1955 Chevy Series II Rear Axle Refurbish

Ok, one of you must know how these work.

I'm freshening up a 1955 Chevy Truck rear axle and stumped on how to remove the hose from the back of the Bendix brakes.

I'd rather brake, than break, so checking here first! The top one looks like it has some type of plastic inside, is there some special tool to hold that while I spin the nut/hose off?

 

Squeeze the flare on the inside with a small hose clamp if that’s the emergency brake cable which it looks like to me. The brakes are all removed to do this the easiest!

 

@jimmy six I just took a few more pics to show it better. A friend mentioned this looked like a parking brake, but there's one on each side. I guess it's possible the previous owner swapped out a brake side, but I thought there was only one side on the parking brake???? Do you know? Here is the front/back of one side.

Would parking brake be on both sides in 1955?

 

I think I see how I can undo that from the inside.

 

I use a small worn fuel line clamp. The lower one shows it best. Once it gets started thru…remove the clamp. I said to remove all the brake parts because you need to pull back on the spring to remove the lead ball from the actuating brake arm.
Originally there was a split circle set of pliers for brake mechanics to make this about a 2 second job…

 

Jimmy,

That yellow looking plastic 'thang was actually metal. I see what you're saying now, but almost have one side disassembled, the cable is still giving me grief.



So there are parking brakes on both sides of the rear, huh??? I learned something today.

 

My plan is to use the front brakes from a '56 that a guy gave me a few years ago. Those are Bendix front drum brakes, I currently have Huck brakes on the front which came with my '46.

Then with the '55 rear axle, I get Bendix brakes on the rears.

Certainly front disc brakes would be the best, but short of that the Bendix seem better than the Hucks.

I will need to cut down the driveshaft, but in the process of rebuilding everything. Previous owner of my '46 redid the brake lines and added a dual master cylinder. Starts getting hard to keep track of all the different years and parts one is using...

 

Continuing on...

I see this cable on the Jim Carter site, I think I need 2 of these, one for each side.

https://oldchevytrucks.com/me157.html

 

Making more progress, have most of the bendix parts off the axle, but still stumped on that odd connector which the parking brake is on. I'm literally destroying the connector to get the cable out. I haven't horked the other one up...(thanks for your suggestions Six Ball!

 

Jimmy,

I'm a dip#!T, this was the answer to my problem all along. I just ordered parts to rebuild everything, 2 cables, a spring kit, 2 wheel cylinders, et al I will get hoses and other clips later, but this is the builk of it.

Is it just me or do prices vary greatly? The Filling Station is the highest ($70), Jim Carter ($40), Classic Parts of America ($20). I know I will get the same Chinese parts from the Filling Station, but them and Jim Carter usually have parts that fit. In this case I went with Classic Parts of America.

 

Without “squeezing” ALL the finger at the same time you will never get the cable out. Once you get the first edge into the hole……take the clamp off……this is not rocket science.

 

Verified that I'm a total dip$#!T, I 'spose I'm in good company...LOL

I have but one problem left, getting the tapered bearing out of one side. One side came out, but the other side is being stubborn. I may have to apply some heat to it.

I'm done for the day, cooking some Mollejas Tacos!

 

I was just being stupid about it. Hehehe

Here is my current problem, the tapered bearing doesn't want to come out of one side. I used a small crow bar on the other side and was able to wrestle it out, but this one is stuck in good.

 

? Please excuse my ignorance but, I don’t understand what this has to do with my response to removing an e-brake cable.

 

Nothing, other than me not understanding what you were talking about with the clamp, but I have several size hose clamps in my toolbox.

No worries, I'm working through my problems to get everything cleaned and rebuilt. I have cylinders, spring kit and most parts for the brakes, but will need to get some Bendix parts and a pair of short hoses for the brake lines. Mine had hard lines all the way up to the back plate.

 

A long piece of pipe and a BFH will knock that bearing right out. Sometimes even a broom handle will work.

 

I was thinking just that. Last night I was measuring from the banjo and it's not that long, the entire axle is only about 50" long. News at 11:00!

EDIT: getting close, got a washer smashed and bent that was behind the snap ring. Not out of the woods just yet, but making progress.

