The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts Parking/Emergency Brake Question?

1957 GMC 370 LCF with 4 speed GM type SM420 transmission. It has the band brake on the rear of the tranny. Question:
Is there such a thing as a conversion kit with a disk brake and hyd. cylinder that can be used with the original brake handle inside the cab?
The reason for the question is these things do not have a dual master cyl. resivior. Thus you only got one chance if the brakes go out. Would like to have a setup like this for emergency braking with a load.
Thanks for any input.

you want a hydraulic disc hand brake?? the parking brake is not an "emergency" brake, and even less so with a load, the best it could do is lock up your rear wheels, which you can do by slamming a lower gear and shutting off the engine .... your best insurance against brake failure is to keep the system in top condition

Bill

I drove a million miles with only a single master cylinder and thought nothing of it. I did have some brake failures and had to dodge some things a time or two, but I never had a wreck because of brake failure. If it worries you, possibly you should go completely through your brake system and install a dual system. This is one of the reasons I hesitate suggesting anyone to make these old machines go faster. If you drive one of these old machines, you need to learn to drive the way we drove them 50 years ago. This is also why I prefer straight air. There is a lot less chance for complete failure.

I Don't know if you guys have been keeping up with my progress or not. But thats what I doing, COMPLETELY going through the brakes, every single line, hose and wheel cyls. new. Was unable to find a new master cyl. so have installed a new kit in it. Started at the left front and am ready to tackle the Hydro and rear brakes. Everything will be new or rebuilt. I was trying to keep it original, of course the disk on the tranny wouldn,t be original.
But I had rather have rear brakes than no brakes at all.
I didn't mean to sound stupid, but as a kid in the early 50's I have seen my uncle slide the rears on gravel roads with the hand brake. His was a 2 ton F@@rd.

I have the same setup and I am using these parts
http://www.wilwood.com/Rotors/RotorProd.aspx?itemno=160-0867
http://www.wilwood.com/Calipers/CaliperProd.aspx?itemno=120-1360
I am getting an adapter laser cut to adapt the rotor to the output flange and making a bracket that will use the rear housing bolts to hold the caliper.

That is a mechanical caliper so it will not bleed off and release over time but what I think Im going to do is put a heavy spring on it to keep it clamped down and have a small air cylinder connected to it with an air parking brake switch like on semi's. So when there is no air in it the brake is set and when I want to drive hit the button and the air releases the brake.

Hey Jake. That is exactly what I had in mind!! That is a neat setup. Dont feel so stupid after all. I have saved the links. About what is the cost for the setup?
Thanks. Maybe you will post pics when you get it setup.

As a long time member of a 2 cyl.John Deere discussion board, we always stressed to new members: GET THE SERVICE MANUAL AND PARTS MANUAL for your particular tractor!
I finally got the GMC Master Ilustration and parts book. Also got the GMC Service-Maint. Manual for models 100 thru 370.
Walla!!They call it TRU-STOP BRAKE. On page 4.6463-7 in the Master manual, is the exact thing I wanted, a disc rotor and 2- pad caliper. On page 4.6463-8 Shows a disc rotor and 4-pad caliper. All original and operated with the hand lever.
Of course I'm sure none of this is available now and the Wilwood parts would be the way to go. Thanks.
Wayne.

I have had trucks with the so called TRU-STOP brake. If the rear seal of the transmission leaked just a little oil on them, they were worthless. If someone tried stopping a loaded truck with them, they caught fire because one brake is trying to do the work of four. If you lock up the drive wheels on slick pavement, you will switch ends before you know what happened.

I have parts and maintenance manuals for GMC 100 through 970 series from the late 30's until the early 60's. Its probably a total of about 20 books. One thing that I have learned about trucks with running them to make a living for 50 years is that if something wasn't produced for very long, it was a good indication that it wasn't very good.