MTFCA Forum

One fellow in our gang is running the disc brake package on 2 of his T’s. He loves them. He is not running safety hubs.
I am thinking of changing my direction gathering parts for my speedster. Original plans were large drums with Rocky Mountain brakes. I am thinking now of safety hubs with disc brakes. Is anyone running these 2 together and what modifications are required to run both?

I am running disc brakes w/safety hubs, the install of hubs easy. The install of brakes straight forward,except the drums were warped badly because of heat during welding. Had to have drums turned quite a bit, and shaping the new brake lining and trying to find some one that still have the equipment maybe tough. The overall setup is clean and works very well.

John
Oscoda, Michigan
24 “C” can truck

I have disc brakes on my nondemountable T wheels,but if I have a flat or want to take off the wheel for whatever reason, I have to totally dismantle the discs. If you have a demoutable wheel setup it is easy because you don’t remove the whole wheel. To bleed the system you will sweat blood especially since the bleeder valves need such a small wrench and I think it is metric that even a professional shop that bled my system was cursing at me or the manufacturer. And if you have any endplay in the rear axle, it will not work. Every time you go around a corner the cylinders empty and nothing works. When they work, they are great, but when they are not right, they are a pain in the ———— . Just my two cents. Frank

I am running wire wheels so changing rims shouldn’t be an issue.

What had to be welded to the drums?

Big drum disk brakes;
https://www.modeltford.com/item/2565C.aspx

If I am reading this correct, the disk is welded to a new drum for the large drum brakes, the small drum style are a one piece drum/disk.
Small drum
https://www.modeltford.com/item/2565.aspx

I will read the links later
I guess I don’t understand why the rotors don’t float on the wheel studs with the brake drum
I haven’t worked on a stock T yet, much less modifying one

The links are items from Lang's online catalog. Isn't that much to read.

"I guess I don’t understand why the rotors don’t float on the wheel studs with the brake drum"
Because the brake drums don't float on the hub they are mounted to it with the lug bolts which are swedged in place on wire wheel hubs and bolts and nuts on the wood wheel. Model A up to maybe 38ish Fords were the same way.

Sarikatime wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 10, 2019 11:31 am

I have disc brakes on my nondemountable T wheels,but if I have a flat or want to take off the wheel for whatever reason, I have to totally dismantle the discs. If you have a demoutable wheel setup it is easy because you don’t remove the whole wheel. To bleed the system you will sweat blood especially since the bleeder valves need such a small wrench and I think it is metric that even a professional shop that bled my system was cursing at me or the manufacturer. And if you have any endplay in the rear axle, it will not work. Every time you go around a corner the cylinders empty and nothing works. When they work, they are great, but when they are not right, they are a pain in the ———— . Just my two cents. Frank

Sarikatime, I was considering ordering a set of disc brakes to install on my T, but after reading about your problems requiring the brake lines to be bled when changing tires, then also having difficulties when going around corners I now wonder which brand of disc brakes you have on your T (Rocky Mountain Disc Brakes, Sure Stop Disc Brakes, or something else).

Does anyone know whether Frank's problems are typical for all brands of disc brakes or do his problems appear to be more of an outlier? I would hate to have to change a flat while driving and then bleed my brakes before driving away.

If your drums don’t run true, you will end up with a two pump brake. I started with new axles so my disc brakes work perfectly. Also I have wire wheels.

I have disc brakes on all three of my Ts, they all have demountable rims, but if you don't have them or even if you do use the flexible lines this allows the caliper to be removed and moved out of the way without disconnecting everything. Bleeding is a chance to use all those words you have been saving, i use a hand bleeder pump and it works well.

Rick

I'm running wires, safety hubs and disk brakes on my '26 Roadster. Every thing works and fits good. I am running RM brakes on my Speedster and they stop that light car good.

I have safety hubs and "sure stop" disc brakes on my 1917 Touring. The combination goes together very well and is recommended by a friend who is a highly reputable classic car restorer to all his Model T customers. He did my install and also installed new axles (which are 1/16th of an inch longer) as both originals had significant scoring. I am very happy with my choice. The fellow who did the installation for me did complain about the difficulty bleeding the brakes. I have demountable rims so should not have to disturb the brakes for tire changes and the like.

I did have a thought - small aircraft use brakes that are not that different from the setup used on my Model T. An old-time aircraft mechanic showed me that the easiest way to fill the brakes with fluid and simultaneously bleed them was to fill from the bottom. He had me open the bleeder and attach a plastic tube attached to a trigger type oil can and pump it full. The fluid rising up the lines purged all air bubbles so there was nothing to bleed. I've never tried it on my T but would be interested to see if it works.