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Tech question about early spindles

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Evil Wicked Mean & Nasty, Sep 16, 2008.

  1. I have a set of '35 or '36 Ford spindles I'd like to use on a light T roadster build. I know the spindles of choice are the '37 to '48 units but, being a bit stubborn (and a lot cheap) I'd like to use the earlier ones. I already have them and they are in good shape. I know about the $20 kit from Speedway to run early juice brakes but I'd like to find an option to run self energizing or disk brakes on these spindles. Surly somebody has done this. Any advice would be much appreciated.
     
  2. gashog
    Joined: Dec 9, 2005
    Posts: 984

    gashog
    Member

    I'm running 35/36 spindles on my Model A (came on the 35/36 axle) with F250 Bendix style plates. They're sort of a cross between the Model A and later spindles. The 35/36 spindles have the early bolt pattern, but they have a shoulder like the 1937-41, round back or 1942-48 rectangular back spindles. You won't need the spacer from the Speedway kit, only the centering ring if you use juice brakes with them. I have pictures comparing them in a tech post I did on F250 brake/Buick drum swap at:

    http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=122603&highlight=gashog+buick+tech
     
    Last edited: Sep 16, 2008
  3. alchemy
    Joined: Sep 27, 2002
    Posts: 20,407

    alchemy
    Member

  4. HEATHEN
    Joined: Nov 22, 2005
    Posts: 8,562

    HEATHEN
    Member
    from SIDNEY, NY

    .....though that would do a good job of defeating the "a lot cheap" reason for using early spindles.
     

  5. Thanks for the info gashog,
    That's one great tech artical. I searched the tech archive a bunch before I asked and never found it. I gotta get better at searching for stuff. Looks like it'll be alot easier than I thought to use my spindles. I thought the snout was the same as the Model A spindles. Those F-250 plates don't really grow on trees around here but I could probably find some if I look hard enough. I wonder if I could use the Speedway spacer and bracket kit to put disk brakes on them until I can find a set of the truck plates. I'd probably have to cut my own brackets to fit the 35/36 spindles but that shouldn't be too hard. If it would work, all I rally need is a measured drawing for the spacer and some bearing and seal numbers. What do you think? Thanks again.
     
  6. I make a basic bracket kit(you supply rotors/bearings/calipers) to bolt on disks to these spindles. PM me for any questions.
     
  7. gashog
    Joined: Dec 9, 2005
    Posts: 984

    gashog
    Member

    Glad to help, my Steppenwolf brother :) Somehow the article never made it into the Buick brake thread in the tech archive.

    Lots of ways to skin that cat. Have you thought about using a set of the juice brakes and converting them to Bendix? The 46-48 plates (style that has 2 adjusting bolts not 4), are made for the shoes to float, so all you really have to do is add the wheel cylinders and shoe hardware. I have most of the parts to convert the juice brakes on the back of my Model A next time I'm motivated to tear into it. It's been done before if you poke around the archives, but here's a couple pix I've saved from the threads. You use the adjusters from the 71-76 Chevrolet Caprice station wagon with 12" rear brakes or the 12" Buick Evicta/Riviera stuff. I picked up a pair of the bolt-type shoe anchors from a Camaro restoration place for about $10.


    http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=123529&highlight=bendix+rear
    http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=43019&highlight=bendix+rear
    http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7040
     

    Attached Files:

    Last edited: Sep 17, 2008
  8. WOW, talk about a blast from the past! I remember reading about what Andy was doing back then and thinking how brilliantly simple it was. I had even kicked around the idea of building a set of backing plates like this to run behind the 45 fin Buick drums on my roadster. In the intervening years though I had completely forgotten about it. My CRS is really acting up lately. Thanks for all your help and the pics. And remember, "Don't step on the grass Sam."
     
  9. Just realize that the entire stopping force on the car is loaded onto that stud at the top of the backing plate, and it must be properly supported. I'm not sure I'd trust those welds stuck on either side of that stud with my life.
     
  10. gashog
    Joined: Dec 9, 2005
    Posts: 984

    gashog
    Member

    Glad to help with the CRS, EWM&N. Don't step on the grass :)
     
  11. gashog
    Joined: Dec 9, 2005
    Posts: 984

    gashog
    Member


    Yeah, pretty sloppy. They're just some pictures I pulled from old posts in the archives and off the net to show how to do the conversion. The anchor itself sees a good load, but not the actual attachment to the backing plate. The forces from the two shoes basically cancel each other out.
     
  12. I don't want to argue about it but I think the issue is important enough to clarify. When the brakes are applied, one shoe pushes against the other by adjuster at the bottom. The combined rotational force of both rests on that anchor.

    Look at any production backing plat and you'll see that area is significantly reinforced because it is the only area on a bendix type backing plate that bears any force.
     
  13. gashog
    Joined: Dec 9, 2005
    Posts: 984

    gashog
    Member

    Yup, thanks for clarifying. Weld that area good!
     
  14. Flat Ernie
    Joined: Jun 5, 2002
    Posts: 8,406

    Flat Ernie
    Tech Editor

    That is now remedied...excellent article, not sure how it didn't make it into my list as I have it in my subscriptions!:D
     
  15. gashog
    Joined: Dec 9, 2005
    Posts: 984

    gashog
    Member

    Thanks Flat Ernie!
     
  16. Hey gashog,
    What year F250 backers will work? Seems like I remember it being just the fronts from the late 50's. I'm going to do a search, but I figured I'd ask you before I forget again LOL. Yeah, I'm a lazy bastard.
     
  17. Flat Ernie
    Joined: Jun 5, 2002
    Posts: 8,406

    Flat Ernie
    Tech Editor

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