I don't post much about my truck since I haven't done much other than fixing a leak here and there, but over this winter that's going to change.


I guess a little info might help, I have a 52 F1 that I use as my daily driver for most part. I do custom woodworking and I use it to deliver/take my work to farmers markets but I really need to tow a small enclosed trailer by next year. So I want to upgrade brakes to discs up front at least, figure stopping is the harder part rather than towing...but that said figure if Im gonna have truck down might as well rebuild motor. I mean who doesn't like to do a burn-out now and then


I don't need to build the engine to drag race since I still want to drive it around daily and have a little more power(even if my gas usage goes up some)


I guess Im asking when is hp too much hp for a straight axle with disc brakes before I should think about IFS?


Thanks for trying to make sense of my rambling

 

With only five posts, welcome to the forum. We don't know where you are and what laws govern what you can tow. Many states mandate trailer brakes when the trailer grosses over 1500 lbs. Believe me, when the trailer weight goes up, brakes are important. A good solid hitch and frame reinforcement is mandatory.
Consider trailer brakes before upgrading your F1 stock brakes. Just make sure your stock brakes are in top shape. A dual brake system is nice but if your original is perfect, not necessary, IMO. Forget about IFS, I can't believe you'll gain anything. Rebuild your front end if it shows signs of being worn at all.
Since we don't know what engine or transmission you have, not much comment from me. If you have the six, in the day it was considered one of the best engines for low speed torque available. Modifications will see minimal improvements. What shape is your engine in?
Let us know more.

 

Yep. We need to know what engine.

Honestly. ..unless you live in hill country, drum brakes are more than capable.

I would upgrade to power brakes. Mid - fifty & a bunch of others make a bolt in kit that uses the original pedal.

Not cheap but far less than ifs.

Now for the horsepower question. Normally I would say too much is not enough. But since you use it to deliver furniture & want to pull a trailer you want torque more than hp. Get a bigger cam but don't go crazy. Leave the exhaust a little tight. Slightly restricted exhaust increases torque (I don't know why)

Good luck & show us some pics

 

IF cost is an issue, consider just converting to power brakes and keep the drums. I have built a couple street rods just using a single master cylinder and booster that worked perfect. I think the last one used a mid 60's Pontiac booster and cylinder, but any older single master cylinder and booster should work.

 

I will disagree with using the single res master cylinder. If you're upgrading the brakes anyway, it's foolish not to upgrade to a two circuit brake system. Sure, a single master will work fine, until something fails. When it does you lose all braking capability. With a dual reservoir, separating the front and rear hydraulic circuits, if you have any kind of failure, hose, cylinder, etc., and it can and does happen without any notice whatsoever, you still have half of your brakes to get you stopped safely. It's been mandatory in new cars for nearly 50 years. There's a reason for that.

 

With a trailer a dual master is mandatory in my book. You lose brakes with single and a trailer you and the public are in grave danger. As far as horsepower, like said torque is your friend, not just for pulling the trailer but for getting these heavy trucks moving. As far as I am concerned the sky and your pocketbook are the limit.

 

Subscribing. What they ^^^^ said.
Can't ad anything till we know your
engine and trans, and rear gear Bud.

 

Ah fingers where working faster than my mind last night. It has a 302 and c4...rear end gear unsure of off top of head. Has 9"ford rear end. that previous owner put in. I'm up in Washington state.

I drive mostly in stop and go traffic around town, that's why I was figuring disc brakes may be easier. I'm not saying cost isn't a issue or my truck would be going a different route but I have no issues paying for quality equipment. I'm just looking to have the most fun in my truck...not that I don't now.

 

IMO if I were towing I would want disc brakes up front, I had enough scary situations with brake fade and rain making the drum brakes almost worthless years ago.
You know your engine better than I do and what you are going to tow. Towing requires torque down low and not high RPM horsepower. The 302 is not a big torque engine but a stock 302 with enough gear should be fine towing a small trailer. If you were doing a rebuild I would stick with a short duration "RV" type cam.

What is the towing capacity of a F1 frame anyway? The steel is much smaller channel than modern trucks. I wanted to tow a car trailer with my 51 F1 I am building but I dont know it the frame would be up to it.

 

AFAIK Ford never provided towing capacities back then. But as Dave says, looking at the frame you can see it is not very stiff or reinforced laterally at the rear. Personally I'd limit it to 1500 lbs, maybe a little more, if going at highway speeds.

 

I have a 289/C4 in my 50 F1. I wouldn't have any issues towing a regular utility trailer with it if I needed it to.


I did put a Speedway disc kit on the front which matches the factory bolt pattern. It went together easily and works well. I did also add power brakes/dual MC and replaced everything in the system. 1948-1956 Ford Half Ton Deluxe Disc Brake Kit, 5 x 5-1/2 Inch - Speedway Motors, America's Oldest Speed Shop


I also recommend the Toyota Power Steering upgrade.

 

I normally don't have more than 1000lbs to tow around...normally its prob under 500lbs just to big for the bed of truck.

 

If you really want to put in front disks go ahead, but for your use you don't really need them, DO put in a dual circuit MC and all new lines, solid and flex. I had a flex hose fail on a single circuit setup once, I never want to do it again. Don't let anyone tell you you can stop with just the e brake, turning off the ignition, etc, it AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN! If you do put in front disks, definitely add a booster. My truck had unboosted disk brakes when I got it. That was the first thing that had to go!
HP and IFS are two totally unrelated items. Go to a large drag strip, you see a number of modified cars with 2K+ HP engines running a straight beam axle and pulling 4 ft high wheelies! Just rebuild the wear items in the suspension and springs front and rear, get the right alignment and tires and the OEM beam will do you proud without breaking the bank or tying up your truck for a year or more. If you want to improve the front suspension do the Toyota power steering conversion on it you'll think it's a new truck.

 

I will second the power booster on the front disk brakes. I put in a disk setup in the front. It is the setup from Engineered Components. I think (from memory) that they are 11&5/8 diameter with GM calipers. The pedal force is high. I am driving mine around pretty regularly, and that is the one thing that I'm thinking of re-doing.

I'm a big fan of the 351w (windsor) engine for the torque....they are a little taller than the 302, but generally would fit anywhere that a 302 is installed. A taller V shaped engine is also a little wider at the top. The two engines are in the same Small Block Ford family. The 351w has a half inch longer stroke....so quite a bit more torque.

That may be bad advice if you really want minimize the down-time. The 302 is also a great engine. Depending on the year model, I have found that using a cam gear & timing set for a 60's vintage engine eliminates the retarded valve timing that was used in later models. Since you probably don't have to pass a smog test, you can do pretty much anything that you want.

Dan