MTFCA Forum

Cleveland area (Bumps -N- Grinds chapter) had a picnic at my home yesterday and went on a short 25 mile tour thru Cleveland area Metro Park . When we pulled into my driveway I heard a loud snap. No forward,no reverse, no brakes !!!!! Look at what I found. my guardian angel was with me. I will never put that car on the road again until I put on accessory brakes ! What was more scary was I had my buddy’s 8 yr old grandson in the front seat.

Sorry wrong area. I don’t know how to switch !

While I agree you need accy brakes, how will they help with a broken axle? You are lucky it stayed in the housing. Go buy a lotto ticket ASAP. You have Lady Luck with you. Dan

Dan, I would think they should stop at least one wheel from turning. I hope !!!

I believe that the RM and Bennet (don't have AC brakes so don't know) mounting on the backing plate would hold the brakes and lining in close and not make any difference as that axle and brake drum shifted laterally. An equalizer would have put all the tension on the bad side and the other brake wouldn't work either. You were lucky!

I had this exact thing happen on my 1924 and the AC brakes did indeed bring the car to a stop. Like you, I lucked out and the wheel did not come off. My axle shaft broke at the exact location that the metal "fingers" of the Ford style inner axle seal rubbed on the axle shaft.

Is there an equalizer with limited travel. Beyond the limit the effort would go to the good wheel. Does this problem exist with hydraulic brakes.
I am not familiar with any of the accessory brakes, but I wish I had them on my car.

All depends on where the break is. Most are outside the outside bearings. Wheel goes off down the road. That is why you see some many backing plates with a flat spot on the bottom.

Same thing happened to me on Holland Mi tour

Tim,

Glad to hear you are safe. I purchased Colorado Mountain Disc Brakes over a decade ago. They are now sold as Sure-Stop brakes. During the 2009 Ocean to Ocean Tour I had an axle break without having the wheel come off. The brake caliper and it's bracket attached to the rear axle held the the disc and wheel on until I was able to get to the roadside. I now own two additional sets of "T" disc brakes. Cheap insurance while driving the grandkids.

Have a great day,
Dom

New rear axles are a bargain, just my humble opinion.

A well set up standard Ford emergency brake, especially with lined shoes as shown, should hold a car stationary, or at least slow it down.
Thankfully, your incident happened at low speed and a potential disaster was averted. My only broken axle occurred as I was pulling away from traffic lights, no progress into the intersection, no need to stop, as I was stopped.

When I fitted Bennett brakes to my 1917 shooting brake, I replaced the original small steel drums with cast iron ones form a 1970's Hillman Avenger, courtesy of a mate in New Zealand. I machined the drum outer surface for the Bennett linings to operate on, and left part of the shoulder on the inside edge of the drum so the linings could not migrate inboard off the drums. That shoulder will also prevent the wheel ever coming off in a similar event.

Allan from down under.

The axle broke on the differential side of the Hyatt bearing? Is this common? The stress is on the wheel side of the Hyatt.

My SWAG is leather spring washers just inboard of the bearing. I’m sure Tim will let us know when he gets into it. Next to Babbitt thrust washers, the worst thing that can be in an axle.
These critters were still being made and sold until the neoprene ones came out. The tooling is available if Larry Smith wants to pick it up!

It’s goes without saying, but I should have said, glad nobody was hurt Tim. Other than your underwear! It’ll be better than new when you go through it. You have beautiful cars and are special friends! Best to you and Shirley this week! T & C

I have installed later larger drums with good bonded linings, and while I have not driven this yet, T I had the idea that using the emergency brake would now serve to brake the car when needed.

Good large drum brakes will stop a T if you are driving it like a T. If you need to use hydraulic disc brakes on them, I’ll stop driving them. jMHO

Dropacent wrote: ↑

Mon Aug 09, 2021 8:50 pm

Good large drum brakes will stop a T if you are driving it like a T. If you need to use hydraulic disc brakes on them, I’ll stop driving them. jMHO

AMEN. I dont run R/M brakes on my big drum T's.
My 14 has small contracting outside brakes. Coordinated with the transmission brake, they lock up real well. Narrow tires are the limiting factor.