Brake sizes

[53hardtop]

In a recent thread, I was looking for help on front brakes for my 53 Commander. I was advised to upgrade to brakes from a 54+ V8 car. I found some, complete with everything from the A arms out. They are supposedly from a 62 Lark V8. What confuses me is that the ones on my 53 were 11" and the ones from the Lark are 10". Will the newer 10" brakes truly stop me better than the older 11" brakes? Are they really from a V8 car?

Rob in ND

[StudeRich]

Rob; '54-'66 Stude. V-8 Brakes are 11 in. Front and 10 inch Rear, (except Disc.).

6 Cyl. Brakes are 10 inch Front and 9 inch Rear.

If they are front, they are from a "6" !

Also, 1956 to 1964 cars with 289, or '65-'66 with 283 have Finned drums.

StudeRich
Studebakers Northwest
Ferndale, WA

[53hardtop]

So, my fears are true. Can I still use these on the rear of my 53 Commander?

[JDP]

Sounds like your car was upgraded to late brakes already, at least in the front. The 10 inch fronts will of course not fit the rear. Looks like you have late 6 cylinder fronts from the 62.

JDP/Maryland
63 R2 SuperHawk (Caesar)
spent to date $54664,75
64 R2 GT (Sid)
spent to date $62,439.30
63 Lark 2 door
51 Commander
39 Coupe express
39 Coupe express (rod)

[53hardtop]

Now I am really confused. My 53 Commander has 11 inch brakes on the front. I don't have the manual in front of me, but I thought that it stated Commanders had 11" fronts and 10" rears. The fronts have the little cam adjustment mechanism. Do you think these are original or have been upgraded?

Rob in ND

[leyrret]

I don't know stude as well as some of these guys, but if you have the cam adjustment on front shoe sounds like the old Lockheed self adjusting brakes. Not an upgrade. The later Wagner has star wheel.

[JDP]

Not a 53 expert, but I don't think they were 11 inches from the factory in the front.

JDP/Maryland
63 R2 SuperHawk (Caesar)
spent to date $54664,75
64 R2 GT (Sid)
spent to date $62,439.30
63 Lark 2 door
51 Commander
39 Coupe express
39 Coupe express (rod)

[StudeRich]

Actually John, Commanders do have 11 inch front drums, that old Lockheed eccentric adjustment 11 in. Brake is the one all the 1/2 Ton trucks from R series up to 1955 use, and similar to the one 1956-59 Transtar and 1960-62 Champs use. They even have the same 11 in. shoes on the rear also!

But Rob, it's easy, as leyrret said: it's either star wheel adjustment '54-'66 or NOT ='47-'53!

quote:Originally posted by JDP

Not a 53 expert, but I don't think they were 11 inches from the factory in the front.

StudeRich
Studebakers Northwest
Ferndale, WA

[JDP]

Now I recall, they are not the better self energizing 11 inch as used later, correct ?

JDP/Maryland
63 R2 SuperHawk (Caesar)
spent to date $54664,75
64 R2 GT (Sid)
spent to date $62,439.30
63 Lark 2 door
51 Commander
39 Coupe express
39 Coupe express (rod)

[StudeRich]

No, they are only self-centering, not self-energizing. Or at least if they are, they do not work well like the star wheel (Bendix style) ones do.[:0]

That is why that old style Lockheed design was used on Avanti & Studebakers with Disc. because they don't self energize and lock-up under the higher line pressure needed for front Discs.! And that was necessary because equalizer valves were not available yet in 1962 when Stude. Discs were designed. [^]

StudeRich
Studebakers Northwest
Ferndale, WA