MTFCA Forum

Looking for Bill Tharp Auxilary Brake system installation instructions I am sure some one out there save theres. i would like to get a copy i bought a bill tharp set but i believe i did something wrong . claipers are tight around disk and won't come loose. so I am Looking for Bill Tharp Auxilary Brake system installation instructions,

Call Birdhaven. Bill sold his brake business to Texas T Parts and that all got sold to Birdhaven several years ago.

In the mean time, do a google search and past post will come up;
https://www.google.com/search?client=fi ... harp+Brake
Bill passed away around 2011, sometime before that if I read this right was sold to Texas T's which was sold to Birdhaven(?)
Here is one that might have some info that you are looking for, there may be more but I didn't look at them all;
http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/25 ... 1348559184
Install instructions my be different depending on who made the kits, there were some changes made along the way.

i am hoping someone has copy of the original papers because I have a brake system from Bill Tharp sold this guy and I bought it.

Jasper13 wrote: ↑

Sat May 16, 2020 9:17 am

i believe i did something wrong . claipers are tight around disk and won't come loose.

I’m assuming you bled the brakes, and now the brakes are locked up? If so, check that your master cylinder is releasing completely. If your push rod is too long the piston can’t retract to expose the compensation port, which allows the hydraulic circuit pressure to equalize and so release the pistons

Or... if your kit is old enough and wasn’t stored properly, the pistons could be sticking in the calipers. There is a great deal of hydraulic force available to apply the pistons... yet only the elasticity of an o ring to pull it back. A small amount of corrosion in the caliper bores could easily go unnoticed and cause much heartburn

I bought and install a small drum disk brake kit built by Bill Tharp. I have the original documentation that Bill Tharp sent me. The disc kit was a mod of WILWOOD Disc Brakes. If you need information on the hydraulic disc piston contact a TEC at WILWOOD Disc Brake. I contact them when I need a little more support. Bill was a nice man and was also very helpful. I have additional information plus pictures on how to install the kit and it might be helpful.

Art Taylor (sportbingo)

Gary,

I have a complete set that have many photos I can copy for you. Give me your mailing address and they will be on their way to you.

Dom

my addresss is 1003 SOUTH CHURCH ST, ST JOHNS, MICHIGAN 48879
GARY SIMPSON
All paper work and pictures i get will help me mount my brake system correctly, maybe that's why it's binding i don't know thats why i would like to see Bill's Original instructions with pictures BECAUSE I have his kit .

The Texas T website has multiple sets of instrctions for combinations of drum size (large/small) to wheel type (wood/wire). The picture of the components look the same as pictures of Bill Tharp's components.
http://www.texastparts.com/mm5/merchant ... gory_Code=
You'll need to scroll down to the bottom of the page to get the installation instructions

Gary,

I have two sets of instructions. One small drum for wood wheels (17 photos) and one for large drum wire wheels (19 photos). Which do you need?

I have to run out to get a new black ink cartridge for my printer this afternoon so I can get this in the mail to you first thing Monday.

Have a great day,
Dom

ALL the instructions are available to download as I indicated above. No need for anyone to print them off and mail them to Gary.
The Texas T site is Birdhavens site too. Here are the separate links to the individuals instructions all with pictures too!
Small Drum Wood Spokes http://www.texastparts.com/mm5/manuals/T2565-SDWood.pdf
Small Drum Wire Spokes http://www.texastparts.com/mm5/manuals/T2565-SDWire.pdf
Large Drum Wood Spokes http://www.texastparts.com/mm5/manuals/T2565-LDWood.pdf
Large Drum Wire Spokes http://www.texastparts.com/mm5/manuals/T2565-LDWire.pdf
Information About Welding the Brake Pedal Extension http://www.texastparts.com/mm5/manuals/ ... elding.pdf
How to Remove Your Brake Pedal http://www.texastparts.com/mm5/manuals/ ... ePedal.pdf
Tips on Bleeding Your Brakes http://www.texastparts.com/mm5/manuals/BleedingTips.pdf
Compare Sure-Stop Brakes to Rocky Mountian Brakes http://www.texastparts.com/mm5/manuals/ ... Brakes.pdf

small drum from Bill is what i have I own a 1924 Model T Roadster

looked up Texas T's site gave some bolts, but no where are the lenghts of bolts and how many. anybody have a sheet that came in the box. gsimpson52@aol.com thanks getting close Gary

the site talked about custom machined thin head bolts fully threaded - Grade 8
so where would I buy all the spacers and thin head bolts fully threaded
or does someone have a set they did not use
gsimpson52@aol.com gary

In the first post sounds like you have the parts installed; "Looking for Bill Tharp Auxilary Brake system installation instructions I am sure some one out there save theres. i would like to get a copy i bought a bill tharp set but i believe i did something wrong . claipers are tight around disk and won't come loose. so I am Looking for Bill Tharp Auxilary Brake system installation instructions," You have gone from needing instructions on how to install to needing a list of bolts? The list would not say how thin the head needs to be anyway. You can go to ACE and buy grade 8 bolts and grind the heads down. If you know were they go you should be able to figure how long they need to be.
As it seems to be installed there have been some post with suggestions of why it might be locking up, as were some suggested in the link I posted.
Did you try cracking the valves on the cylinders to release the pressure?
Did you bench bleed the master cylinder before installing it? Top of page 7 small drum wood wheels.

Gary,
The Colorado Mountain Disc Brake instructions and photos for small drum for wood spoke wheels (20 pages) are in the mail to you. Best of luck.

Frank,
Thanks for posting the links for the Sure Stop Brakes they were interesting and informative.

Mark,
You posted you would like a copy of the instructions. I would be glad to help you if I knew which of the two sets of instructions I have would help. I also will need a mailing address if you are interested in my offer.

Gentlemen have a great day,
Dom

Not looking, just reposted his question from first posting. Thank you anyway.

PLEASE READ THIS

Dan McEachern wrote: ↑

Sat May 16, 2020 10:35 am

Call Birdhaven. Bill sold his brake business to Texas T Parts and that all got sold to Birdhaven several years ago.

From an old discussion "By Terry Woods, Katy, Texas on Wednesday, May 15, 2013 - 12:35 am:
Anthony, to my best knowledge, Bill Tharp passed away from cancer. Ben Hardeman of Texas T parts did buy the business from Bill or his family. The price has gone up (what hasn't) but one reason is some improvements that Ben has made to the Tharp design. Some of the Tharp design metal brackets were known to be weak and flex. Ben is making them out of thicker material.I bought a setup from Bill when he was still in business but bought the upgraded brackets from Ben."
Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2012: http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/25 ... 1348559184
Tharp/Texas T disc barakes advice and Tips by Steve Blancard on Sunday, August 26, 2012 - 07:07 am: I'm in the process of installing a Tharp disc brake kit on my '24 touring. I thought it would be beneficial to start an advice and tips thread where folks who have installed these brakes can share their lessons learned. I've been following the "Bleeding Texas T brakes" thread, but didn't want to hijack it for this expanded discussion. I'm about half way through the install and have printed out the Texas T instructions which I am using along with the original Tharp supplied instructions. The Texas T instructions are more detailed, but there is good info in both. Please chime in with your advice and tips to make installing these brakes go smoothly for everyone's benefit.
So it appears that the Sure-Stop brake system is Bill Tharp's with improvements.