The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Huck to Bendix?

I have a '47 3/4 ton with Huck brakes. I'm planning to replace the wheel cylinders and shoes and noticed that the Bendix brakes are considerably less expensive.

Can I switch to Bendix?

Think you'll need backing plates and all new hardware for that switch. Two bottom holes on spindles may need to be drilled slightly larger and bigger bolts in them, don't know why they did that. MC should be same/OK. Lots of fellas pull the orig axles out, front and rear for changeover to modern, should be able to find 51-up parts cheap that way. The shoes, springs, and cyls are all needed new and available probly anyway. Not sure if you also need the newer drums and hubs or what?

Larry, I just finished helping a fellow Stovebolter with a brake job on a Huck Brake set-up. You are right, the Bendix parts are cheaper. I think you have to weigh how many times you are going to be changing those shoes and wheel cylinders before you recover the costs of the change.

GL is correct, you will need new backing plates and new hardware. I am not sure if the Huck drum will fit the Bendix backing plate either.

If this is a truck that gets driven as much as most 50 year old trucks, buy the Huck parts. They will probably last ten years or more before they need to be replaced..

Check out Kanter Auto Parts. www.kanter.com That is where we bought Huck wheel cylinders and shoes. The guy on the counter had to check on them and get back to me in a couple of days, but he did come up with the parts.. As I recall they were cheaper than Jim Carter..

Good Luck