I feel like I’m playing 20 questions, but since everyone is so helpful and no one seems to mind, I’ll keep going.

My carb is at Charlie NYs for rebuilding, the generator is going to a repair shop next week, so I figured I’d tackle the brakes. (In fact I have 3 vehicles than need brakes so I’ll be in brake job hell for awhile).

I pulled my rear wheels and drums to see what I have…the verdict is…not much braking power there. The shoes are so glazed over I could use them as a mirror, as are the drums, cylinders look old and rubber is cracked. Tomorrow I’ll take the drums to a local brake shop and see if they can turn them, if not I’ll replace them, and to NAPA for new shoes, I’ve already replaced the cylinders and have flex lines ready to install. The hard lines were installed by the PO.

Im starting to rethink the need to have disks up front. If the fronts are as bad as the rears, just a simple brake job will give me plenty of braking power for my needs.

But…I’m not happy about a single circuit brake system. One leak and I’ve got nothing, and I’ve been there. I’ve read that some folks have used Mustang drum/drum masters but I’m missing a few pieces of info.

1) Will the Mustang master bolt right up, or do I need an adapter?
2) Does the Mustang master have a pressure switch for brake lights?
3) Are there better choices, I.E. a conversion kit?

thx in advance for the help.

 

I'm not sure what year your truck is but on my 55 I installed a boosted kit. It used an inline fitting for the brake pressure switch.

 

Sorry, it's a 48 F1. I hadn't thought of a simple fix like that. Duh.

 

They sell them if you are so inclined, 3/16 on each end and pipe fitting for the pressure switch.

On my 65 comet I switched to a dual drum drum master but it has the brake switch on the pedal. Might be harder that way with floor pedals.

 

I used a duel master cylinder purchased from Mid-Fifty. It was installed in the stock location without too much drama. The access hole in the floor doesn't quite match up, however, so adding and checking brake fluid level is a bit inconvenient. I do it from underneath the truck when it's up on a lift for an oil change. Good luck.

Jim

 

This one?

 

That looks like a 67 Mustang master cylinder. I'm not sure where that picture or ad is from, but since you know what you need, shop for the part at the regular stores instead of the specialty vendors and you'll likely find it cheaper.

https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/NMCM...pressionRank=1

https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/...+cylinder,1836

Here's the adapter to make it work in your truck. https://nespeedshop.com/products/48-...linder-adapter

 

Thx, that’s very helpful. The adapter costs almost as much as the master

 

My local shop said the drums don’t need to be resurfaced, just sand the glaze off, same for the shoes.

I replaced the rear wheel cylinders, sanded the drums and shoes and put it all back together. I just need to bleed and adjust, but I’ll do that as the final step.

 

True, and that was the least expensive one I found. It would be easy enough to make one, but if you don't have a chunk of metal laying around, and had to buy the hole saw, the special countersink drill bit for the flush fasteners and all the hardware, you may not be able to make it any cheaper.

 

Hi Bob. I've been away from the computer for awhile. My master cylinder looks like the one in your picture. I couldn't turn up the original invoice, but I think the one I ordered is on page 110 of the 2018 Mid-Fifty catalog, order no. 5914. My mechanic friend made an adaptor plate out of some scrap metal.

Jim

 

That isn't exactly true. I lived with single-M/C systems thru the '60's and well into the 70's, and the M/C was never the cause of a brake failure unless you let the fluid reservoir go dry. They will leak when they get worn, long before they stop working, and you'll get plenty of warning that something is amiss. If you replace the rubber lines, the hard lines, and wheel cylinders, in my experience there is little risk to a single system. On the other hand, I have had multiple failures of dual M/C's, suddenly and without warning. 1/2 the brakes is not much, especially since the fronts seem to go out most often. Your choice!

Check your backing plates carefully, and check the fit of the new shoes to the backing plates. I just recently discovered that a pull to the right on my truck was because the NAPA shoes I installed in '04 were made incorrectly, or made to fit "something close enough" (later F-100's?). There are little bents on the sides of the shoes that are supposed to fall on the backing plate wear pads. The shoes slide back and forth across the pads. The bents on my shoes did not, they were mostly off the pad, causing rapid wear and grooving of the pads. When I did the work in '04, I had welded up the grooves in the pads but used a relatively soft welding rod. The shoes were falling into the grooves and cocking the shoe, also restricting return of the shoes when the brakes were released. I re-welded and ground them, problem solved. See below






This is the groove worn in the backing plate


Welded and ground wear pad -- before final shaping

 

Agree to disagree. I’ve had 2 failures due to single circuit brakes. Both times it was road debris that broke a brake line, and both times I was able to downshift and use the ebrake. Thankfully neither led to an accident.

I decided to go with the dual master and all new brake lines. Parts are ordered, now it’s just my labor.

 

I’m hard at work on this dual master conversion. The instructions for the adapter are a bit odd. They say to install the adapter, then install the master. Problem is, if the adapter is installed on the frame rail, you can’t get the Allen wrench on the head of the bolts and they just spin.

I also didn’t expect to use the stock pushrod. Mine is just a piece of rust with some metal somewhere, so I ordered a new one from DC.

The brake lines have been fun. First off, the harbor freight flaring tool is a waste, so I bought a better one. I can now do decent double flares quickly. The HF tool wasted a few feet of my 25’ roll so I ran short.

The pressure switch was no issue, thx Jim. I just bought a 3 way splitter at NAPA and it’s done. Second 3 way for he front brakes.

So I’m stalled waiting from more brake line and the pushrod and eyelet. No biggie, I’m still waiting on the carb and generator.

 

Nice progress on the build. I am curious as you whether you used 3/16" line throughout the install? I am ay the stage where brake plumbing is next. I am toying with using 1/4" for the main lines front and back, then dropping down to 3/16" at the "T"s. I've decided to use NiCopp lines.
Enjoying your project build.