brake drum questions 1969 ?

[bbfeld]

hi, I have a 1969 1/2 ton step side - 6 lug wheels with drums all around. (all stock)

the truck is parked an hour and a half from where I live, but I want to order drums and pads before going there .. my questions

-- are these the 11 X 2 size brakes ?

-- are the front /rear drums and pads the same?

-- what do the different outside diameter dimensions mean - 12.375 - does it matter?

-- how about finned vs non-finned?

-- are the larger brakes (11 x 2 3/4) just for 3/4 ton and 1 ton?

[Longhorn Man]

I would avoid replacement drums if at all possible. There is no lip for the anti-ring spring, there is no hole to adjust the shoes through, and they are made of very poor metal and warp very easily.
If your drums are thick enough, run them.
If not, I highly recomend finding some old ones that are still thick. There's plenty out there.

The wider ones are for 1/2 tons with the optional brakes (not very common) and the burbs that got the wider ones starting in 70 or so if memory serves. 3/4 ton and one tons got huge brake drums in comparison.
Front and rear drums are the same.

[tcb-1]

^^ agree 100%
1. you'll need the 2" wide shoes
2. as Andy said, the stock drums, if not completely trashed, should take a turning well. mine had never been turned and I had Oreilly put a light skim turn on them and they came out perfect.

[Sinister]

I had to get replacement drums because my drums were to thin to turn. They're working O.K., but like LHM said there's no adjustment slot on them.

[tcb-1]

sorry off topic. Sin, do you have self adjusters on your 3/4 tonner?

[Sinister]

Originally Posted by tcb-1

sorry off topic. Sin, do you have self adjusters on your 3/4 tonner?

Hey Doug, yes, they self adjust.

[hilandr452]

My Longhorn one ton has 13" rear brake drums and it looks to be in bad shape. Wheel was running loose and the seal went bad. The wheel bearings are rounded off, but the race is rounded as well. Lucky I didn't lose the wheel I guess. I will try to get mine turned. How difficult are used drums to find?

-Dan

[1985-GMC]

On my dads 3/4 70 we were able to reuse the rears but the front were shot so we got the replacement ones and drilled out holes for so we could adjust them. It might throw them off balance some but we couldn't feel it. We just drilled three or four holes where the originals were and then used a chisel and a file to make them ovals again.

[Longhorn Man]

Dan, in your signiture you describe a big block C/20 longhorn, you may be in luck on this.
Most big block 3/4 ton trucks came with the dana rear end. f yours is a dana, then (as of 4 or so years ago) pretty mych everything was avalible at NAPA, and I'll assume other parts stores too.
If you have an Eaton... then used drums is all you'll find, and some other brake parts are not made too.

[hilandr452]

Longhorn Man,

It's a GMC longhorn 3500. My brother tells me there's no difference between the 3/4 ton and one ton models in the rear end. How can I tell if it's a dana?

[Wrenchbender Ret]

Originally Posted by hilandr452

My Longhorn one ton has 13" rear brake drums and it looks to be in bad shape. Wheel was running loose and the seal went bad. The wheel bearings are rounded off, but the race is rounded as well. Lucky I didn't lose the wheel I guess. I will try to get mine turned. How difficult are used drums to find?

-Dan

The original wheel brgs are conical on these. The replacements are regular roller brgs.
We used to get the later model drums & drill out the hubs & use the larger studs.

[Wrenchbender Ret]

I have an old Napa catalog. It lists drums for 13X2 1/2 in. sigle wheels part number 640-1363. I don't know if they are still available but you might call them.

[hilandr452]

Thanks for that part number. Is this a normal bearing then?

[hilandr452]

Here's the rear end:



Not a dana, right?

[hilandr452]

Sorry I hijacked your thread.

[67ss&99ss]

Originally Posted by hilandr452

Here's the rear end:



Not a dana, right?

Definitely not a dana. This is the Dana 70 in our 69 D300.

[Longhorn Man]

danas never went in one tons in 67 - 72
there were 2 or 3 rear brake set ups on the single rear wheel one tons. I went through all this 5 years ago... there's not much out there for us

[hilandr452]

Guess I'll try to go get mine turned. They look thin to me, but what do I know. Does that picture of my bearings look normal? If the ends are supposed to be tapered like that, they look to be in ok shape.