went to hydraulic brakes. Your brakes normally do require four different value springs, but with the floaters, your top two springs will be replaced with a single 91A spring. Alan oldford2 09-02-2011 @ 8:08 AM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 275 Joined: Oct 2009 About 6 years ago I rebuilt the brakes on our 46, New bonded shoes, all cylinders, lines, hoses. Seemed to work fine except over the last couple of years the brakes would squeak. I would pull the drums and roughen the linings with 50 grit paper and they would not squeak for a couple of months. High pitch so I could barely hear it with my old ears but the Missus could hear it loud. I found a vendor (Pease in MA) who has rolls of the raybestos woven material and bought enough to reline the shoes. Cut to length, drill and counterbore the holes and rivet it on. Noticeable improvement in stopping power and they are quiet! Probably will wear faster than bonded linings. John TomO 09-02-2011 @ 8:19 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 7264 Joined: Oct 2009 Another disadvantage of NOS linings is that they may contain asbestos and that is not good for your lungs or the environment. Tom supereal 09-02-2011 @ 12:05 PM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 6819 Joined: Oct 2009 I wouldn't use woven lining material on any systems that are not mechanical. We find two problems when there is a complaint about noisy or weak brakes. One is that the lining materials, particularly the bonded type, are too hard for the purpose. The other is that often the short (secondary) shoe is installed on the front side, rather than the back side of the assembly. It is also a good practice to slightly bevel the edges of new linings to allow better seating in the drums. If the drums were turned without using a vibration damping band, they can howl because of the uneven surface. oldford2 09-02-2011 @ 5:02 PM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 275 Joined: Oct 2009 Bob, You say you would not use woven linings on a hydraulic sytem and then you say many bonded linings are too hard (like mine were). Why wouldn't you use woven linings?? From my expeience they provide better braking. Also, I thought putting the band on drums was basic drum turning 101 procedure. John This message was edited by oldford2 on 9-2-11 @ 5:09 PM supereal 09-02-2011 @ 5:45 PM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 6819 Joined: Oct 2009 John: Woven linings were designed for mechanical brakes, and while they functioned well for that purpose, the greater force of hydraulics reduced their life considerably. That is why composite linings were developed. Before the prohibition of asbestos, linings were durable. Later compounds proved to be too hard, and easily glazed, reducing effectiveness. Good vendors have suitable linings. Modern types reduce effectiveness. As for vibration damping when turning drums, many, if not most, shops today seldom see drums, unless they work on trucks. Drums require special attention, and I recommend using a shop that actually knows how.

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