 

Got it all beat into submission! LOL

I broke a fair amount of parts getting things out, but it is quite amazing how tough those old axles are. I can clean the lips up.



Next step is cleaning the axle now that everything is removed. I have 2 options.

1) use this Rust Doctor product which I have never used before. This turns the rust surface into a hard magnetite coating that resists rust. Has anyone used this product before? I have a bottle of each, which should clean and coat the backplates and axle. My only reservation is I haven't used it before.



2) my other choice is to use some type of etching primer for steel and spray everything with black heat paint. This is what I have done in the past and it worked well on some vintage parts.

 

NOTE: I changed the title on this thread to be more generic, I will just keep posting here while I rebuild this rear axle, carrier and later the drivetrain and transmission.

This is the original pumpkin:



This is the old ring, it's a 3.90:1 I have the pinion and ring. The pinion is in XLNT shape as this ring. Most of the 40s and 50s trucks had a 4.11:1 ring/pinion, so the 3.90:1 is a decent improvement. Not as good as a 3.55:1 or a 3.38:1 (with proper trans gears), but much better than original and will make a 3 or 4 speed usable on the highway. If you're interested in this set, ping me a message. I do also have an extra 3-speed Muncie transmission also, which is pretty tight.



This is the new ring on the carrier.

 

It is hot hot hot today...damn, it didn't used to be this hot in Cali...but it's been sweltering...next week may give some relief...I am still waiting to use the degreaser on my axle, but been a bit hot for me to get out in the heat...that axle is not fun to touch...DAMHIKT

I have a question for you hard line gurus. I have some 5/16" copper/nickel line I planned to use for my brake lines, the hard lines going up front are that size I believe. The hard line on the '55 Axle is 3/16", it looks tiny. Wouldn't it be better to have more brake fluid in the line? Trying to figure out of there is anything bad that will happen if I put 5/16" on the rear axle, the software are bigger than 3/16" I'm pretty sure...

Anyone have experience with hard lines on these vintage beasts?

EDIT: in rethinking this, the larger volume inside the line may result in less pressure, meaning a softer brake pedal that may lock up early. Can anyone confirm that? All of the OEM lines I show for a '56 (I use '56 to make sure I find Series II parts) look like 3/16" OD. I think I should play it safe. The rest of my parts won't be here until Monday/Tuesday, so I think I'll get one delivered local at O'Reilly's Auto.

 

Ok, this is the test I did today on one of the Bendix back plates. I literally sprayed it on and left it. The magnetite has a durable type finish that looks kinda wet still but it's dry to the touch. They mention using a wire brush on the bottle, but I didn't want to take too much rust off, that is what it uses for the finish. I need to finish this other backplate and the axle.




As a bonus, some parts came early, they were scheduled to arrive on Tues.

New wheel cylinders (right and left), parking cables (I pooched those on it), a new spring kit and parking cable boots.




EDIT: This is growing on me, the finish seems pretty durable without elbow grease

 

Now the Rust Doctor is growing on me. I am finished with the backplates and axle. I put another touch up coat on the backplates and did the axle today.




I think I used about 1/2 - 2/3rds of the Grease and Rust Doctors.

 

Just ordered new shoes. One plus over Huck brakes is that Bendix brake parts can still be bought from the local auto parts stores. I currently have Huck brakes on the front, but you can't get parts for those, so I had a place reline the shoes and turn them to the drums. Ordered a set from O'Reilly's Auto, will be in tomorrow.

 

This is the Tee fitting that connects the left and right wheel cylinders, a quick wire wheel and 2 minutes later it looks ok to me...sans the scratches, it won't be winning any beauty contest under the truck bed...It did turn out to be brass under all that grease...LOL

I guess that's a no-win for me, I spent $25 having Classic Parts of America ship the hose and Tee fitting and me sending them back. I saved $25 on the fitting to spend it on shipping...saving grace is I will never buy from Classic Parts of America again.

