Does anyone have a pic or diagram of the pipe layout for power brakes?


South Australia

Hi AlI might be wrong but if you still only have the single circuit mastercylinder then you will need to have the booster on all the brakes.

Gary - 1958 Star Customline and 1940 Ford Deluxe Hotrod

I plumbed to the front brakes only today, on two different 'experts' advice.

I figured that if no good I can always re-do them.

South Australia

Here’s the link to a previously posted picture of the factory installed brake booster on a ’55 Ford station wagon.  All four wheels were power brake boosted.

http://forums.y-blocksforever.com/FindPost23011.aspx

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

Thanks Ted.


South Australia

I was trying to "quote" slick56's" statement about only plumbing the front Brakes to the Booster.
If you only have the front brakes plumbed into the booster what is operating the rear brakes?I did my 56 and my buddies 55 with Drums all around and as mentioned it makes a BIG difference in the way the Brakes work.I have front Discs on my 56 and I redid the plumbing when the Engine was out.It wasn't a great deal of work to make the Drum setup on the 55 into a Dual System using Irish Daves Master/Booster combo.

  

The Master goes to a T, one line going to the rear brakes, the other to another T which does both front brakes.


South Australia

In the days of the early GT Falcons only the front brakes were boosted as they had disc brake front and drum rear with a dual circuit master cylinder. The Aus Customlines boosted both front and rear. As stated the wheel cylinders do the brake pro portioning. On a single circuit system with the front boosted and the rear non boosted, I cannot see how the system can work safely. The remote booster acts as a vacuum assisted master cylinder.
I am on historic registration here in West Australia and run a pedal vac system. If I had been confronted about using the booster I would have simply just used the dual master cylinder. In my opinion single master cylinder systems are dangerous. I have had a brake line burst and thankfully had a good working handbrake and manual transmission. With an automatic at highway speed I doubt a handbrake would stop you safely.
I think you received information that "may?" function if you used a dual circuit master cylinder with different hydraulic requirements but certainly not for a single system with drum brakes. What they have done is completely muck up the brake balance.
You will undoubtedly run into the main detractor of drum brakes in an emergency braking situation. Brake fade - as the rears will not be working.

Rick - West Australia
Do Y Blocks Downunder run upside down? Gravity Sucks!!

In the late 90's I put disk brakes on the front of my 55 bird, using a common kit. The kit came with an OEM style booster, which boosted the front disk. There were replacement wheel cylinders for the rear drums. Supposedly, the "self energizing" drums, with the proper size cylinders, a dual master, and the boost to the discs in front, would balance. They worked for many years, although the rears did lock early for my taste. I suspect you'll find the rears don't see enough pressure to work properly, and in the event of a failure, nothing works. I had a brake failure, single system, when the line on the rear axle fractured. I never forgot that. I also had a straight road, no cross traffic a manual, and a good handbrake.

miker
55 bird, 32 cabrio F code
Kent, WA
Tucson, AZ

Not a very good picture. I'd like to see a better one if possible. I have a Midland booster I'm planning to install.


~DJ~ AKA "Bleach"
1956 Ford Fairlane Town Sedan 30K original miles