Recently purchased a 1950 3100 that among other issues needs a complete brake job. Have read that a switch from Huck brakes to Bendix brakes is an improvement and have found articles on changing over the front brakes but cannot find anything regarding the rear brakes. Can Bendix brakes be adapted to a stock 1950 rearend?
Bob,
I'm going to piggy back on your thread as I am upgrading my '46 Hucks to Bendix and have learned a few things about them in the course of tracking down the parts as well as understanding which parts will fit.
I was given a '51 passenger car axle. These will fit on a pickup for the fronts, but will not work for the rears. In fact the rears are an issue in themselves...read on.
To convert you need the hubs, drums, plates, shoes, cylinder, hardware for both sides. If you have a 1/2 ton pickup you will be safest upgrading from a '51-'59 1/2 ton pickup. These parts should have a 6-lug hub/drum. Passenger cars had 5-lug hubs with 5 lug drums. So, it all depends on what type of wheels you have and if it was converted over to 5-lug hubs/drums, and if that had been done you would want the hubs and drums from the passenger car also. The hubs/drums are not interchangeable, each are specific to the number of lugs. I think some of the newer drums might have holes for both lug patterns, but not 100% sure. You can't use the hubs and/or drums from truck vs. passenger car and piece them together.
Best I can tell, the plates and all the hardware will mount to either a passenger car or 1/2 ton pickup. If you have 6-lug hubs/drums, it's easiest to find a '51-'59 truck to get all the parts from. I also found a complete set from a '53 1/2 ton pickup that the owner was doing some heavy modifications on, he's going to send me the parts. The plates and parts would work, say using a passenger car plates, cylinder, shoes and hardware on your truck, but you still need the hubs and drums to match your wheels. Unfortunately you can't use your Huck drums or shoes since the size of the shoe liner is 1-3/4" x 11", and on the Bendix they are 2" x 11".
The rear is not as easy, as the Bendix rear plates are not centered like the Huck rear plates. Since you have an AD pickup, maybe it will be easier than me. I don't know the exact details yet, but you will need to modify the plates and/or mount in order to center them on the rear axle. The other option is to get a newer rear axle that has the Bendix brakes on it.
You can upgrade the fronts and run Bendix on the front with Hucks on the rear, I've been told that works fine by several people that have done that, and this is what I plan to do.
I do have a dual reservoir master cylinder, so might consider power brakes at some point, but the Bendix will be fine for the time being. Actually the Hucks would be ok, IMO, they are just a bit more difficult to adjust (2 sprockets on Hucks vs 1 sprocket on Bendix). I'm currently putting my Hucks back on my truck and when I get the parts and all of the rebuild parts I need (cylinders, shoes/liners, hardware, et al) I will convert the fronts.
While I don't know the exact modifications for the rear, I have heard that it is not too bad of a modification. You might need to cut out the center of the plate and modify it, I don't know.
Here's an article: (NOTE: there is a minor modification for the front, drilling out the lower bolts that go through the spindle and the steering arm. Per this article those need to be drilled out from 7/16" to 1/2")
https://www.chevytrucks.org/huck-to-bendix-brake-conversion/
But now I'm stuck until next week if I don't make the piston as I don't think I can get a Huck 1-1/4" piston.
Seriously, seems like a fun little project inside, covered from the rain. 