Front Brake Drums Pass!!!!

[55 Fargo]

Hi all, I mentioned in another thread about my 47 Chrysler having 10 inch spindles and brakes, probably from an old Plymouth parts car. Today I took off both drums, brought them in to be measured, they measured at 10.022 and 10.023, well within the 10.060 max. These drums have already been machined, so this was good news for me.the rear drums are fine and within spec also. The only problem with my brakes is the right rear wheel cyl was leaking when I checked it a couple of weeks ago, it has not dripped down the backing plate yet, it was only wet when I pulled back the boot, inside of the boot, but if it is leaking it will eventually pour out. So for now, I will install 2 new rear wheel cyls. The brakes have all new parts, and I am using Dot 5 Silicone brake fluid, so they should last a while.

Today I spoke with a gent from ECI Brakes, he was telling me you cannot use a stock MC and a residual valve, with there disc brake kit, says the brakes wil lock up. I did not what to debate with this nice gent, but there a are a few of you guys that did not disable the residual valve in the MC and add all of the extra valves, and your brakes work fine don't they. He wanted me to buy a special MC form them to use with there kits. I would like to convert to disc one day, but want to keep it as simple as possible, and of course I want the best bang for the buck..Fred

[James_Douglas]

I had them (ECI) build a disk conversion for my Desoto. I use the stock MC. I just removed the valve inside the back of the MC. One BIG socket and an impact wrench and off she comes.

I then use a 2 Pound for the front and a 10 for the back. Works like a charm. The proportioning valve works well as well. I can make the car pitch over in hard braking or not just by adjusting it. I have it so it brakes with just a very slight forward pitch over. Nice and even.

James

[james curl]

After contacting Charlie of Rusty Hope who made my kit, he confirmrd that you have to remove the residule valve in the original master cylinder. I found out on my own when I installed my kit without removing the valve from the master cylinder with a 2lb front and a 10lb rear residule valve you could bearly turn the front wheels. Even 30 minutes after last application you still had the same resistance.

[Norm's Coupe]

Keep in mind I'm no brake expert, however. I bought my kit from ECI before they had officially come out with their new MC. I specifically ask if the original MC would be ok to use. Their response was:

Yes, you can use the original MC by just adding the residual valves. Said many people do it with no problems.

They did not say you had to modify your original MC in any way, shape or form. There are others who (including some on this forum) who have also use the original MC without any modifications and have no problems. If you go back to the old forum archives you'll find many discussions on the subject. You'll also see many people responding have used various kits from different suppliers without modification to the MC and say they are happy with the way their brakes work. Some had them for several years when they made their post.

Before I bought my kit from ECI I ask others on the forum. Plus I had already called several of the suppliers (including Charlie) and people like MP Brakes. I got the same answer from all of them. (MP Brakes did want to sell a MC with their kit, but said it wasn't required to make the brakes work). In the end, I went with ECI solely because I didn't have to modify my spindles.

Now, fast forward to today and not the past. Now ECI and maybe some others have come out with a new MC that bolts right in. They've spent a lot of money on developing and manufacturing that MC. The only way to get that money back is to sell them. How do we sell more of them and faster to recoup that money? Simple, we recommend that you buy our new MC to make the brakes work properly. We also instruct all of our sales people to do the same, AND as an added incentive we give the sales person a bonus or extra commission on each MC he sells to add onto a kit. There's nothing wrong with a company doing that. After all, the customer isn't going to be hurt in any way by buying it and installing it. The company just makes a few extra dollars profit and gets their new product out into the field faster. Believe me, as someone who's been in sales and marketing for 40 years this is the way it's done, regardless of what product is involved. It's called "Add On" sales and it adds a lot of dollars to the companies profits. That said, there are some things where you really need the extra product the sales person is telling you to buy. However, since this product has been on the market and in the field for awhile without problems using the old MC, I don't think it's necessary. Especially, when others and myself are using it without problems.

Not saying some of you haven't had lock up problems. Just saying the problem may be caused by something else (don't know what), and not the MC.

I will say this though. IF someone was trying to sell me a car and I found out they had removed part of the MC, I would not touch that car unless they put it back as it was, or replaced the MC with a new one. Or, I would knock off whatever cost to have it replaced from the selling price, so I could do it.

Are you safer with buying the new MC they are selling? I would say yes. That's simply because it's a dual MC though and not anything to do with lockup problems.

[randroid]

Gents,

Last year I salvaged some front drums for my '48 P-15 and had them turned at the local Checker because that's who turns drums in this town. I took my manual along but it has no mention of maximum diameter so I was at a loss. An old-time mechanic there told me they didn't use measurements back then but instead built-in a guage on the drum, and he showed it to me. It is a little lip on the outer edge of the drum about 1\16" deep and when you've had the drum turned enough times that it's gone then the drum gets replaced. If you still can feel this lip with a thumbnail, you're good to go.

A little trivia I think is better than useless.

-Randy

[RobertKB]

Randy, thanks for posting that. It is useful info and I just went out and checked the half dozen or so spare drums I have. All of them have the lip and would certainly be turnable in the future. Most of them have lots of meat left on them based on the lip. Sometimes simpler is easier. Thanks again for the great tip. Gotta love those old time mechanics!

[De Soto Frank]

Randy,

Do you mean that little chamfer (bevel) on the inside of the rim of the drum ?

Thanks,

De Soto Frank

[randroid]

Frank,

I suppose that's it. If it wasn't so small I could take a picture of it, but there's only one of them so my guess is we're talking about the same thing.

-Randy