MTFCA Forum

Has an one tried the brake up grade that uses both the foot brake and the e-brake. Is it a worthy up grade? Is The installation very problematic? Thanks Chuck. I have a 21 roadster.

I'm sure someone else on the forum can give you a better answer than I can, but I did consider it after viewing the apparatus from the vendors. I think it would be a bit better than just the trans. brake for sure. But I also think it will take quite a bit of fiddling with adjustments, etc. Frankly, now that I have two cars with Rockies, I really like them, and suggest to give that or AC brakes a try instead. Just my opinion.

If you have the 26-7 style brakes it sure can not hurt at least they are lined, the equilizer is a cheap extra brake.

I’m in the process of installing a set of the Maceachern rear hydraulic brakes on a late style Ruckstell.
They are “Bendix” style rear brakes from a mid ‘50’s” Chev and basically resembles all the rear drum brakes of the era.
Plus features;
They are essentially rain proof
They work equally well in forward and reverse
The parking brake also achieves the above.
Negative features;
A bit of work to install

While 1921 small drum brakes work good/ok as parking brakes, I would not consider them for stopping brakes even in conjunction with the transmission brakes. The parking brakes, even the lined ones have very little surface contact with the drum. The 1926/27 lined shoes have a much greater surface contact area as do the AC or Rocky Mountain as well as many of the other outside brakes.
While it is true that using your foot you can apply much more force to the pedal, I did try a couple of times pulling the parking brake lever back to see how well the small drum brakes would work as stand a lone brakes. From 25MPH to stop, they did slow the car down but not what I would want for regular brakes.
If you do want to try them, I suggest adding the Eazy-Slider so the parking brakes can act independent of the transmission brake.

I've been driving almost stock Model T's for about 60 years. The only brake I will use is an accessory Rocky Mountain brake, the real thing, not the reproductions. I have them on three of my T's, and they work very well, and can be installed easily in an afternoon!

I gather we're talking about a linkage connecting the rear brakes to the foot brake pedal. I haven't tried it, but I do often use the hand brake lever to help lout the foot brake. I haven't detected any negative effects. I think it probably makes the foot brake lining last longer. I plan to install AC brakes when I get a round tuit.

The problem with using the hand brake to slow the car is you are removing the engine to slow you down and you will pick up speed on a hill with out the engine there, tell me how I know with three others screeming at you in the back seat on a steep hill and a four lane hi way at the bottom and stop sign!!! Just my thoughts on this one.

I installed the equalizer on my 27 T and really like it. I wrote an article about it for the Tennessee Ts December newsletter. Web site:
https://tennesseets.weebly.com/
Go to the newsletter, click on 2019, download the December 2019 newsletter and scroll down about halfway.

Phillip Lee
College Grove, TN

The test was to see how they worked as stand alone brakes, for example the driveshaft breaks or transmission goes in to neutral, not for everyday use.