The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk should I change to Bendix?

Was going to convert my front brakes from Huck to Bendix following the tips I have read. I priced out the shoes, cylinders, drums and flex hoses and it comes to $270.00 plus whatever labor I pay for. I have backing plates and bearings.
The question is can I live without the upgrade? I seldom drive above 40 mph, usually around 30. I don't drive freeways (none here) and I don't drive in heavy traffic as a rule. Probably do about 2000 miles a year.
The back Hucks are rebuilt and I have a new master and solid and flexible brake lines throughout.
The present brakes work very well but I have this idea in my head that I should upgrade but it will be pricey.

What kind of loads do you carry? If you are running around empty rarely above 40 and rarely in any significant traffic I think you are fine.

I'm a big fan of good brakes, but it sounds like yours are good enough for what you are doing with the truck.

Don't carry loads at all except a spare and a tool box. I am not hard on brakes and I have changed my front discs twice yet not replaced or even seen the rear ones in my 81 Malibu in 13 years.

G'day Bill,

I still have the huck brakes on my 41. They work fine as long as you keep them adjusted. Given the mileage and the type of driving you do, I don't think it would be worthwhile changing to bendix.

All the best

Bob

Are the huck style brakes really that undesirable, or unsafe? I know they are tough to service but I reallly didn't think they were too aweful bad.

Birge

Off subject....Birge are you on shoeboxford.com ?

I've been driving Huck's for over 40 years and never had any trouble with them. I didn't even know I was to expect trouble so ignorance is bliss in my case. I've rebuilt them when needed and kept them adjusted. All I can add to the above posts is that if you think Bendix brakes will give you peace of mind then go for it, otherwise your present 'haunting' may always be with you.

littlebuddie

Some great answers thanks folks. I was looking at the parts prices for the Bendix conversion as noted in my first post but replacement parts for the Huck brakes are more pricey and the drums are almost non-existent.

I need more information. Do you need brakes like right now? If the Huck brakes you have now are in good shape, keep them. You may never wear them out considering the driving you do.

Just finished a complete rebuild of my stock Huck brake system for my '50, 3604. Every thing wire brushed down to bare metal, all cylinders re-honed, re-sleeved the rear cylinders, new linings, all new steel and flex brake fluid lines. All the parking brake linkage from the rubber foot pedal back to the brake shoe link got the same treatment, cross shaft, levers and bushings included.
This system works just as good as it did when new now. Stops straight as an arrow, step on it REAL hard and I can lock up the breaks. This was a stepping-stone from the mechanical brake to the Bendix style. The Bendix system allows the shoe to float and to wrap up into the drum, sort of a wedging action this gives you a little more of an assist which translates to less peddle pressure than is needed for Huck brake, which required a little less peddle pressure than the mechanical brakes.
And of course the next step up was the power assisted Bendix and finally the jump to disc brakes that had been proven in racing for many years. Just a word about disc brakes, big advantage was that they didn’t fade when hot, but a throw back was the peddle pressure required was greater than the Bendix, with out power assist they are a bear.
I’ve been driving my old gal 45 and 50 on a regular basis and really like the nice full hard pedal I get out of the Huck brake.
If ya care to see the rebuild I posted some pics in Webshots:
http://rides.webshots.com/album/555161678EhIoCb?start=36
http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2770730910098611668EJJKmH

Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

Olblu49, just one necessary panic stop even from 30 to 40 MPH will prove the need for the best brakes you can get. I always have changed the Huck brakes to Bendix on every old Chevy I have had. I do my own work and scrounge parts wherever I can so the cost is negligible. Now I have Chevelle disc brakes on the front which is even better for extended traffic driving. For only one stop now and then the drum style Bendix's are hard to beat. Good luck whatever you do, just preserve the AD truck./

Chevman32 from all I've read this is just a bolt-in except for enlarging the holes in the spindle and the steering arm. Is there anything I have missed? I did read where you may have to enlarge the center hole on the Bendix backing plates and also some say that you have to use the Huck hub. I have drums and backing plates from a 53 and all I plan to change are the front brakes.
and for 49-Chevy-truck, the present Huck brakes are working fine. Rears are all new.

Olblu49, if you are really concerned about your front brakes, take it out on a lonely stretch of road, get it up to speed and stomp hard on the brake pedal. If your front end parts are solid, you will be able to make up your mind prety quickly. Of course you may want to consider disc brakes. It would only cost a little bit more.

Disc brakes are always an option but I think putting them a stock front end is a bit more complex than I am led to believe.