1/2 ton 4x4 vs 2wd rear-end

[ElGracho]

Originally Posted by kevinr1970

...
The 4x4 brake shoes are about 2-3/4" wide while the 2wd shoes are about 2" wide.
The drums are about the same width difference also AND this appears to be about the some amount as the offset of the backing plates.

I am pretty sure that there are at least two different size rear brake shoes; 2" light duty and 2-3/4" heavy duty.
We are theorizing that the axles are the same width 2wd vs. 4x4, no matter what brakes are there and that I need to order new drums and shoes for the 2-3/4" brakes and everything should be hunky-doory.

Anyone confirm or refute this?

You guys are right. Both housings are the same width the parts in either housing would fit the other housing.

You can swap axles and drums to make a 2wd into a 4wd and vice versa. The 4 wheel drives all had the big (2 3/4" wide) brakes while the 2 wheel drive stuff could be had with the 2" or 2 3/4" brakes. I've never had a truck with the small brakes, I think they were mostly on the bare bones type trucks.

You can swap the whole backing plate and drums from the 2wd onto the 4wd housing and use all of your original brake parts OR you can use the big brake backing plates from the 4wd and get some new 5 lug heavy duty drums.

If your brakes worked well in the first place, I'd reuse them, then you don't have to mess with the parking brake cables either. They are a pain...

[kevinr1970]

Originally Posted by ElGracho

You guys are right. Both housings are the same width the parts in either housing would fit the other housing.

You can swap axles and drums to make a 2wd into a 4wd and vice versa. The 4 wheel drives all had the big (2 3/4" wide) brakes while the 2 wheel drive stuff could be had with the 2" or 2 3/4" brakes. I've never had a truck with the small brakes, I think they were mostly on the bare bones type trucks.

You can swap the whole backing plate and drums from the 2wd onto the 4wd housing and use all of your original brake parts OR you can use the big brake backing plates from the 4wd and get some new 5 lug heavy duty drums.

If your brakes worked well in the first place, I'd reuse them, then you don't have to mess with the parking brake cables either. They are a pain...

The 2wd axle was in a bare bones forest service swb, 4.3, 4-speed truck. I don't think they could be had any more bare bones than that!

The brakes shoes were down past the rivets and the drums showed that.
Also, after driving the crew around the block, the wheel cylinder on one side leaked brake fluid badly and it was quite a mess once the drums were pulled off. Smelled pretty good too!

This is in my crew project so I think it would be in my best interest to get the best brakes possible. When we converted the front end to 1/2 ton I bought all new parts for the 1-1/4" rotors.

[kevinr1970]

I went to Randy's Ring & Pinion at lunch to schedule getting the rear-end done.
They told me that the axles for the 2wd are 1-3/4" different in length (I believe he said narrower?) on each side.
They said that with out having both assemblies in front of them that they couldn't tell me if what I wanted to do was possible.
They kept talking about "brake offset"?

BUT, when I look on RockAuto.com, the axles are listed as:
- 6 lugs; 28 spline; 10 cover bolts; 8.5 ring gear; 31-5/16" length
- 5 lugs; 28 spline; 10 cover bolts; 8.5 ring gear; 31-3/8" length
So that is a 1/16" difference.
They are also the same axles listed whether a 1986 or 1987.

???