The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk single master cylinder

I have a 49 just now restoring. Can you change out the single master cylinder to a dual master cylinder

tks
dan in tx

Yes. It will require running some new brake lines, the front and rear will be separated from peach other. You might try a search on this site, that conversion has been covered extensively, you should be able to get the more specific info for setting up a dual M/C.

Hey tks I will se what I can find in archives

dan

Hey Dan -
I'm in Hurst. I just installed a dual master cylinder on 37. I got the master cylinder from Master Power Brakes (MPC) and all of the fittings and lines from Stroud Auto Supply on Sylvania Avenue north of Airport Freeway.
Joe

Thanks Joe
I just ordered a kit for my old cylinder and then got to thnking it would be better to upgrade.

Dan

One of the better ideas to come out of Detroit many years ago.It is a lot safer brake system.Well worth the cost and labor of upgrading.I get a kick out of these guys who build a high performance streetrod,and still use the old single master cyl.setup,with drum brakes all around.

I don't think drum brakes all the way around are that bad. Many of the older vehicles don't weigh what today's vehicles weigh and don't need a fancy brake system - just a safe one. Square inches of shoes to drums will work great, if they work. To work their best, dual master cylinders are, as you say, one of the safer ideas to come out of Detroit in the years since many of our trucks have been built. With a dual master cylinder, it has to be a major, major problem if you can't stop.
It's fine to get going down the road straight and fast, but you gotta be able to stop them, too!

Joe

My point exactly.Youve gotta be able to stop in a safe manner. Although the single cyl. drum brake setup might be OK for and earlier model car,lets just say a 1955 Chevy.By the time you put in maybe a 383 stroker or perhaps a 454 big block and create a real bomb,the old brake setup is no longer up to par with the rest of the car.And even if you retain stock running gear a dual master cyl., is a good safety improvement.My 55 pickup has a 350 smallblock,700R4 trans. and is a heck of a lot faster than,a stock 1955 truck.It also has a power dual master cyl. with disc brakes up front,which sure help when it is time to stop.I feel that the extra dollars and work invovled with installing that setup was money and time well spent.

It doesn't have to be a high performance hot rod to need a dual reservoir! I blew the right rear wheel cylinder in my stock '54 Buick Special. That meant there were NO hydraulic brakes, front or rear. And because the brake drum and shoes were now coated with DOT 3, the right rear drum did absolutely nothing when I stood on the emergency brake.
A '54 Buick, traveling at 40mph with all the room in the world to the stop sign/intersection, will not stop on a single rear drum.

Every vehicle should be equipped with a dual reservoir, because doo-doo happens.

-Brad

How many different brackets are there and what type of master do most people use?
I would like to keep it under the floor