HM-2040 Build

[Greg K]

Looks like you have the brake pressure switch installed on rear brake circuit?!     80% of the braking pressure goes to the front brakes, you wont get a signal to the brake lights using the rear brakes until you are really locking them all up.    It needs to be on the front brake line.

Not necessarily...it also depends on your setup, master cylinder sizing and brake bias. Caliper piston sizes also factor into your brake bias and selecting the master cylinders for your application, which determines the clamping forces you will have at each end of the car.

[Bob Worley]

Looks like you have the brake pressure switch installed on rear brake circuit?!     80% of the braking pressure goes to the front brakes, you wont get a signal to the brake lights using the rear brakes until you are really locking them all up.    It needs to be on the front brake line.

Not necessarily...it also depends on your setup, master cylinder sizing and brake bias. Caliper piston sizes also factor into your brake bias and selecting the master cylinders for your application, which determines the clamping forces you will have at each end of the car.

Valid point, BUT if you have more brake bias to the rear than the front, you are going to be in a world of **** when you try to stop.

[Kamal]

Per John’s axles, I should have had a separate seal that goes into the housing before sliding in the axle shaft.  Does that sound right?

If so, I’ll have to pull that all apart.

[Redstang69]

Kamal, a couple things:
Before you call the front brakes/lines complete, I'd try to mock-up your steering shafts. I think 100% of us have had to lower the adapter mount for the drivers front wheel that transitions from hard line to flex line. The steering shaft will hit your line most likely.
Correct, you should have a seal that would be the first thing installed into the axle housing (other than the third member). You'd then slip the axle (with preassembled bearing) into the housing. Then goes the small spacer ring that needs cut so it'll slip over the axle. If John's would assemble the bearing on the axle then we wouldn't have to cut that spacer.
Then the backing plate goes on.
If your kit was shipped like mine was, Hurricane pulled out your T bolts, seals and possibly spacers when they shipped your axle housing to be powder coated. My box with t bolts and seals was in one of my other random boxes of mixed material.
Did you go through all boxes and open them and inventory everything. I thought I was missing them at first as well, but eventually found them.
Not that it matters a ton, because the T bolts are junk and too short.
Look at my build thread, I believe it's all documented fairly well.

[Kamal]

Thank you for taking a look.  I got the seals today and will likely go through it over the weekend. 

I did inventory all the parts, and have worked my way down so all that’s left is in one box.  Definitely no seals or t bolts, and I’m still waiting on the last of the parts. 

I’m going to put the cockpit tub on momentarily to start getting the steering in.  Thank you for the heads up, I think the way I have the lines run, I will have some flexibility to move them before drilling for the clamps.  I should have an update on that in the next day. 

Seems as though subsequent frames have had redesigns based on the forum issue that come up, so I am curious.

Are people running the heat insulation in the tunnel on the bottom side? My tunnel bottom doesn’t have the black spray coating like the rest of the bottom of the cockpit tub, and is just white gel coat.  I think I’m going to apply the gray shield now, as I’m itching to get the tub on. 

Thanks again for all the feedback and cross checking.

[Redstang69]

Sounds like you're working through things well.
My tunnel had the black bed liner sprayed up to about where the angled part of the firewall came down into the tunnel. I did heat shield back the side of the tunnel to the bed liner.
This pick shows it easier than I can explain it.

[Kamal]

Hi All,

Here is about a 2 month update on the build.  The chassis is basically done, and I'm about to place the cockpit tub on.

- Completed the brake lines, and removed the brake light sender.  Bled and re-bled the brakes and they are firm and feel great.

- Completed the clutch pedal and line, bled and working great. 

- Trimmed and installed the second driveshaft safety hoop.

- Finalized the E-brake cables and mounts.

- Applied the weatherstripping to the frame for the cockpit tub install

- Cleaned and clear-coated the steering parts, mocked up the steering shaft and verified plenty of space with the front brake line routing.

- R & R'd the axle shafts, installed the seals in the axle housing, verified the fitment with the Wilwood backing plates.  In short, the axle bearing protrudes .150" from the housing, and the Wilwood supplied spacer against the backing plate leaves .140" for the bearing, so it will all be snug when tightened up.  My install didn't need any kind of cutting of a spacer, etc, like everyone else seemed to have to deal with.  The John's axle and Wilwood brake kit works without any modifying of anything.

- Decided to do some fancy modification like you all did...by drilling the throttle shaft housing for bearings, since I didn't receive any bronze bushings for the the assembly and I thought to go creative.  The throttle shaft is 3/8", and the housing is 1/2", but there were no needle bearings of that size.  I did find a 3/8" x 9/16" needle bearing, so drilled the housing carefully with a 9/16" drill.  Overall went well and the shaft moves smoothly and without play.

