MTFCA Forum

See picture I have a 4 hole quadrant for a 2 hole frame. Possibilities:

1) Only put 2 rivets in (the outside holes line up with the frame holes) high five myself and call it a day.
2) Drill 2 more holes and put all 4 rivets in.
3) Get a 2 rivet quadrant which I don't have.

Thoughts? Will a 4 hole quadrant work on a 2 hole frame?

The only reason Ford went to the two hole hand break bracket is to save the cost of the two extra rivits and drilling the extra holes. The outside holes of you bracket should line up with two holes in your frame, you can go with two if you want to use that bracket. In the picture it looks like the teeth on your bracket are quite warn. You want good teeth on that bracket to hold when pulled back. If you can't clean up the teeth with a file I would get a new two hole bracket.

I just worked on on that had a new 4 hole one installed in place of the 2 hole type, so yes they will work without extra holes.

Make sure your pawl is nice and "pointy" too. Dave

What Dave said. You may have to build it up.

Steve Jelf wrote: ↑

Thu Sep 17, 2020 12:27 pm

I would go by whatever year the car purports to be. Four hole through 1924, two hole 25-27. If four I would go ahead and put in four rivets. And yes, you want those teeth sharp enough to hold the ratchet.

I agree but in the my case the new one was installed and there was no reason to replace it or drill the unneeded extra two holes.

Also, you may already know this, but some others may not, ALWAYS squeeze the handle when applying the brake, just like you do when releasing it. DON'T let the pawl "ratchet" on the quadrant, that's what wears them out. They will last MUCH longer if you do that. Dave

Dave S has a good point.
The constant ‘clicking’ over years of use is what causes the teeth to wear out. Besides the quadrant the ratchet wears also.
Over the years picking up old frames I could see the difference in what drivers did to them and could see how different drivers were clickers and others not so much!

I had a 2 hole bracket on a very original 4 hole frame. They likely ran out of old brackets before frames, and didn’t give a whif. Same frame had two sets of holes for when the firewall brkt changed, from wood to steel.

It is true that Ford went to the two hole quadrant in 1925, however, there are many frames around that didn't use the inner two holes during the transition period in 1925. When I was building my late 1925, I had to drive to Elko, Nevada to get a correct frame.