Hey everyone, I have a 1979 ford f7000, it has a 3208 cat engine and a eaton 2 speed rear differential on it with air brakes. I was wondering if anyone could point me in the right direction for brakes and drums for this truck. I'm going to be in need of both front and rear brakes.

 

Do you know the brand and type of brake?

I just did a search in your area and you have all kinds of heavy truck shops that fiddle with brakes....

 

Honestly I am not sure what brand I have on this truck. There are a good bit of shops around here but most of them don't want to fiddle with these old trucks or take time to help with parts. I thought someone might have an idea about what brand or where to go.

 

Brand name should be on some components. Pictures from the axle side will help I'd what you're dealing with.

If you don't speak air brake, do yourself a favor and get a manual etc once you ID what you have. Also go through the CDL air brake testing requirements and inspection requirements etc. You don't need a CDL unless you are also over 26000.

But a brake failure will be on you and you'll get first if you slam into something.

 

The hardest part of air brakes, for most people, is remembering that more air releases the brakes and less air sets/applies them.

I think youtube will be your friend. start here:


Unless you have wedge style brakes (I think they were gone by 1979) parts should be easy to get. I would suspect NAPA will have anything you need, probably on the shelf.

Just remember that the maxi spring in the brake chamber has the potential to seriously hurt you. Learn how to cage them and do it before you do work. It's very simple. And don't ever, Ever, EVER open up one of the cans to see how they work.

if you need a bright side to look at, be glad they aren't Lucas Girling hydralic brakes. I'm guessing air brakes will be 1/3 the cost to repair and maintain.

I'm no air brake expert, but we maintain them on a few trucks/semis on the farm. If you are remotely mechanical, you'll be fine. If you really are not comfortable, it shouldn't be hard to find a mechanic to work on them.

edit to add: 85e150 's advice is spot on about the manual and cdl course. Air brakes shouldn't be feared, but knowledge is they key.

Good luck

Tim

 

You don't have to worry about me and air brakes. I am quite familiar with them. I have a cdl class A and I'm also a operator instructor where I work. I teach the whole course on truck driving and cdl operations. Like I said before I'm just not sure on where to look for parts or part numbers for the truck.

The rear axle has regular s cam style air brakes. The only major difference is the way the parking brake applies. This truck has a up and down lever to actuate the parking brake. I'm not sure if they are bendix parts or not. Air compressor is a belt driven one from the front of the engine. It has no air dryer on it just a alcohol evaporator. I can try to get pics but at the moment I'm laid up in bed with a broken ankle.

 

I don’t know who made that video but it’s a load of crap
pressing on the foot pedal increases air pressure to the service brake side of the dual brake chamber applying the brakes, releasing the pedal reduces pressure allowing the service chamber spring to pull the S cam back along with the brake shoe springs pulling the shoes away from the drum
The brake release valve on the dash when activated increases air pressure to the parking chamber side of the dual chamber releasing to brakes, when the release valve is deactivated deducting air pressure in the parking chamber a large spring inside that chamber applies the brakes
This acts as a safety should there be a air pressure failure applying the brakes to stop the vehicle rather than having no brakes at all
Pressing on the brake pedal as in that video never releases the brakes

 

Sorry, I read your earlier post to mean "...I know nothing....".

Ever since that guy posted about rolling his truck halfway across his farm into a creek I always go for the basics when it comes to brakes.

That and couple afternoons on the dash cam videos..

Anyway, if you check NAPA online, change the vehicle type to "medium/heavy" before you put in your truck info, otherwise it stops at F350.

 

For many years on Ford truck if the truck had a Eaton axle it would have Eaton brakes, if it had a Rockwell axle It had Rockwell brakes
The shoes and drums are different between the brands
Brake drums have a cast number on the outside of the drum to identify which one it is , if it is still readable
Any big truck dealer or large truck parts supplier can match up the brakes you have, every few can tell you what you have otherwise

Ford used the flip switch to release the parking brakes up into the early 80’s on most of the straight trucks built not to pull air brake equipped trailers, some of the early truck/ tractors used the flip switch for the tractor brakes along with a push button valve for the trailer brakes, this was later changed to a combination push/pull valve that set the parking brakes on both the truck and trailer at the same time
The flip switch was a Bendix part, later they switched to the industry standard push/pull switch
3208 Cat was not designed to run a gear driven air compressor thus the belt driven unit common to gas powered air brake trucks