 

I have to stand corrected here. As it turns out you can buy SOME parts, but not all of the parts needed for the Bendix brakes from the 50s. There are 2 kits that are needed, besides the shoes. There is a Drum
Brake Self Adjuster Repair Kit and there is a Drum Brake Hardware Kit, this later one is the spring kit I already purchased. Unfortunately the Self Adjuster Repair Kit has a couple parts that I'm trying to reuse, as O'Reilly Auto doesn't cross reference anything in the 50s. Odd as it did find the correct Brake shoes...but...I digress...

I wish I had taken better pics, I don't have any of the setup before I took them apart, AFAICT. But I'm slowly figuring out how things go back together. I have the Right side up to connecting the springs and clips. In this pic, I'm re-using the top spacer, stud, split-washer and nut (above the wheel cylinder), and the brake arm that extends from the right side. I got some of it cleaned up, the parking arm is a bit dirty. The parking brake comes in from the left side, they go out to the rear.



And this is the old vs the new shoes. I believe these are the original shoes, the truck had about 40,000-50,000 miles on it. The 3 speed transmission is tight, unlike the one in my '46 which is loosey goosey...

 

I was able to cross reference a number from Summit Raching on O'Reilly's auto, I ordered the two and will check them out when they arrive tomorrow.

The part number is H1530, and it says it doesn't fit a 1955 Series 2, but it is for 11x2 Bendix brakes. Easy return at the store if it's wrong. Summit wants $12.99 to ship, and it will ship on Monday, arrive on Thursday. Can't beat O'Reilly's in that regard, they get it there the next day and don't charge for shipping if you send it to the store. I'll take my original to compare with.

https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/...e-truck-1956-chevrolet-truck?q=H1530-2&pos=21

Here's my original, it is stuck like a rock. Tried PB-Blaster, holding the pin end in the vise and trying to hold the wheel with vice grips, but no go. I was starting to damage a tooth on the wheel. The toothed wheel is accessed from the rear to adjust the shoes. I also learned something. Huck brakes adjust from the top rear, Bendix brakes adjust from the bottom rear.

 

While I wait until the adjusters come in tomorrow, I ordered new drums from Summit Racing. These were the most reasonable I could find for the stock 6-lug. I have 6-lug wheels and radials on my '46. My Bendix are 11" x 2". I wonder if those wider shoes and wider drums will retrofit on a narrow (2") size? Anyone know? The answer is most likely no, unless they make 6-lug, at least for me. I see some 2.25" drums, but they're 5-lug. No worries, these should stop just fine for my needs.

(linky pic)

 

Ok, continuing to inch forward on this axle refurb. I have the passenger side backing plates almost complete. The spring on the bottom was tricky to get around that wheel which is slightly larger than my original, and the springs on top proved to test things. But I'm getting closer and the new drums should be here today.

Still confused over passenger and driver's side backplates. I think I may have the wrong backing plate. Big shoe is supposed to go to rear as I recall, and this should be the driver's. Any of you familiar with the backplates and parking brake cable lever arm? I have the big shoe on the same side as the parking cable and I think it needs to be on the opposite side. Hmmm...

 

Ok, I decided to take the whole thing apart yet again, damn, I'm getting better at doing this...LOL

It looks the same, but in the above pic the cable entrance/hole is on the right side. This corrected version, AFAICT, has the cable entrance on the same side as the wheel. I *believe* this is correct now.

Corrected plate:



And this has the cable entrance on the opposite site. This should be for the driver's side, big shoe on the rear, wheel and parking cable entrance on the front.

 

The Bendix drums came today, made in China, but they look pretty nice. Not sure what that means about the cast iron...I will compare against the originals. My brakes look like they were relined once which I think makes sense for a truck with ~50k miles. Not sure about the rear drums, they may be good still, but I know they are worn.

Outside and inside of drums.


Test fitting on one of the backing plates. Fit is perfect. I'd give them an A+ at Summit Racing. $55.99 each with free shipping, arrived in 2 days when ordered on a Sat. afternoon at 3:30pm, they arrived at about 3:30pm on Monday! Not bad. To their credit, it appears they have a warehouse in Reno, NV which is where they shipped from. And the package was picked up on Sunday, arrived on Monday morning in Milpitas and at my door at ~3:30pm. $123 to my door.

As a comparison on cost, Classic Parts of America charges $59.99/ea + $20/shipping for 2. $166 to my door. I'm not here to toss them an extra $43.