[VAC] Re: Hydraulic Brake Conversion

[RJ & Krista <radiodial@xxxxxxxx>]

Having survived many an axle change, it's not something I enter into
lightly. 

I looked into it for the Flying Cloud, and was willing to pay someone to
do it.  Seems times are a changing or something, because the cheapest
trailer/utility/horse/welding place wanted $980 installed & out the door
for a Dexter 7000# axle, less wheels & tires.  And to get that I had to
drive 75 miles out into the San Joaquin Valley.  

Henschen repriced theirs recently about the same time they decided not
to rebuild axles any more.  Tuna, you got a good deal.

How much to do it myself?  I can get a Henschen delivered for $620, and
a Dexter or Hayes-Lemurz for $760 (these are all w/taxes & shipping).

After you measure & measure and hope you got the drop, offset and width
right you order the axle. Then you have to get some Hi-lift jacks and
frame stands, cut & grind off the old ears & shock mounts, drag out the
Miller & weld on new frames mounts & shock hat sections, then assemble
the axle, adjusting, adjusting, fine tuning, etc.  Things never will go
right, and you will always need to mod something, like the shocks or
add/remove leaves & new shackles/U-bolts to get the right clearance.

And nowadays all this would have to be done in my driveway.  Then it's
on to the tires & wheels....

So, you can see why if the existing axle ain't broke, I'm keeping it. 
And to think the Hydraulic Brakes were a $28 option  over the electric
brakes in 1957.

I got the HADCO backing plates ready to weld today, so I made progress. 
I was hoping someone had found some obscure model or brand of backing
plates (Fayette?) that would have fit.

Later,
RJ
'57 Flying cloud