Its been probably 2 years since I posted here, work was all over the place during lockdowns in 2020 and had some health issues the year after but finally getting back to the build this year! Trying to retain a 5 on 5.5 bolt pattern on my 28 chevy speedster project to match the front end with the Juice brakes and Lincoln drums I have, I picked up a 9" from a 66 F100, large bearing. Will need shortening. Sitting the Juice backing plate in place on the diff flange, the axle does not protrude far enough to pick up the drum. So backing plates need to go inwards, maybe an inch. Should adapting the brakes be as simple as recessing the juice backing plates? Im just wondering if anyone has come across this problem and how they solved it. Cheers, Josh
If all you want is the 5.5" pattern, why not just get a truck 9" axle? That's the pattern they use. Adapting old Ford hydraulic brakes to a new axle is monkey motion.
It looks like he's got a truck axle, and thus should just use the brakes that belong on that axle, after narrowing it.
I'd think recessing the plates would work. I've adapted some brakes to a 9" housing I was narrowing by putting the backing plates on the inboard side of the housing ends. I cut the housing for narrowing then slipped the backing plates over the cutoff housing, then jigged up and welded the new housing ends/bearing retainers onto the axle tubes. The backing plates are not removable, but worked for me.
I would put the backing plates onto the rear and use an appropriate spacer in back of the drum. I'm doing a similar swap now for a guy with a narrowed 8 3/4 Chrysler rear and '48 brakes with Lincoln drums. He just likes the looks and can deal with the somewhat more anemic stopping power. Took about 1 1/2 hrs. to make the spacers with an index ring for the Lincoln drums turned onto the outside and a recess to to fit over the Axle flange to index onto the axle. I did replace the studs with 3"x1/2" Mosers which hold the entire contraption together. Not the first time I've done this. Hope this makes sense.
My only question would be about Lockheed brakes on the front and Bendix on the rear. Someone can set me straight on this I'm sure, but I would ***ume the Bendix work better and would be fairly big if from a truck. If this is so, the stronger braking would be on the rear, which is **** about. People faff around with wheel cyinder sizes, prop valves etc. to get braking bias correct. This would seem, as I say, **** about. Right or wrong? Please explain. edit: I am basing this on the OP's description "juice brakes and Lincoln drums." Which to me says he has Lincoln drums on Ford brakes. If the front brakes are all Lincoln/Bendix, my original question is moot.
It'll work, my T had 40 front Brakes and 60s f100 rears on the 9". BUT, all the parts were new and the fronts were dial in and had been turned true. Plus I knew how to Match the MC bore to the combo I had
Ford made several depth backing plates for 9" rears in trucks. All use 11" shoes and drums, however, some shoes can be as narrow as 1 7/8th and as wide as 2 1/2 . So, drums and backing plates must be matched. I realized this when I took backing plates off a 74 E200 with a nine inch and 2 1/2 shoes and wider drums than the narrow backing plates and drums on the 64 F100 9" rear end I used. All factory parts and all still available in used or aftermarket .
Thanks guys, I suppose either of these avenues will be a viable option. I hadn't considered using a spacer and longer studs, using the index ring would allow the drum to ride on the hub ok, Im not sure if our engineers will sign off on it though ( usually any spacers are a no no) , Ill have to enquire. Alternatively yes I come up with a way to move the backing plate back onto a separate bracket. No, not the bendix brakes, original 39s with all new hardware. If I find the brakes exceptionally poor I will upgrade to the bendix style backing plates later. I originally planned that setup but being a bit naive at time of purchase the shop I bought the brakes through supplied the 39s. But the cash is spent now and I would much rather put money into other areas of the build than rebuying brakes. So bit of a sore point but after speaking to quite a few guys running the 39s they feel they're ok when adjusted correctly. Im actually looking foward now to the experience of driving a car with those brakes. It's a fair point you make, the build is a late 20s/ early 30s race car and will run skinny wheels and all the brakes will be exposed. The Lincoln finned drums look period correct to the large mechanical brakes used at the time and are quite a feature and I want to see the same brakes all around. Cheers, Josh
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