Hi guys , seems I have come to a bit of a stumbling block with the truck.
I have just ordered (and received) new front wheel cylinders for my F3 , trouble is I dont think they are the right ones. I am sure that the brake set up on it at the moment has been messed with.
I have the same shoe and adjuster set up on the front as I do on the back, but the front cylinders are of the type that only pushes one shoe. Therefore my brakes would only be working one shoe on the fronts. The rear brakes are running the cylinders that push two shoes ( I think these are what I need for the fronts).
What I need to know is what the original set up was on a 1951 F3 truck. I have the 12" brakes all round. Its only the fronts that are looking wrong.
I have just been sent -centric cylinders # 134.68007and #134.68008. It says that these cylinders replace - WC36074. Could someone clarify that these are right or wrong for me. I have a hunch that someone may have played around with different back plates, as the bolt holes for the new cylinders (single shoe ones) is correct for my back plates , however the double shoe ones would not be a direct fit . I have diagonal hole centres in my back plates , not parallel.
Hopefully someone can help me out here as I have absolutely no info as of yet on my truck. Therefore I am working from experience only, and this is the first ford steppy I have had.
Thanks Paul.

 

Do you have the E brake on the rear axle or the driveline? I have run into this with my '51 F3 and early builds, with the rear E brake have different front wheel cylinders than the late builds with the driveline brake. Here is the response I got from Joblot when I asked about their kits and my year truck:

"If this in fact an "early" 1951, we should be able to
help. The main identifying factor is the front wheel
cylinders-An early 1951 will have a standard double piston
wheel cylinder, where one piston is 1", the other end of
the wheel cylinder is 1-3/8". A late 1951 is a completely
different brake system, which only use a single piston
wheel cylinder in the front (looks like 1/2 of a wheel
cylinder-with only one piston)
The rear cylinders for an early 51' are the same size
piston on both ends-1-3/8"."

Sounds like you have the late build type system. I have yet to tear into mine and make sure it is an early build, the E brakes say it is but I want to make sure. I just emailed joblot and got a very quick answer, they really know their bonus builts, I'd ask them about it and see what happens.

 

I think I may have a mix of both systems. I have the e brake on the transmission , and it seems that I have the single type front brakes cylinders. Thing is I cant see how they work both brake shoes. My guess is that I have the double piston type brake shoe set up and the single piston cylinders.
The rear set up seems fine , I have just had all the shoes relined , and managed to get some seal kits over here .
All my cylinders , both front and rear are 1 1/8" diameter bore.
Seems to me that I really need the early type front cylinders (just my luck).
Guess I may be going internet shopping again. Does anyone know if Joblot ship abroad ?
Thanks . Paul.

 

The early models have the brake shoes anchored at the bottom of the backing plate. The late models are self energizing with an adjuster connecting the two shoes. The single pistons cylinder have limited stopping power in reverse but work fine going forward.

 

Here is the information out of the shop manual and parts catalog. The parts catalog I have lists the double anchor system for '48-51 and the Uni-servo system from '53-55. From this I would assume Ford might have made the switch over sometime in '52 :

 

The change on the Canadian trucks was from serial number H51-22946. My truck has a serial number of H51-23345 and it was built in May 1951.

 

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