I have a 1952 F-8 with air brakes. The rear brake chambers are Type B, with a lot of small bolts holding the halves together. They attach to the axle mount by a right angle bracket cast directly on the chamber half. I'm looking to upgrade if possible, or at least find new diaphragms.

Has anyone done an upgrade to a modern style stud chamber or Maxi-brake chamber? I would assume brackets would have to be fab'ed up. Some heavy duty angle iron?

 

The only brake booster listed in the 1948/56 Ford truck parts catalog for 1948/52 F7/F8's is vacuum. Air brakes are not listed until 1953.

If you do find new diaphrams for your air brake system, be aware they may have been layin' around on a shelf since Ike was prez.

Try Job Lot (joblotauto.com) located in Queens NY. Job Lot specializes in older BIG Ford truck parts.

 

This has nothing to do with a brake booster or an air over hydraulic system. This is a full on air brake system, and is detailed in the shop manual.

Cross section



Diaphragm part number is Bendix 200001. Anyone know of sources?

 

Here ya go!

200001-BENDIX-DIAPHRAGM

 

Gee whiz, so sorry. I looked thru the 1948/56 Ford truck parts catalog (which you prolly don't have) looking for these chambers. There's no listing until 1953, so I went with what I could find.

Try Job Lot Auto for the parts / The 1948/56 Ford Truck Parts Catalog is available on a CD from hipoparts.com for less than 22 bucks.

 

Im searching the cobwebs of my mind, cause the last one we sold around
1981, I remember something like the back was cast and the cover was
stamped steel. I see an issue with how it mounts. I can already see some kind of an adaptor plate. Myself I think the best way out, is to find
an assembly from junk yard they have 4 bolts bolted to the backing plate.
The change I know was 1953 up. My 53s-56s spring cans go right on,
cheap at Napa I positively have four rear chambers under the bench with
all those little bolts but came off my 53s F 8& 900s. I have a C800 in
the 70s that I see to be a simple swap S cam and all. Today I will check
on this I got all the Ford books ever made IF the mount bolts line up,
you got it made. Then on the other side when we built up a 53 F900
fire truck to dump truck shorten frame then my son slamed the whole
rear axle from a 69 F900 cause fire truck didnt have a two speed. And
we use 30-30 cans from napa yellow valve and all . I'll check today.

 

Piping and valving won't be much an issue for me, I have all the diagrams and books for layout. It's mounting the actual cans.

I can visualize a piece of angle iron, but the cans will be hanging pretty low at a weird angle. I'm trying to go the path of least resistance. Finding a 53 on up truck is going to be impossible in my area, and axle swaps are a little more work than I want to do. The very least will be to change out the old diaphragms, which I now have a source for. Thanks.