Hello from Hamburg in Germany. I am going to buy a complete front axle with wishbones and so on. It was under a 36 Ford. What kind of brake drums are these, aftermarket? I just know the 'normal' drums. Thanks a lot, Conrad Sent from my SM-A520F using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Those Drums are the Ford "Rocky Mountain" Brakes used from 1932 -1935. Since your front end assembly was under a 36 Ford I suspect someone put a '35 Ford axle assembly complete with brakes under your '36 or could be that someone swapped '36 front sheet metal onto a '35. Are your rear brakes the same style?
Conrad, Ford went to that open drum style in 1931. They are the "normal" drums for a 1935 Ford. They were also made in the later wide 5 bolt pattern. I believe that would be starting in 1936.
It's a misconception, or misnomer, but guys always call these stock Ford brakes with the open windows the Rocky Mountain Brakes. Just the same as calling a regular 32 front axle a Heavy Beam axle. They are all like that. But somewhere the guy heard a catchy name and now he thinks he needs to call all the regular parts with that name.
Rocky Mountain Brakes may have not been the correct term when Ford first introduced them, but seems to be the common term used today. I picked up the term from the Jalopy Journal. https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/ford...
I’ve done the model T stuff. When you look up the parts using the term Rocky Mountain Brakes, model T parts come up. The term also comes up for the post model T drums like these in forums. My only question is will the drums work with hydraulic backing plates.
Everything else "appears" to be later than 1932-34 (the cross steering, etc.) so 1935 would seem the most likely, especially if it was under a 1936 (with spring in front of axle, etc.) Pictures of everything else (spindles, etc.) might help to nail it down. If this was under a 1936 you may want to make sure what you're getting - 1935 and 1936 were both "one year only" as far as spindles go, so if 1935 hubs (small bolt pattern) were put onto 1936 spindles there could be some significant fit problems.
They also have the small bolt circle and the steering arm is bolted on the spindle. So I think they put 1935 parts under a 1936 car? Maybe an early 1936 car with some parts from 1935? I am searching for a Standard 36 axle and spindles to have them dropped. So this are not the right parts for me. Thank you guys for your help!
Hamber straightened me out, '32 to '34 "window " drums were smooth opposite the shoes... '35 had ribs that ran all the way around opposite the shoes... I have a pair if model a [smaller] window drums if a trogger needs them...
Conrad: Sloppy Jalopies and Rich B. have it correct. It may also be helpful for you to know that all axles from '33 to '36 are the same, and that the 1935 drums are a one-year only piece that have the necessary supports for any of the Ford wire wheels, and are the same width as the later drums so they will work with the '39-'48 Ford hydraulic brakes.
35 drums are pretty hard to come by if that is what they turn out to be. A one year only thing. Don't throw them away.
What do you mean by "bolt on" steering arm; looks like in the picture the drag link is hooked to the regular spindle arm. More pictures would help ID your parts. Not the best picture; but everything looks '35. The axle is the kind you want; and while the spindles are usable, there are a lot of advantages to getting a pair of '37-'41 roundbacks or '42-'48 squarebacks and building from there.
The H.A.M.B. is a great teacher. I've learned something new about the open style brake drums. Studebakerjoe is correct about some of the 1936 open drum style having the later wide 5 bolt pattern. This morning I was searching for parts and found and noticed a set of open style brake drums with the wide 5 bolt pattern. Don't know if these open style drums with the wide 5 pattern were for just for pickups or if they were available as an option. Here's a link for the advertisement showing these wide 5 drums. https://fresno.craigslist.org/pts/d/fresno-ford-pickup-parts/7115665584.html
The Jalopy Journal
