49-54 chevy brake drums

I was wondering If front drums for the 49-54 chevy are interchangeble?

I thought I remember hearing that there was some differences in 52-54 from 49-51, but not sure.

Thanks phil

 

my master parts catalog shows a different part number between 49-50 and 51-54. I have found there are parts with different part numbers that will exchange anyways.

guess I'm no help at all.

 

Thanks, I guess I'll just have to pick up a set and see if they fit

 

49- 50 are different from 51-54

 

If I remember correct the 49-50 are huck style brakes and the 51-54 are bendix (sp?) which are much better and cheaper to get parts for.

 

thats it.

 

You can use the later ones if you use the backing plates and all if I remember right. -Jim

 

Yep, and the later ones are "self energizing" translated, they stop a hell of a lot better then Hucks that all early GMs used, as used in my '47 PU.

 

The tri fives will work on the 54 also. Drums will work.

 

The tri5s will work? I was not aware, I wonder if the old school conversion for the tri5 of using 61-64 Chevy car hubs to convert to roller bearing would apply as well??

 

I have the 49 p***enger car front suspension complete in my 54 GMC (lowered the truck 7 inches) just swapped in the 54 uprights complete with everything spindles backing plate drums took about 30 minutes each and lowers the car (truck) another 2 inches. now have self energizing brakes
do not care for disc conversion but would like to upgrade to self adjusting. any tips ot that?


Middle photo is the 49, right photo is the 54. see the spindle mount is higher (More centered)

 

wow thanks for the info everyone, I needed new drums for front of my 54 and came across a set of 1950 drums glad I didnt get them. thanks again

 

The tri 5 hubs will not work with the 49-54 spindels. Outer bearing is the same inner is different

 

325w, you are so correct as I looked in my parts catalog for IDs and the TRI5s are 1.250 and the 41-54s are 1.280, daggumit! But I did score a set of 54 spindles to hubs for using the hubs temporarily on my '42 Coupe for 5 lug rollers till the straight axle goes under it in the spring.

 

OT slightly, but does anyone know if a '52 Olds 88 use the same suspension? My buddy just got one and wonder if this trick would work on it?? I think it has 5 on 5 bolt pattern though........

 

Are the spindles still the same then on 49-54, just different drums and soforth?

 

No, 52 Olds isn't the same, the bolt pattern isn't even the same. GM cars were just about all completely different frame-wise until the mid-60s, but Olds and Pontiac share some pieces here and there. I think you'll find Olds the interchange on a lot of stuff is like '37-'56 or '57 though.


As for the Chevy, I think a '49-'50 drum might work in an emergency, the diameter appears to be close (going from memory swapping Huck to Bendix brakes on a '50), although the way they fit at the backing plate is different. But the 51-54 drum is easy to get - most anyone should stock them or have them available from a central warehouse, because the interchange on them is 51-58 front and rear and 59-67 (or 68, I forget which) rear only. I think they can be had in the $75 range brand new - made in Mexico or China most likely, though.

The spindle itself seems to be the same, I know '54 hubs and bearings went on my '50 spindles with no problems.

 

Thats great! Thanks rustynewyorker. I was replacing the kingpins on my 54 ch***is today and the p***enger side was so worn that one of the bushing would just fall through. My parts front end is a 50. Luke

 

I see Speedway offers a disc kit but some mention of machine work to the spindles is mentioned, anyone know what that is??

 

This is really old thread but very good info for me today. I'm pretty sure I have 49 -54 Chevy spindles on a dropped tube axel (probably Speedway) with Bendix style brakes. I am ***uming the drums and backing plates will be 51-54 since the brakes are Bendix style. They are 11 inch X 2 1/2 with a 2 inch shoe and the hub seems to have 3 rivets holding it to the drum. There is a round metal shield that seems to cover the seal of the inner wheel bearing but it was loose when I took off the drum. Should that shield be a light press fit into the drum? Thanks for all the previous info in this thread.

 

Huck brakes.

 

Thanks El Caballo, great information! Happy Thanksgiving!