Give me a brake 1962 4x4!

[benwah]

Ok Im new here. After a long search for a knee knocker 4x4 I now have a 62 K-20. Seams 4x4 brake parts are dam near impossible to find I have no problem finding IH or old Dodge parts. I mostly play with Dodge, IH trucks. Im not afraid of drum brakes and this ol girl will get used around 1000 mi a year. Really not worth a disc upgrade. LMC has brake stuff but I hear a lot of bad things here about them. What do you sugest?

[vectorit]

Rock Auto had a lot of the 12" drum parts I needed, and NAPA did to for springs and such.

What axles are you running on that rig, and what size drums are they?

[j.kirn]

Every brake part is still available at your local auto parts stores.

[T Herder]

Start here, http://www.centricparts.com/
I just did my 65 K20 with all new parts from them. Very high quality parts, they are also a supplier to most auto parts store.
Best regards,
T Herder

[benwah]

Thanks guys . The local NAPA not very helpfull here. And my fravorte mom n pop closed years ago. I have 12x2s. I usually go to NAPA armed with part numbers. This time I have nothing to go in with. Thanks T Herder for the site information, Hopefully someone here will carry their products. My truck also came with 17" wheels not 17.5s. And the tires allmost are tall as 36 millatary oz. Any tire manufactures repopping bias ply7.50-17s?

[T Herder]

I ordered all my brake parts, shoes, drums, cylinders, hardware, etc from NAPA. What vehicle Chevy or GMC, model, engine, etc. you running. I can dig up my receipts and give you the part numbers. If you dig deep enough GM used the same parts on a lot of years and makes, not just trucks.
Best regards,
T Herder

[maxwoof]

I have a 62 k-20 as well. I am able to find drums, shoes, master and wheel cylinders, and hoses on RockAuto.com. 12x2 brakes were used on 4x4s through at least 1970, i think. Later years list more springs and hardware, much of which will work on your 62.

What is very elusive is parking brake cables and hardware.

So far, I have rebuilt the steering box, replaced the steering column bearings, rebuilt the carb, replaced the entire exhaust, replaced the master cylinder, full ignition tune up, floor mat, new king pin bearings, re-packed wheel bearings in the front, knuckle seals, radiator, all pinion seals, trans and transfer case output seals, all new u-joints, heater core, and heat levers, and other things. No major difficulties in finding parts, mostly from RA, and the various specialty vendors.

I fabbed parking brake cables using cables form a 2wd and bx conduit. They work, but not great. I understand inline tube makes cables, but I have not tried them yet.

Also, i drilled out the shift bar on the transfer case to 1/2" and installed bronze bushings and new clevis pins. Big improvement in shifting.

Also, I run the closed knuckles dry. I pack the wheel bearings with grease like conventional 2wd. Same for the U-joints. My usage is similar to yours, and so far, so good. If I wind up re-packing every 7-10k miles, that will be a long time between. And no oil on the floor.

The only drips I have are form the transfer case bearing retainers, which I understand is common. Some day I will take them apart and re-assembe with permatex or hylomar. In the meantime. I make sure ot is full.

My truck came with later model 16 inch wheels. Look to specialty tires of america and Coker tire for 17 inch tires. There should be others. I would love your wheels, so if you ever look to let them go, think of me.

Just my 2 cents. Hope it helps you.

[j.kirn]

Inline tube can make the original cables

[vectorit]

I had inline tube make my E brake cable that bolts to the drum backing plate.

Too many people think "Oh you can get any brake part" at the local parts store, which tells me they have never had to rebuild vintage 12" drums on a K20.

['63GENIII]

X 3 on the Inline Tube. I took the few parts that I had left for my cables to my local Napa and they sent it to a "guy" (who was actually inline tube) and I had a new e-brake cable in a week. The other brake parts were pretty available through Napa and although mine was a 1/2 ton, it seems that you have to find someone who is willing to spend the time to help and who is knowledgeable. Also when I had my '57 Napco, I could never find brake parts for it. I found a brake re-liner in the area who was able to re-line all my shoes, the transmission e-brake band and he even made the brake hoses that no one could seem to get. Small parts like wheel cylinders, springs and adjusters were easy to get through this guy.