The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline Hand Brake vs Foot Brake

Hi guys: Being kinda new to stovebolt trucks I was wondering if someone could tell me if or when 1/2 advance design trucks went from a hand type emergancy brake to a foot brake? Or was it an option that you could get on the truck? I've just bought a 53 1/2 ton in California and I kinda like the idea of putting a hand brake in if I can find the parts to do it.
Cheers
Oldkoot

I am not sure about the 1/2 tons, but I had a 57 Chevy one ton 4sp that had a hand brake. So the parts are around. A local auto parts house relined the brake band for me.

I'm certain that the only time a hand brake was used on an AD truck was on 3/4 and 1 ton with the 4 speed and the driveshaft mounted parking brake.

The '47 half ton had the hand brake and a floor shift. The '48 went to the foot brake and the "three-on-the -tree" shifter setup. This was done to make more room in the cabin for three people.

Lokar makes a nice setup for a hand brake.I put one in my 55 2nd 3100 and it works great.

Hey Old Koot:
35 years ago I started with AD trucks and I have a hand brake off one, but I don't know the year. There are threaded lugs on the side of the 4 speed trannys to accept the lever mechanism.
I suspect the older style ie 1946 had a hand brake. I don't think any of the 3 speed AD trannys that I have seen have the threaded lugs for the hand brake.
Good Question!
Ter

Ter:

You are absolutely correct.

All 1946 trucks had hand brakes. The three speeds were on the floor (as opposed to on the tree), and the brake lever bolted right onto the side of the transmissions.

Tom R is correct about the 1947 Advance-Design three-speed transmission being a floor shift and the parking brake was activated by a lever next to the floor-shifter. In 1948, there was a change to the foot-operated parking brake activated by a pedal through the left side of the floorboard (and the 3-speed became a column shifter).

Dale;
Not trying to drag you guys off the subject,but I have located a '55 first series half ton here,ID#H550003374,and am wondering,did it have an open driveline,or was it converted? this truck also has a 265 V-8 in it,with a 3 speed. I'm pretty sure THAT isn't original. The truck is all original except for these mods(?) and over all is in pretty good shape. If the engine is a swap,the owner did a very clean job of it-it looks like it was built that way. How bad does the conversion hurt the value of the truck? I don't see any signs of any cutting or welding being done.
Thanks for your info and help.
Speed

Dale937 has it right. My '59 is a frankentruck to begin with and when I got it it had a cobbled up non-operable foot brake that if operable would have been dangerous in that if you put a size 13 foot on the clutch pedal a half inch too high you'd set the E brake. I got the Lokar one and put it next to the seat just inboard of the step well. They are very expensive but work/look great, but I suspect that some of you more clever 'Bolters could find one off of any econobox with a center mounted E brake handle and fab up the same thing.

Hey Speed, The 55 1st had an open drive line compared to the 54's torque tube system. Possible the only mod is the motor?