MTFCA Forum

These are the 26-27 rods
These are the 17-25 rods

I have a set of rear tie rods for 26-27 and they have the 17-25 brake rods installed.
I checked a friends 26 TuDor last night and they have the 17-25 brake rods.

I am wondering if others have the earlier rods in your 26-27 car. Does it really make a difference? Are they the same length?

I had an earlier set on my '27, when one broke I replaced with the straight ones. haven't really noticed much of a difference myself . The only I do recall is the straight ones were a little thicker.

As I recall, the '26/'27 brake rods are nearly two inches shorter because the larger '26/'27 brake drums move the actuating cam forward about an inch and a half from where it was on the '09 to '25 models. The '26/'27 rods didn't need the offset because the brake cam arm is about an inch longer than the earlier ones, which raises that end of the brake rod enough to clear the radius arms. I have seen '26/'27 rear ends with the earlier offset rods. The offset really doesn't hurt anything. I always figured someone needed a replacement, and just cut an earlier one down an inch or two to fit.

I believe Wayne is correct. The 26-7 rods are shorter. they are not bent because the cam arm are longer and lift the rods clear of the radius rods

Allan from down under.

I would also concur with Wayne based on my own experience.

I had a late '25 car with a set of large drum rear where there was just enough to do a make-up on the one side and the other side was a few threads short of even starting. I thought about horsing things around to make it go and stumbled on a 'fix' that was actually an improvement (at least to me)

I cut the rods taking an inch or so out of the length, rethreaded the new ends, then installed a turnbuckle and locknuts from the hardware store. It all made up fine, and now I had a built in brake adjuster for the lined rear brakes

I thought the early style with the cast ends were used through 1919?

I measured a 17-25 rod and it is 54” long, has split ends and the kink to miss the radius rods.
In the Encyclopedia there is no length mentioned but it states the 26-27 rods where shorter.
I don’t see a need for the kink with the larger drums as the lever is moved away from the radius rod, so I would not expect to see the kink.
Who knows what is correct for any particular vehicle and what relationship it has to what was originally produced??