Hi Y guys,

I was driving MY '58 to my storage facility to remove the Alaskan yeterday when I thought I had broke a ball joint in the steering, the thing made a horrible "clunk" sound and about pulled me off the road. When I got stopped and looked the whole thing over I could not see anything wrong, but I knew something was.

I got the truck home and pulled the wheels off, the brake lining on one side was in pieces and barely attached on the other side.  I did these only two years ago and didn't think anything wrong with bonded linings, I've used them on my sports cars for years, but this was before I put a 1900 lb camper on the back. You could see how hot they had got with the extra load, I'm not the kinda guy that rides his brakes and I always use low gears when descending a hill, but it is rivited linings on this truck from now on.

I thank God that this happened two blocks from my house and not coming down from Mineral King. (a very steep narrow two lane road from 9,000' for those who don't know  )

   God Bless.   Tim                           http://yblockguy.com/

350ci Y-Block FED "Elwood", 301ci Y-Block Unibody LSR "Jake", 312ci Y-Block '58 F-100, 338ci Y-Block powered Model A Tudor

tim@yblockguy.com  Visalia, California    Just west of the Sequoias

glad nothing worse happened.

i've never heard of bonded brakes breaking apart.

i havent seen riveted linings in a long time either.

This ain't no L-Kamino!

Tim.  Glad this happened while you were not in a position to get hurt or hurt someone else.  This is not unusual with bonded linings but is typically seen on those that are several years old.  In your case, two years old is relatively new so as you mentioned, heat could be a player in breaking down the glue.  And nothing rules out a bad batch of glue or a revised formuation in your case.  I know I like the bonded linings over the riveted jobs simply because you can get a few more miles out of them before changing them out.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

OK Charlie, I hope it looks better now. You are right, I did write that one early in the morning, but I don't drink coffee so I think it's just because I get in a hurry to go out the door.

   God Bless.   Tim                           http://yblockguy.com/

350ci Y-Block FED "Elwood", 301ci Y-Block Unibody LSR "Jake", 312ci Y-Block '58 F-100, 338ci Y-Block powered Model A Tudor

tim@yblockguy.com  Visalia, California    Just west of the Sequoias

Tim, I'm glad you were able to keep it on the road. I go for the Raybestos riveted shoes when replacing brake shoes. I don't mind the gouges in the drums made by the rivets when the brake shoes wear out - more surface area for the next set of brake shoes.



I've seen cooked, bonded shoes before but that's been on other people's vehicles.

Best regards,



Paul Menten

Meridian, Idaho

Tim-



It's no secret that a half ton is overloaded with that camper, water, gear, pepole, etc. You and I know that because we both carry an Alaskan camper on a truck with drum brakes that were marginal to begin with. The last time I put shoes on my '56 I had a set made up by Performance Friction in San Jose. Chris can make a set for you with the material being a Kevlar based product riveted to the shoe. They really make a difference in reducing brake fade. However- if we are to continue carrying these campers on 50's era trucks, I have come to the conclusion that making the switch to disk brakes is the ultimate answer. I realize the disk conversion comes with its own set of challenges, but the last time I came down Sonora Pass, I was convinced that there is just not enough safety factor to carry my kids in that rig with drum brakes.



I just rescued an extended cab 1990 F-250 4x4 HD with a ZF 5-speed. The disk brakes are the biggest I've ever seen on a pick up, and I expect it will carry the Alaskan with ease. It will also get me into places to camp and fish that were always a little dicey with the '56. I got it for next to nothing because the clutch slave cylinder is leaking and the trans/transfer case has to come out to replace it, so the guy gave up on it.



Steve

The shoes that were on it were Raybestos bonded and the ones that I replaced them with are Raybestos riveted, I'm happy with these.

Steve, I wish I would have kept the cores I would have sent them up to you for the Kevlar linings. My ultimate goal is to find a '57-'60 F350 with duals to mount the camper on permanately.

   God Bless.   Tim                           http://yblockguy.com/

350ci Y-Block FED "Elwood", 301ci Y-Block Unibody LSR "Jake", 312ci Y-Block '58 F-100, 338ci Y-Block powered Model A Tudor

tim@yblockguy.com  Visalia, California    Just west of the Sequoias

Isn't putting a 1900 lb load on a 1/2 ton pick dangerous? Especially when its way above the centerline of the truck.

54 Victoria 312;  48 Ford Conv 302, 56 Bird 312
Forever Ford
Midland Park, NJ

Maybe Tim's got springs on the back like mine. It's got 14 plies in the rear springs.

  Dennis in Lititz PA

I wouldn't trade bonded linings for rivets and especially the bolts we used before rivets. But bonded linings do fail. Especially if you run on salted roads. If there is a small void where there is no glue, salt spray gets in and then the rust causes the lining to pop off of the shoe. This is quite common with our trucks.

Kenneth

Fredricksburg, Texas