Real Rocky Mountain Brakes

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Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2014: Real Rocky Mountain Brakes
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Larry Smith on Monday, October 27, 2014 - 06:11 pm:

If there is any interest, I'll be happy to post pictures of original Rocky Mountain Brake components for all to see. I have only known what all the parts look like for the past five years, even though I've been using them for 50+ years. Thanks to Orlando Ortega, who just happened to post a picture of his car, was I able to identify what parts I needed to make mine truly authentic. They are cable operated, and only need a few basic hand tools to install. There are no brake rods, or fancy modifications, and no welding a tab on the brake pedal.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By David Stroud on Monday, October 27, 2014 - 06:17 pm:

I'd like to see them Larry. Thanks. Dave


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jack Daron - Brownsburg IN on Monday, October 27, 2014 - 06:27 pm:

Me too!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Henry Petrino in Modesto, CA on Monday, October 27, 2014 - 08:01 pm:

I'd like to see them too, Larry. I've read that original Rockies are quite different that the modern reproductions in that the band is center anchored, which provides good braking for both forward and backward motion.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John P. Steele, Montana on Monday, October 27, 2014 - 08:02 pm:

YES!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Wayne Sheldon, Grass Valley, CA on Monday, October 27, 2014 - 08:17 pm:

Yes, I would like to see pictures! Are they the true "Rocky Mountain" brakes? Or the A C so-called rocky mountain brakes (I know many of them were cable operated)? I think that the true Rocky Mountain Brakes are the best overall for model Ts, although I have never had any. You used to be able to see lots of them on T tours. But I haven't seen more than a half dozen sets on cars in the past twenty years.
Thanks!
Drive carefully, and enjoy, W2


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Warren F Rollins on Monday, October 27, 2014 - 08:46 pm:

Me too!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Steve Jelf, Parkerfield KS on Monday, October 27, 2014 - 08:50 pm:

Aren't AC's and Rockies two different things?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Fred Dimock, Newfields NH, USA on Monday, October 27, 2014 - 09:15 pm:

Steve is right as usual.

AC brakes are for the small drum while Rockies fit the big drums.
You can get big drums that fit over the small ones so you can put Rockies on older vehicles.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mark Gregush Portland Oregon on Monday, October 27, 2014 - 09:51 pm:

I think you both are maybe partly right. I think somewhere I picked some information that the the current Rocky Mts where a mixture of the RM casting and brake band of the one type of AC brakes or another brand. The current RM are not true copies of the original RM.
I to would like to see photos. The only true RM's I have seen were in ads from way back then or line drawings in a book.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tom Carnegie on Monday, October 27, 2014 - 10:00 pm:

No! No! Please do not post any pictures of Rocky Mt. brakes!!!!!

Just kidding. :-) Larry, I don't understand why you would even ask.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mike Walker, NW AR on Monday, October 27, 2014 - 10:07 pm:

Larry just likes people to beg. :-)


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Steve Jelf, Parkerfield KS on Tuesday, October 28, 2014 - 12:47 am:

Sure, I want to see original Rockies. I'd also like to see original AC. Apparently the current versions of both are different from the originals.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mark Strange on Tuesday, October 28, 2014 - 09:31 am:

I have original ACs on my car, but I have replaced the linings, springs, and modified the actuation to use a combination of the original pull cable with the modified brake pedal and equalizer assembly offered by the vendors. Here are some pics:

ac01 ac02

ac03 ac04

Here are a couple of period advertisements showing the original cable setup that had a steel strap that clamped around the stock brake pedal:

ac05 ac06


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Thomas A. Voltz on Tuesday, October 28, 2014 - 09:55 am:

Do the original Rocky Mountain and original AC brakes work allowing you to use your Ford parking brake/clutch release lever as designed? My repo Rocky Mountain brakes do not allow brake/clutch release lever to be pulled all the way back as Ford originally designed it. Brakes work fine but I really don't like not having the freedom of using the brake lever as designed. Plus repos were hard to get adjusted right.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mark Gregush Portland Oregon on Tuesday, October 28, 2014 - 11:40 am:

Many of the outside brake setups used ether cable or rods to an equalizer mounted on the torque tube. As long as you use the modern equalizer mounted in front of the parking brake cross shaft you will not be able to use the Ford parking brakes.
You can make a setup like shown in above ads and substitute a flat piece of bar stock for the pulley to use rods.
Or something like this;
http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/331880/402037.html?1384711491
It swings under the cross shaft so all the brakes can still be used and you would still be able to use your brake pedal with the tab.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Gene Carrothers Huntington Beach on Tuesday, October 28, 2014 - 12:51 pm:

Larry, I think we're all waiting and hope you'll post those pics.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John McGinnis in San Jose area, CA. on Tuesday, October 28, 2014 - 04:15 pm:

I have a set of original TT Rocky Mountain Brakes, uninstalled and restored; pictures taken 40 years ago before restoration. Here they are. I can take new, quality photos if anyone is interested in detail.

RMB
RMB
RMB


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By kep on Wednesday, October 29, 2014 - 01:29 am:

Does that little lever linkage that clamps to the radius rod add mechanical advantage to the brakes? Mine don't have it and i was thinking i could add it.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Wayne Sheldon, Grass Valley, CA on Wednesday, October 29, 2014 - 05:02 am:

Kep,
No. Most brake sets do not have that little lever thingy. But I have seen one before that did. It is just to help hold the front end of the brakes up so that gravity does not cause the top of the band to drop down and wear on the drum all the time as you drive. The springs on the vertical clevis rod to the band do somewhat the same thing. That lever keeps the springs from having to also support the long brake rods.
A lot of brake sets have a forward part of the main mounting bracket that supports the brake band, arms, etc on small springs. The larger drum size of these brakes result in more weight needing to be supported further forward.
How large are your brake drums? My boat-tail has larger than standard size brake drums (bigger than '26/'27 car drums). I should maybe consider doing that for mine. I would expect a slight loss of leverage advantage through something like these. However, the brakes work so well on my big drum brakes that a slight loss of leverage should not hurt anything.
Drive carefully, and enjoy, W2


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Larry Smith on Wednesday, October 29, 2014 - 10:20 am:

I'll get some more pictures later after I see what I have posted. My cranking arm is in a sling!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Larry Smith on Wednesday, October 29, 2014 - 10:43 am:

The original drums were steel, and made of two pieces. The inner drum was a standard Ford drum RIVETED to the big Rocky Mountain drum. I'm currently using cast drums that are superior that Don Skille and I had made up. This type of brake was reproduced in the sixties, but the gentleman who made them didn't do his homework, and adapted Bennett Brakes with rods up front instead, which are being used today on the current ones.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Larry Smith on Wednesday, October 29, 2014 - 10:52 am:

I'll attempt to get a few more photos of the bell crank.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Larry Smith on Friday, October 31, 2014 - 10:41 am:

If anyone has any of this stuff laying around, I'm interested.


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