O.K. and Yes I have searched forums over 50 threads but have not found the answers I am looking for So I will ask, is there a thread that gives an accurate description / instruction for a Hydraulic conversion for a 36 Ford Mech to 39/40 Hydraulics. I need to know what to find. I have backing plates for a 40 front and rear but need to know do I need drums I have read about spacer kits??? Not sure there is a lot of conflicting info out there. Any help appreciated. With pics would be tits, If there is a link to an existing thread i may have missed strike me with lightning and post up the link. Cheers John
Short answer is use the 37-41 spindle on the 36 axle with your 40 backing plates and use 37 or later drums. Wanting to use my deeply finned 36 wide five drums, I too have perused every thread I can find pertaining to juicing 36 brakes, more particularly with Bendix type brakes. In one of the threads someone mentioned the possibility of using 42-48 Lincoln backing plates, but not finding anything that definitively answers the question, I have decided I will need to do my own experimentation by first finding a Lincoln backing plate to see if it works. If it's not a direct bolt on, perhaps it would be more feasible to find a 12 inch backing plate from a Ford pickup, Buick, or rear brake from a Chev station wagon and modify as needed. And then there is the problem of possible interference from the top of the king pin which might necessitate running upside down with the anchor pin and wheel cylinder on the bottom. Worst case scenario would be to make a mould and hammer form the backing plates from scratch.
I have done this to my 36. You can easily use your 36 front spindles with the adapter kit which is a ring to bush the backing plate to the 36 spindle. You will have to elongate the backing plate holes a bit so the mounting bolts line up. The rears are a straight bolt on as are the rear drums. You need 37-39 front drums if you want to stay with the wide five bolt pattern if not 40-46 drums slide on. That's it for the backing plates/drums, the Master cyl. is another job with different views. P.M. me and I'll give you mine.
Are you wanting to run the stock wide-five rims? That makes a difference too on what drums you need. If so, I know there is a thread on what wide-five drums will work with the above combo, I want to say its '37? and up drums but I could be wrong. '39 drums will work of course, but they are getting harder to find. Also, Mac's, among others, sells the '40 Ford backing plates with the Bendix style self- energizing setup, or if you want to run original backing plates, they might sell a conversion kit.
Read my first post. Many many many times if you please. I would not ask If I found the detail I was looking for, There are SOME threads around the topic but the closest I found was 37-48 brakes onto a Model A which I dont have. I was surprised not to find what I was looking for in Tech since it is quite a common upgrade so I believe. Yes I am hoping to retain the wide fives through this but if it is impractical I am open to suggestions from those with more experience than me with this. Anyway, thanks to those who have replied your experience has enlightened me thank you!!! I will PM Irish Mike for some further info, cheers
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