Drum Brakes

[Headshot Zod]

I would suggest while some will say nay.........

There is an old racers trick for drilling out drum brakes similar to discs. I would suggest getting purchasing fresh drums and getting them cryogenically tempered and then sending them out to California. This shop has been doing it for decades. Article on drilled drums.

[onegammyleg]

Originally Posted by theclencher

It's funny, all these years I've known about drilled rotors and I don't think drilling the drums ever crossed my mind...

Yeah ,, its well known , you can also groove drums as well , but the costs are a lot more than normal drilling.

[BumblingB]

I was at a car show the last month, two cars in my catagory (Street Rod). Talked to the competition a while, real nice guy. Finally he was sort of braggin' about how he had a bit over $50k in the car - NICE '33 Ford Roadster. I did a thorough top to bottom of the car and finally told him I thought the car was great. Next I asked the question....."If you spend $50k+ on such a nice state of the art Rod, why didn't you spend a couple extra bucks for rear disc brakes?" He avoided me the rest of the day, I think I offended. (I've got 4 wheel disc on mine but it is no where near as nice a car as his)

Absolutely right on the drilled drums, they used to do it factory on Vettes with the brake option - Pre-65. I do have a Corvette with drums all the way around, inadequate to say the least. On the other hand I've had Mustangs with a dual bail master cylinder and found them to do the job quite fine. How about the old Pontiacs with the drum/rims?

[BumblingB]

Originally Posted by theclencher

On a high-dollar rod it's all about the bling so he should have unless he was after some sort of "period" look. Ah, you gave him something to do this winter!

Not mine, it's about the speed. (PM me and I'll be happy to show pics and tell you all about it, it goes against a lot of the teachings on the website - but not all est. 425-450hp and capable of 17mpg). Sorry to veer OT.
IMO, I prefer disc over drum for stopping power, ease of MX and reliabilty.

Originally Posted by theclencher

What is a dual bail master cylinder?

Most US cars in 1967 went over to a dual bail, all it was is a 2 bails for fluid - front/rear. No big deal except they seperated the front from the rear. If you had a leak in a front wheel cylinder the front bale would go low, rear leak=rear bail low. No big deal really, some felt it gave better stopping power. I don't know though.

[onegammyleg]

Originally Posted by theclencher

What is a dual bail master cylinder?

Wazabi was mostly right about the bail.
But what it exactly refers to is the the spring-steel wire loop used to secure a cover that sits on top of the brake master cylinder reservoir.

So a twin bail master cylinder is a unit with two seperate reservoirs but covered by the one lid.

In the rest of the world this master cylinder is called a split systems m/s , tandem m/s , dual circuit m/s , twin circuit m/s and probably many other combinations meaning the same thing.



The circuits can be split front to back or on diagonal brakes.

Its main purpose is to provide safety in the even one brake line fails.
Then only 2 of the 4 wheels will provide stopping power , not good , but better than nothing at all.

[onegammyleg]

Originally Posted by Wazabi Owner

I've had Mustangs with a dual bail master cylinder and found them to do the job quite fine.

Yeup , and if a big hulking old log of a car like a mustang can pull up well with drums , then a little FE buzzbox with modern brake drums would do very well indeed.

[onegammyleg]

Originally Posted by theclencher

Never heard anyone use "bail" that way before...

yeah , i think its a 50 and 60's american term ,, you know pot heads.

Peace baby.

[onegammyleg]

Originally Posted by theclencher

FWIW early VW Rabbits had four-wheel drums!

I didnt know that.
We never got early rabbits in australia (except for the hole digging furry type) and now that ime in northern europe all those cars are rusted away and gone.

So I doubt i will ever see one.

[BumblingB]

Originally Posted by onegammyleg

yeah , i think its a 50 and 60's american term ,, you know pot heads.

Peace baby.

Yes, bale is in reference to the reservoirs but I was referencing the late 60's American cars. The reservoirs are cast into the cylinder itself. Not like we have now where you can remove the plastic reservoir that slides into the "o"-rings.

There are also adjustable proportioning valves for those who like to fine tune their brakes.

Nope, I'm not a pot head though last week 2 houses down from me (1/2 mile) the cops stumbled (literally) across 160 maryjoewanna plants in an underground greenhouse while chasing a teenager through the woods the cop fell through the trap door. I'm not growing on my land, not enough time.

[onegammyleg]

Originally Posted by Wazabi Owner

last week 2 houses down from me (1/2 mile) the cops stumbled (literally) across 160 maryjoewanna plants in an underground greenhouse

..and you didnt know about it ? , a likely story