When did Chrysler start using hydraulic brakes?
In the 1920s, automotive engineering shifted decisively toward hydraulic braking, and Chrysler was part of that transition. This article traces when Chrysler started using hydraulic brakes and how quickly the technology spread through its lineup.
The company began adopting hydraulic brakes in the mid- to late-1920s, with hydraulic braking becoming standard on most Chrysler passenger cars by about 1928–1929.
Hydraulic brakes: a turning point in braking technology
Hydraulic braking replaces the traditional mechanical linkage with fluid pressure to transfer the force from the driver’s foot to the wheel brakes. This approach offered more consistent stopping power and improved pedal feel, helping manufacturers meet rising safety expectations and regulatory concerns in the era.
Chrysler's adoption timeline
Key milestones in Chrysler's shift to hydraulic braking illustrate the pace of change across the industry and within the company’s product lineup.
- 1925–1926: Chrysler begins serious testing of Bendix-type hydraulic braking on experimental and early production models as part of a broader modernization effort.
- 1927: Hydraulic braking appears on more widely available Chrysler models, often as an option across different ranges.
- 1928: Hydraulic brakes become standard on most Chrysler passenger cars, signaling a company-wide transition away from mechanical systems.
- Late 1920s: Ongoing refinements improve pedal feel, reliability, and braking balance across Chrysler’s lineup.
Across model lines and markets, Chrysler gradually moved toward universal hydraulic braking by the end of the decade, aligning with a broader industry shift.
What enabled the switch?
Several factors helped accelerate Chrysler's adoption of hydraulic brakes, including technical collaboration and supplier support, as well as safety and performance expectations sweeping the industry.
- Bendix brake systems and licensing arrangements provided a practical path to hydraulic implementation across multiple vehicle platforms.
- Growing consumer and regulatory pressure for safer, more reliable braking encouraged faster adoption by automakers.
- Chrysler's engineering teams, aided by supplier partnerships, integrated hydraulic technology into production lines with relatively little disruption.
These factors collectively drove Chrysler to embrace hydraulic braking in the late 1920s rather than later years.
Summary
Chrysler began experimenting with and gradually adopting hydraulic brakes in the mid- to late-1920s, with widespread standardization across its passenger-car lineup by around 1928–1929. The move mirrored a broader industry trajectory that prioritized safer, more consistent braking performance and helped establish hydraulic systems as the norm in mass-market automobiles.
What year did hydraulic brakes come out?
Hydraulic brakes first appeared in the late 1910s and were introduced to a production car in 1921 with the Duesenberg Model A. Malcolm Loughead is credited with inventing the hydraulic braking system in 1918, which uses brake fluid to transmit force from the pedal to the brakes, making them more effective and easier to operate than previous mechanical systems. By the late 1920s, hydraulic brakes were becoming standard on many cars.
- Invention: Malcolm Loughead patented hydraulic brakes in 1917 and proposed the four-wheel system in 1918.
- First production car: The Duesenberg Model A was the first production car to have four-wheel hydraulic brakes as a standard feature in 1921.
- Widespread adoption: By the late 1920s, many automakers had adopted hydraulic brakes. Ford was the last major manufacturer to switch from mechanical to hydraulic brakes, fully adopting them in 1939.
When did Chrysler start using disc brakes?
1949
The first U.S. vehicle with a disc brake system was a 1949 Chrysler Imperial, which was developed by Bendix Corporation. The system was standard on the Imperial limousine but optional for other cars.
What year did Chrysler have hydraulic brakes?
1924
1924: In 1924, Chrysler introduced the Chrysler Six, an all-new vehicle priced at $1,565 that featured two significant innovations—a light, powerful, high-compression six-cylinder engine and the first four-wheel hydraulic brakes to come standard on a passenger car.
What year did they stop putting drum brakes on cars?
Drum brakes were largely phased out on front wheels by the 1970s, and many rear applications were phased out by the early 1990s, though they are still used on some rear wheels and for parking brakes today. While front drum brakes on vehicles like the Jeep CJ-5 were discontinued around 1986, and some cars went to all-wheel discs in the early 1990s, drum brakes are still manufactured for cost-effectiveness on certain rear-wheel applications and as a simpler integration for parking brakes.
- Front wheels: Disc brakes became standard on the front wheels by the 1970s due to superior performance, especially in wet weather. The last automobile to use front drum brakes in the United States was a 1986 model year Jeep CJ-5.
- Rear wheels: Drum brakes were phased out of rear-wheel applications more slowly, with many vehicles transitioning by the early 1990s, though some models continued to use them even later.
- Continued use: Drum brakes are still used on the rear wheels of some modern vehicles because they are cheaper to manufacture. They are also commonly used for parking brakes due to their simplicity in incorporating a parking brake with a mechanical cable system.
