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What is your intended purpose for the truck??
I like drums with modern linings, though a single master cylinder does make one a little nervous.
Discs cost a bunch, plus I'm not convinced that they are all that. My truck has discs, and still not convinced.
My last three trucks had drums, plus most of my 60's Fords had drums.
Discs have numerous advantages over drums and if your truck is a '65-later F100, a disc brake front suspension from a '73-'79 F100 or from a '75-'79 F150 is a direct swap onto a '65-'72 F100.
I installed a disc brake front suspension under my '69 F100 that I pulled from a '77 F100. The initial wrecking yard donor parts weren't that expensive and I purchased all the new replacement parts a group at a time until I had everything needed to rebuild the suspension/brakes and then install them on the truck.
The power discs are a vast improvement over the old drums my truck came with.
Regardless of the path forward it only makes sense to replace everything at once or once, keeping in mind that each and every time the brake system is opened back up to replace a component it requires re-bleeding the system again. PITA, after a while. Hoses, wheel cylinders, hard lines, etc. The brake system is just not suitable for partial or piecemeal rebuilding, not at this late date because everything is corroded and/or plain wore out by now. Parts are reasonably priced though Labor charges quickly add up so it's best to get a shop manual (nod your head "yes") and while it will take longer, you can do a better job than they will unless you have a pallet of Benjamins to throw at them. This is the time to replace the drums, bearings & seals, check backing plate shoe pads, and even the leaf springs & shackles/bushings. Good braking for example is also dependent on the rear axle loading up in a predictable way.
Have you checked to see where you're losing fluid?
Originally Posted by Jonesy0027
The brake system is all original....
The big question is should I fix it or replace the existing system with disc brakes?
Factors to consider:
What are your future plans for the truck? How do you use it?
What's you budget?
How much work can you do yourself?
With your current system all original, consider it all "at risk" or most likely to be junk.
How much rust on the brake lines?
Originally Posted by Tedster9
Regardless of the path forward it only makes sense to replace everything at once or once...
...Hoses, wheel cylinders, hard lines, etc. The brake system is just not suitable for partial or piecemeal rebuilding, not at this late date because everything is corroded and/or plain wore out by now. Parts are reasonably priced...
...This is the time to replace the drums, bearings & seals, check backing plate shoe pads, and even the leaf springs & shackles/bushings. Good braking for example is also dependent on the rear axle loading up in a predictable way.
Yes, yes, yes, and yes! ^^^
When I replaced the original brakes on my '62, EVERYTHING was garbage. But as Tedster mentions, parts were surprisingly cheap. I bought quality parts (Wagner, Centric, Raybestos, Timken etc) all for around $400. this included all new wheels cylinders, master, hoses, shoes, front wheel bearings, seals, brake lines, etc. The brakes now perform as well as drums brakes will do, but...still do not match the stopping performance of disc brakes.
Converting to front disc will clearly add more cost, and more time. However, if I had a 65-66, I might have made the swap rather than replacing the drum system (much easier/cheaper conversion than the 61-64 straight axle).
Everyone has good points.
In my book the ones saying disc is the way to go are most likely comparing warn out, never serviced drum brakes and then went for new everything disc when swapping - well then yes it will be an improvement.
If they did new for new I don't think they would be saying that, but that is me. And yes I have driven a little v8 car as a DD and 4 wheel drums. I rebuilt the system before it hit the street and it would lock up all 4 even and went straight.
Now I would rebuild EVERYTHING so this is were maybe doing the disc swap would be the better way to go.
You would need to replace the drums / shoes / wheel cly / springs / seals x 2
OR rotor / caliper / spindle / bearings & seal x 2 so what one is more money?
The rubber hoses, metal lines and master would be replaced doing either work. I would also do a duel master on the drum brakes if that is the way you stay - I don't know how guys drive with that single master can drive them, I did not even like moving the truck in the yard with one.
The other thing to keep in mine is how hard will it be to get parts for either system (drum or disc) down the road?
I have some older cars that they do not make front disc calipers for and back 20 years ago no one would rebuild them, only 1 place does now. Then you had to try and find pads to fit that system.
In my case I did a swap with a later year car as a bolt in. I did give up duel piston calipers for singles but the car stops now and I can get parts for it down the road when needed.
Dave ----
...I have driven a little v8 car as a DD and 4 wheel drums. I rebuilt the system before it hit the street and it would lock up all 4 even and went straight....
It's good that it stops straight, but ease of "lock-up" is not necessarily the measure of a good braking system. Other factors that make disc brakes a better performing option - Disc brakes:
dissipate heat more efficiently
are more easily modulated to avoid unintended lockup (drums can lockup prematurely due to "self-servo" effect, lockup = loss of tire-to-surface control)
are self cleaning (drum brakes build up brake dust inside the drum, reducing friction efficiency)
perform better when wet. The rotors can "spin off" water, drum brakes can build up a layer of water between the shoe and drum
are less prone to brake fade under heavy load (trailering, long descents, etc). Drum brakes require more pedal pressure when hot.
provide more consistent pedal height as they self-adjust
But, drum brakes:
are less messy on your wheels (no disc brake dust)
can provide more "self-servo" braking on heavy duty trucks (when not over-heated)
are period correct for "stock" restorations.
All things considered, I still went with drums like Dave did ^^. You just have to compensate for the shortcomings, drive accordingly, and do a bit more maintenance.
I would say yes, replace everything all at once for sure. The one thing you leave will soon fail. In my case it was the brake light pressure switch. I kept the original one and it failed and sucked in air after a couple weeks, leaving me with no pressure. I later switched to a pedal mounted switch.
The in between option is power drum brakes. You can replace everything and add a power dual master. In most conditions, you'll never feel the difference from behind the wheel between power disc and power drum. But if you want to swap to disc front later, you can keep the same master by adding a proportioning valve.
One more for drums. And some of you won't believe this was done, yet I helped do it.
Car: 1928 Essex two door sedan.
Engine/trans Ford Essex (really) V6/automatic. This was the ONLY modification.
Brakes: rod-actuated 4 wheel mechanical non-power stock drums with stock three shoe brakes (yes, THREE shoes per wheel). Car was driven like this for a year before fully modifying it into a full-fledged street rod.
I'm not saying this was a car that you would non-chalantly drive, however, the brakes worked well in modern traffic given a bit of caution (these WERE the first four wheel brakes for the Hudson company).
Too, I learned how to adjust mechanical brakes properly.
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