Thread: Brake Booster riddle - can you solve it?

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Yeah, I have seen that spacer/adapter ring they sell to do that. Trouble is, you rarely see the Buick backing plates and all for sale, even on EBAY. Somehow they always get left on the car, and people just sell the drums. I guess they figure that is the only part people want. But you are right, these would probably be a great brake system , and certainly up to the job.

Don

Originally Posted by Itoldyouso

Faith: I scoured all of your pictures to see if I could get a good look at your backing plates, and found none that were clear.
Seriously, the brakes you have are fine for this weight of a rod. You
Don

Ask and you shall receive

Is this photo what you needed?

Originally Posted by techinspector1

I'm thinkin' along the lines of Mel's questions instead of a booster. Do you know the diameter of the master cylinder? Did you know you can get more pressure from the same amount of leg effort with a smaller diameter master cylinder? The pedal will move further than it does now, but will be easier to push and therefore will exert more pressure on the wheel cylinders with the same amount of leg effort you are using now.

By the way, I just viewed your site and I'm very, very jealous.....

yeah i agree too. I am having my rod shop look into this saturday while I am there to fix my steering. I did talk to ECI people and they too asked me to measure pedal ratio and bore size. we will do this when the car is up on the rack.

PS: Jaleous, jaleous of what? The website? The roadster? Or my great legs ??

Originally Posted by Irelands child

If you REALLY like the Buick finned drum look, $o-Cal has a look-alike with discs. I've seen several and the only thing that gives them away is a duct.

Here's the web site: http://www.est1946.com/index.asp?Pag...ROD&ProdID=957

yeah I have seen them on roadsters, but they do not look the same.

I want to try to see if I can make the best out of what I have as I am not really willing to resorting to going to disc. I really really do like my old wheels and drums. That is another reason why people around here are liking my car, it has a lot of older elements on it, a departure from the otherwise very billet, very modern looking california hiboys that dominate, in numbers, every car show I go to.

yes the car does brake, but it sure takes a lot of effort and some distance. In case of emergency I might be in deep doodoo ... hence my investigaitons to see if it can be improved somehow...

Gosh darn it, i am such a newbie and the more I learn teh more I realize I know NOTHING (sigh), but I guess all goods things come in time, and for now my job is to pick you guys' brains and try to digest the massive amount of technical information dispensed without having a

1- aneurysm
2- panic attack
3- indigestion



Thank God I have about 163 IQ so I might be OK. Notice I said "might"

Anywhoo, measured the vacuum at intake manifold while idling we are at 14 not enough to use booster but:

1- Rod specialist said he usually use the vaccuum at carburator to fire up booster / power breaks so we need to measure what we got there before giving up... We also need to find out why vacuum is whimpy...

In fact just as whimpy as me and yes you guys are right, females do not have the same strength as males and I sure could use a nice hairy, fat leg right now (let's change the proverbial "can you lend me a hand" to a newer, more "a propos" CAN YOU LEND ME A LEG?" )

BUT I do NOT (and I repeat DO NOT) own a God darn SUV - Pssht as if! I own a pick up truck guys, the kind that towes trailers and the kind you can throw 3 motorcycles on the bed and go offroading for the week-end...

having said that my truck has disc and when I drive it now I have to be VERY CAREFUL because when I switch between the roadster and, the next morning the truck I almost go through the windshield - Ask my dog, Kaya, cause she actually DID . Nonetheless, i think the brakes on my roadster are a bit lazy, and could use some TLC.

Originally Posted by HiboyGal

Ask and you shall receive

Is this photo what you needed?

The long shoe needs to be in front on early Ford non-engizing brakes -this looks to be backwards to me - also looks like only the top is hitting the drum.
Turn 'em around and center properly by means of the bottom pivot eccentrics/adjusters and you should have acceptable brakes. Not a fun project....

I seem to remember they used to re-arc the shoes but doubt anyone does that anymore.

Part of your problem is the type brakes you have are not self energizing. Like the ones shown. I believe Wilson Welding is Texas ... near Dallas makes a reproduction set of 39 Lincoln backing plates that has the self energizing feature ( like the heavier Lincolns had and NEEDED ) The Wilson stuff should work with your Buick drums ...

I do not mean to talk BAD about your 32 ... but it needs some real help in the brake department. The brakes lines are scary bad ... and it needs a dual master cylinder from what I can tell.



Yours is a single cylinder ... which means if if fails ... NO BRAKES ...
In about 1967 or 1968 ... Federal law mandated that all new cars come with a dual cylinder master cylinder. One cylinder is for the front 2 wheels and one is for the 2 rear wheels ... so you have two separate braking systems ... if one fails ... you still have one system working.



NOT beating on you or the 32 ... this is just a safety issue ... that I feel you as a new rodder and a female may not be aware of. I feel strongly about this ... so strongly that if you were closer... I would volunteer to fix it ... labor free ... you buy the parts ...

But as I am in SC ... you will have to find someone on the west coast ...

Faith ...

go read this ... for a better understanding of early Ford brakes ...
http://www.flatheadv8.org/f1brakes1.htm

That looks like a dual M/C to me?? Rear line out rear front line out front which seems backwards??

"PS: Jaleous, jaleous of what? The website? The roadster? Or my great legs ??"

YES

You may be right
I cannot tell ... but the lines need work ... for sure ...

Not doubting you, but if you have an IQ of 163 you should be engineering your own stuff, like new space shuttles

Originally Posted by cffisher

I seem to remember they used to re-arc the shoes but doubt anyone does that anymore.

Faith, find a shop that will grind the shoes to the radius of the drums. This is critical in your case.

Originally Posted by cffisher

That looks like a dual M/C to me?? Rear line out rear front line out front which seems backwards??

It is backwards - and I questioned this when I did mine and was told it made no difference. My response is unprintable on a family web site - I did it correctly. There is usually a significant difference in reservoir size and piston stroke displacement and with brake balance in the 60-40 range, mas o menos, the fronts always need the larger.

Deuce - looks like you and I keep coming up with very similar responses - does it have something to do with our ages, perhaps?