All this talk about WIDE FIVES... talk to me here... TECH Q

A friend of mine is starting to collect parts for a early style hot rod and wants to run '37 ford rims/wide five drums with JUICE brakes. (Its a flathead powered coupe.)

What is the right combonation to turn the fronts to juice useing a stock '37 ford front?

Crestliner mentioned in another post that you cant run '40 ford backing plates b/c of clearance problems with the wheel cyl.?

So what is the correct combo? what parts do you need to find? I too have been wondering about this and maybe some of you guys can help answer the Q!


Thanks,
Tuck

 

No guarantees on this info, but this is what I have been told: Use any 39 to 48 backing plates and brake hardware, and use 39 drums and hubs. I was told the shoes are wider on the 39 and up, so that is why you use 39 drums. Had never heard about wheel cylinders hitting.

 

Basicly I have been told the same thing. I believe the hyd. brakes run a wider shoe due to the wheel cly. width. I have a friend converting a 36 at the present and he was going to run his 36 drums, but they won't work. Must run 39 drums.

 

now its just a matter of finding '39 drums...
is there some source you can buy them new or nos?

 

[ QUOTE ]
I have a friend converting a 36 at the present and he was going to run his 36 drums, but they won't work. Must run 39 drums.

[/ QUOTE ]

36 drums will not work on 37-48 spindles, the bearing spacing is different.

Somebody needs to verify in the "Green Book", but I have been told that 37-39 drums are the same.

Back in the 60's, my dad put 46 hydraulics on his 37 p/u and used the stock drums.

Neal

 

Stumbled upon this site awhile back...

http://www.vintageusedautoparts.com/ford.htm

Don't know if it will help or not.. tok

 

I have a set of 39 drums, and if you get me a measurement of drums shoe surface on 37 drums I will compare it with the 39's I think that the 37-39 are the same, but never confirmed it.

 

ok... i have a pair of '38 drums I could measure when i get back to the shop this weekend. It looked to me like they would work with the 40 backing plates? Now im really curious...

 

I am getting popcorn the suspense is killing me...

 

I wonder if grim is gonna ride his Mongoose to take the measurements?

 

hey Chris did'nt you want my '38 drums I can't remember who the hell I was saving them for? Pass me the bag of popcorn~~

 

Do you suppose it is possible that since there is conflicting info that the front drums from a 37-39 work on the front for juice brakes, but only a 39 rear drum will work on the rear for juice brakes or vise versa... Would make sense for all the conflicting info.

 

Ya that was me I still would be interested, but when I saw the tread I thought maybe they were gone. I found a set of supposed 39 drums at a swap a few months back...

You want butter...

 

yeah pass the salt too

the drums are all yours i have them sitting by my shop door and i couldnt for the life of me remember who wanted them from the city's.

im gonna write your name on the box!

maybe grim took a skate board... its taking more than 5 min.

 

Well Thanks, and let me know when you are around town I know your schedule is hectic. If it works out, I'll buy you a beer for your trouble.

 

Thanks Grim for the info and the help again... and Tuck keep pedaling there is a big hill ahead...

 

I was rideing a HOT PINK Hutch Ecel.. and those skinny foot pegs on my Dyno are getting hard to find. haha... did they really have trademark welds or were you just dreaming about Jimmy Shine again?

Thanks for the info Grim you're a ruler!

 

Tuck, I have everything he needs in my basement, drums, backing plates and all. PM me. Dave

 

im running the 39-48 with 39 wide 5 drums on my dodge. goes on just fine with no mods. looks slick as hell too. i really want to run wide fives in teh back too, i might get big ugly adapters for now.

 

You must use 39 drums with 39 or later backing plates to get wide 5 look, any thing else won't work.--TV

 

[ QUOTE ]
You must use 39 drums with 39 or later backing plates to get wide 5 look, any thing else won't work.--TV

[/ QUOTE ]

Thats because the 39 were hydrolics from the factory(first ones) and the earlier ones though they had wide five bolt pattern they were mechanical.

I also have 36 chassis out back with juice brakes. It has the 36 rearend and front end. so someone did the swap looks to be along time ago. I could get any measurements anyone needed also.

 

OK, so how do I tell the difference between a 37-38 drum and a 39? Are the 39's easily identified or do I need to look for a part #?

I don't want to be buying stuff that won't work with hydraulic brakes.

Neal

 

I diddn't know they had Fords in Canada.

 

I made a plate-[1/2" thick flat- with a 10" on five lugs pattern and 5-1/2"on five lug patterns and a 2-1/4" center hole and bolted em on my 29 RPU last year with the 9" rear.....

 

Here's the interchange dope straight from the Writings of the Ancients:
From the 1939 edition of the parts book, 1937-1939 drums are the same and all carry the 1937 part number. There are one and two piece variants from different manufacturers but all are interchangeable. The 1939 drums ARE 1937 drums. Parenthetically, Ford parts have a prefix that denotes year of introduction, and the number is used unchanged as long as part is used unchanged. Sometimes a later number replaces the part in the catalog if a changed design will replace the earlier.
Also, '36 front drums are different since they have the '32-6 bearing spacing. '36 rears apparently had a different number once, but had been replaced in the parts system with the '37-9 part, meaning that the interchange might or might not work the other way.
In the 1948 big orange part book, the '37-9 number for the front drums had been superceded by a drum from the 3/4-1 ton truck line.
By the way, I've heard but can't confirm that '36 front drums will work with hydraulics but of course only on the early spindles. 1937-48 drums can also be used on early spindles with an adapter kit.