No Brakes!... Almost.

[Jerry VanOoteghem]

The discovery of this item made my recent engine rebuild worth very penny. This has nothing to do with the engine itself of course, but was discovered during the rebuild process. In driving the car, I had no idea this was going on, and about to fail completely. The brakes felt about as good as T brakes can be. I'm posting this as a lesson for others, and for myself, to inspect these parts very carefully.

The main takeaway here, is that this is not a genuine Ford part. Notice how the opening is not centered well in the part. The narrow side being the one that failed. Beware the bogus, spurious, parts!!

[speedytinc]

I am not so sure its spurious.
I have a few like this style. Some have ford script cut off. only one has a full script. 2 have no visible script. But the machining & forging is identical.

I had a wide band fail going down big bear mountain in a panic stop. The band (slot type) broke off @ the second slot.
Glad it was a large drum with some parking brake lining in tact. This was driving her home after the purchase.

Anyway, another bullet dodged.

[Jerry VanOoteghem]

There is a foundry mark on it, but no trace of a Ford marking anywhere. Either way, an important item to inspect whenever the trans cover comes off.

[speedytinc]

There is a foundry mark on it, but no trace of a Ford marking anywhere. Either way, an important item to inspect whenever the trans cover comes off.

Amen.

[TXGOAT2]

Hidden defects....


Ford railed against "gyp parts"....

[George House]

“Inspect these parts very carefully” is good advice. I was laying under my front axle today greasing the APCO pitman fixture when I noticed there was no intact front spring center bolt ! And the front spring shifted about 1” to the starboard. And I drove the T about 6 miles yesterday ! Gotta inspect Everything more carefully.

[Wayne Sheldon]

Thank you Jerry V O for posting this! We, ALL of us, need a reminder from time to time to be ever vigilant with our antiques. Pay attention to them, how they ride, how they steer, how they brake. Give them a good grab hold and shake every year, or more often if you drive them much. Give them a casual look-over every time you are near it.

This is also a good reminder why our model Ts should at all times have TWO fully independent braking systems! There are ALWAYS parts that could fail and leave your braking system with no brakes. The only parts that should be integral to both braking systems are the two rear wheels and tires themselves! If one or both of them break or falls off? You are likely going to grind to a halt anyway.

Running both the pedal and the hand brake through common linkage is risking a serious total failure.

Again Jerry V O, thank you. And I am very pleased that you found it when you did.

[TWrenn]

There is a foundry mark on it, but no trace of a Ford marking anywhere. Either way, an important item to inspect whenever the trans cover comes off.

Good advice Jerry and indeed EVERY time I take the inspection cover off that's exactly what I do. INSPECT INSPECT INSPECT!...even moreso after few years back when these rivets
decided to evacuate themselves!

[NHUSA]

No brakes Almost?
At first I thought you were talking about most model T’s, but when I saw the pictures I realized that you really meant NO brakes soon.