Hot Rods Drum brakes and spindle

Good morning, I would like to ask if anyone can tell me if these are chevy drums and also is this a chevy spindle. This is the first time I have pulled the front drum on my T bucket. Trying to figure everything out but not sure with these. I think these are chevy but not sure. I know one thing they are pretty dirty. Tried looking up the number on the pad with no luck. I believe the front axle is a model A if I am correct. Just trying to figure all this stuff out.

 

Thank you very much. I am new.

 

The spindle does not look quite like a Chevy...it's shaped differently.

Might be from a Mopar? odd....

 

I think you may be correct. So, I wonder if the axle is from the same. Hopefully will get this straighten out so I know what I got to work with.

 

If you would show us a better pic of the axle we could help. So far I think it looks like a 33-36 Ford axle.

 

Here are a couple pictures of the front axle. Hoping this helps to identify what this is.

 

The gentle arch of the axle says '28-'31 Model A to me. Also the Dodge had an .873 king pin diameter so your axle must be reamed .060 oversize to accept them, early Ford k/p diameter is .813

 

I am wondering if when whoever build this put a set of trailer drums on this axle and spindle. Wondering which direction to go with this. Here is a picture of the drum face. Should I just run it for now and see or do I need to take some other route.

 

looks a lot like a Dodge drum to me. Although they used bolts instead of studs through around 1956, and they also had left hand threads on the left side of the car/tuck.

 

those look an awful lot like 55 56 dodge 1/2 ton truck drums which would go along with @squirrel spindle ID. the shoes hardware and wheel cylinders should be the same from 48 to 56 I believe, if not 48 then 49 to 56. the backing plates change in 57 I think, which changed the hub and drum offset.

Where are you in VA? I'm 30 min north of Richmond, 15 min from Kings Dominion.

 

I am out by Hartfield, Va going toward Deltaville. I have several things I am thinking and wondering about changing front over to disk brakes. I would like to keep the same axle if possible. Don't want to get ahead of myself. Running in every which way right now thinking I might have one thing and it turns out to be something else.

 

Honestly, if it stops good, then i wouldn't change the brakes over to disc, no need to really you have a light car and the drums are more than up to the demand. clean and adjust them and let it go. The bigger issue is, what was done to make those spindles work on the A axle? Was the King pin bore on the axle reamed to fit the mopar spindle's? was it sleeved to and bored because they were too big. Its certainly not a common swap so something was done to make it work, because if this was and easy parts interchange swap not needing machine work, we see it a lot more. like putting F1 or F100 brakes on the front of an early ford. So an investigation needs to be made to see what has been done. if you are really wanting to change the brakes out. you may not be able to swap brakes without changing the axle if it was modified to work with those spindles, which I'm about certain it was.

Personally, on an early car I hate the way Disc bakes look, especially on a fender less car. the brakes you have are are a good Bendix style brake that when cleaned and adjusted work great and look the part, plus that's pretty cool that its not something normally seen.

 

I believe that may be right, so I guess them are a dodge set up then. So, I guess that means if I want new wheels, I got to buy dodge or run an adapter plate, correct? I know the rims for the front are 15x 7 5x4.5 bolt pattern. Would I be correct on that?

 

4.5" is the same as later Ford. There are a couple million options with that bolt pattern.

 

Front wheels sound like same bolt pattern as used on Fords.

 

Here is a picture of the king pin. The top from measuring with a rule which is because thar is all I have is just under 1 inch across the center.

 

Does the Dodge spindle and the Ford A axle have the same kingpin inclination?? Is the camber correct??

 

I have a few Mopar tube axles that have the exact same kingpin inclination as the old Ford. IIRC it’s 8 degrees.

 

So, this may be a foolish question because my mind is turning 1000 miles per hour in thinking I got one thing and is turning out to be another, but if I buy chrome rims do I look for Mopar rims?

 

You need rims of the correct bolt pattern, which in your case should be 5 on 4.5 inch for the front, which is the common small ford and Mopar pattern. But you may want to measure the rear wheel bolt pattern as well it could be completely different.

 

Any 5x4.5 wheel is going to work. Doesn’t have to be a Dodge…

 

I believe the Dodge kingpin may be .861"?

 

0.873" per my Moog book?

 

I really appreciate the help I have received seeing this is my first time trying to mess with these things. I surely will check the rear before doing anything as who knows what I will find. I will differently keep everyone posted.

 

I'm not terribly far from you, if you need any ***istance, shoot me a DM here, and ill get you my number, or just come out to help.
Jason

 

I'm with Jason. Drums are just fine for a T bucket. I would just clean and inspect everything, (peak under the rubber dust covers on each wheel cylinder to be sure they aren't leaking) put it back together and adjust the brakes.
I read your other thread and it seems that the rear has Chevy bolt pattern 5 on 4 3/4" bc. No big deal having different patterns.

 

I don't like to tie rod in front of the axel Ackerman may be way off

 

I totally agree about the tie rod in front. Don't know if I can change that without changing the front end. I plan on researching it and seeing if maybe something can be changed around to move it behind the axle.

 

It looks like the steering arms bolt to the spindle.
Can they be removed and swapped side to side to get tie rod behind axle?