The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Tons 'o Fun Stopping safely...

I asked a question a long time ago similar to this, but it got lost in the forum reshuffle.

I am wondering how everyone is stopping their trucks on daily drivers. I have a 49 1-ton that I do want to put into regular service, and I know straying from stock is going to be a problem. Has anyone updated the brakes? Perhaps to the 53+?

I have binding on my brakes so I want to rebuild the whole thing and hopefully tighten up the steering! Not looking for a performance thing here... but would like to feel safe cruising at 60!

Thanks!

I have a '50 One Ton, that I drive daily. I'm on the Island though, and don't go over 50 mph, there's nowhere to go here, I'm surrounded by water! Help! Help!

The brakes on my truck are stock, and I can lock the tires, even with a ton in the back. I do have bias ply tires though. The big drums have a lot of stopping power. Perhaps someone with radials will chime in. I do drive carefully though, as the master cylinder is only one circuit. So, you do need to leave more room in front of you that driving a new car. That way, should your hydraulic brakes fail, you can grab the emergency lever and stop.

If you want to update the fronts to Bendix, look for '53 to '59
3/4 or one ton front brake assemblies.

I have a 1951 1 Ton that I drive in the summer time. I drive up to 60 mph and have no trouble at all stopping. My truck is completely rebuilt and I am running radial tubeless tires on modern 16" rims. I don't have any pulling or uneveness when driving and stopping. The only improvement that I would make is maybe a proportioning valve for the rear. The rear brakes are larger and present more force so braking on a slippery surface will cause the rear wheels to lock up first. I am not insured to carry loads so an adjustable proportioning valve would work out well for me.

60 mph! Do you have a flux capacitor in there Fred?

I have the 410 gears in the rearend so my engine RPM is around 2700 at that speed. At 60 mph it gives some of the other drivers time to swerve to avoid going right through my truck!

The rear end I will probably change... but can you just upgrade the front without having to change everything? What would be required?

If you are talking about changing out the gears in the rearend of a 1 Ton, the whole assembly comes out the front in one piece. There is a tech Tip on it. The 4.10 setup can be hard to find but it really makes a difference.

I did a parts list comparision on my 1941 1 Ton and discovered that many of the front axel parts were the same as a 1/2 & 3/4 ton PU so I ordered a disc brake kit from Jim Carter and it bolted right up with no problems.

You will still have to deal with the dual chamber master cylinder master cyl and its plumbing.

I had a rear end made up incorporating 3.70 gears, never could find the elusive 4.10 everybody talks about. The guy who made up my rear end also added wider rear brake shoes.

With my 17" rims I expect to get 70 mph @ 2,000 rpm. I have powered it with a stock sb350 and a 700R4.

the earlier trucks used the same axle thru at least the 1 ton, but the AD trucks had heavier axles on the 3/4 & 1 tons so a disc conversion for a 1/2 ton wouldn't work on them.
I have a 50 1 ton with 4.10 rear, that I drive 60-65 regularly & have no problem stopping with stock brakes. I just start slowing down & stopping sooner Is all. I do have a dual master cyl. & power booster from a 68-70 1 ton (truck was drum/drum & master is same bore as the 50) that I plan to install. the brakes will "come in" sooner that way. In my opinion the drums are more than satisfactory.