Some people are telling me that Huck brakes are really bad. I'm thinking even if I replace all drums, relined shoes, all new wheel cylinders, and a stock master cylinder with new brakes lines and hoses the vehicle has got to stop good. Granted. power brakes will work great, but on my last 52 1/2 ton subframed with Nova I had manual disk brakes which worked fine; I just changed the pivot point on the brake pedal assy from the Nova. The other location was already there.
BTW - subframing the 52 3100 was the biggest mistake I ever made. The second biggest was picking a subframe with the steering box up near the firewall. What a NIGHTMARE with steering column angles. That's why I want to keep this truck a truck. And swapping frames is fairly easy if you have a shop, but I don't.
So, that's the reason I want to leave the stock suspension/frame alone. The subframe was a total nightmare - even though my uncle and I did actually a really nice job.
I'm not sold on the double reservoir thing. I've bled the brakes on a few vehicles with the front brake reservoir empty and the back full and the pedal goes easily to the floor. I hear what people are saying, but I'm not sold on that. I think you blow anything in a brake system and you've got serious problems period.
I know it won't stop like a 4 wheel disc brake Corvette, but from 60mph tops on the freeway with a load, could it really be that bad especially if I adjust the brakes on a regular basis?
Am I kidding myself? Jim Carter's is supposed to be getting new 3/4 ton brake drums in for 46-52 12" rear brakes. They're apparently be available within weeks.
I just want to get the truck on the road and running because I'm more likely to fix little things here and there while I'm using it. Besides. I have about 25 rotted railroad ties used for landscaping that need to go to the dump AND it looks cool using an old truck for work...especially if you pass a new truck on the road having difficulty.
