I too have enjoyed the thread on the brakes. I was thinking of this
as I was in the woods today getting fire wood. I have a 1968 International
(with a early 50's cab and flat bed with stake sides) that I can get a full cord
of wood on. It is an off road truck only now. I'm told that a
full cord of wood is about 2000 lbs or maybe 4000 lbs or so or at least I think
I remember what the weight was. Any way, I have real brake fade as I have
a leaking cylinder in the front right. I glad to say that the
truck is a 4 speed with hi/lo range 4 wheel drive and I run in 4 wheel
drive in first gear that barley creeps with a full load on. This is good
when comming down the one steep hill with the load on. With the load
on it, it never bottoms out the leaf springs as I have a chanel iron welded
to the frame above the rear axel and two 2" pipes welded to it just
above the rear axel where the center spring bolt is and when enuff weight is on
the bed, it bottoms out on the 2" pipes and basicly turns into a straight
axel. I just have to keep filling up the single master cylinder with brake
fluid every once in a while. Some day when I have time, I will pull the
front brakes apart--both of them-- and put new rubbers in them and hone
them. This is one truck, I'd never want to drive on the highway
again. But it does the job well.
I do have storys about my 55 Plymouth and the brakes and maybe
sometime I'll get the fingers going and mention them and may have already a few
years ago.
Jack in Shinglehouse where the weather is beautiful
at the moment
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