Yes Andreas you are correct there are two rear "emergency" brakes that
are on the rear axle. They are very often not serviceable and were
difficult to adjust properly. My WW I Ford Military Ambulance had a
pair of them that barely kept the car in one place when the emergency
brake lever was engaged.
The service brake however was a band in the transmission just like the
other bands that operated the second and reverse gears. This band was
made of fabric material kind of like a canvas and was bathed in tranny
oil. To adjust the brake (and the gear bands as well) the floor boards
had to be removed and the top cover of the tranny removed. You used a
special wrench that was provided with the vehicles kit to accomplish the
adjustment. In driving my T Ambulance in parades, and around town I
have been know to adjust the brake and tranny bands at least once on the
trip.
The emergency brake could be used to slow the beast down, but the brake
in the tranny worked much better when it worked. In dairies that I have
read, the WWI ambulance drivers were known to have to adjust the brakes
several times in a night during heavy use. One diary I have mentions
that he spent the night running without brakes using the second gear and
reverse pedals at the same time to slow down (it works but then you need
to adjust all three bands later) when his brake band failed, that and
using trees and other things along to road to stop the ambulance.
Sorry for being so long winded...
Joe Baker
Major, Infantry, USAR
-- Joe Baker Town Planner Ellington, ConnecticutVisit Ellington on the World Wide Web at:
Ecomomic Development - http://www.tiac.net/users/edc/edc.html Planning Department - http://www.tiac.net/users/edc/elling.html
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