- Covered the front of the cockpit tub with the home depot HVAC adhesive insulation (recommended on the FFR site), as well as some of the supplied heat shielding with the kit.  Overall I was not happy with the look, so I tore it all off and decided to go with the fancy DEI Floor and Tunnel Shield 2, like Greg K, but in black.  Pics to come, will be arriving on Thursday.  Chose the 42 x 48 size for $190 and hopefully will cover what I need it to. 

- Going to attempt to cover the dashboard and install the gauges tonight. 

[Kamal]

Here are more pics:

[FFR428]

Really looking good. I may copy you on the TS bearings. Nice job there. And yes! I have the Wilwood/John's axle setup and had no issue. Glad you are on the case with all the parts. I was still missing a few things and Hurricane Alec/Jake took care of things.

[Bob Worley]

Kamal, can you tell me which Wilwood brake kit you got for the John's 9" axle?   I'm thinking of upgrading from the single piston floating caliper (Ford Explorer?) supplied by hurricane in 2012.

[Kamal]

I forgot to mention that I polished the throttle shaft with 600 then 1000 grit paper, as the original surface would not have played well with the bearing.  And also really packed the bearing tight with thick grease. 

I think if I did it again, I would use a drill that was 1/64 smaller than 9/16, so 35/64.  My bearings ended up dropping right in, so I peened the hole and got a snug fit in the end.

Bob, I’ll get you that part number tomorrow when I’m back at home.  However, you would need to be sure that the axle is the same, as the kits have slight variations for the many variations of the ford 9”.  Wilwood wants an identification of the flange, as well as the “axle offset” to determine the brake kit.

https://www.wilwood.com/BrakeKits/BrakeKitAxleFlange

[Redstang69]

I sure wish I was moving as quickly as you are. Progress is looking good.
Since you have the Wilwood rears, this info might be disregarded, but I believe the large master cylinder should go to the rear brakes. Smaller masters for the front brakes and clutch.
I originally had it set up the way you do, and then realized I was wrong. Alec confirmed that I should've had the large master for the rear brakes.
Again, your situation might be different since you have Wilwood rears.

[Kamal]

Ben,

Thank you for the heads up. I believe that the front and rear Wilwood calipers are the same size, and I believe that would suggest that you would use the same size master cylinder. Just as a cross check, both the front and the rear and gauge at the same amount of Master cylinder actuator rod movement. I believe that should mean it’s OK. As well the clutch has a perfect amount of travel. I should look more closely into comparing the two calipers to make sure that they are in fact the same.

How many hours a week are you able to put in? Seems like some of us want to get this thing done as quick as possible and start driving, and some of us want to slow down customize and enjoy the process.

[Greg K]

I believe that the front and rear Wilwood calipers are the same size, and I believe that would suggest that you would use the same size master cylinder. Just as a cross check, both the front and the rear and gauge at the same amount of Master cylinder actuator rod movement. I believe that should mean it’s OK. As well the clutch has a perfect amount of travel. I should look more closely into comparing the two calipers to make sure that they are in fact the same.

You need to verify what model calipers you have on the front and rear. Having the same size calipers, does not mean you would use same size master cylinders to achieve the brake bias you need. Now it can be adjusted if you do it with adjusting the push rod lengths to the balance bar. Get familiar with the literature to set it correctly. Equal rod movement doesn't mean it's OK. With brakes you are looking for is pressure and clamping force and with the clutch it is stroke and volume related to the slave cylinder.
Area of the caliper pistons are used along with the master cylinder diameters to calculate the bias when the balance bar and push rods are adjusted equally. You will want more clamping forces to the front than to the rear, good starting point is 65:35 front to rear.
If you have the same piston area and same master cylinders front and rear, clamping forces will be 50:50. This is where the balance bar comes into play and push rod lengths. Making sure the balance bar is set correctly at the pedal, it's best to start with equal settings on push rods and then adjust from there. One can also swap master cylinders to tune also, which many do too.

[Redstang69]

I knew Greg would stop in and give us the appropriate detail haha. He's a wealth of knowledge.
I probably only get 3 maybe 4 hours a week at best. I have a 3 & 6 year old so my time is usually an hour or so after bedtime once in a while.
I hit major slowdowns with rebuilding my engine myself and doing the firewall aluminum myself. Both projects are close to done though so hopefully my build will start moving again. Although winter is setting in here so my motivation to go out and fire the heater up gets low.