Drumming up ideas!

When you switch a II to five bolt, What drums do you use?? I have looked into having the axles re-drilled, that's easy enough. Is there a slip on rear drum for this aplication, with out putting on your fabricating helmit??? 60's Mustangs had 8" fords with 5 bolt pattern, can you use those drums with Mustang II shoes and backing plates???:shrug:
 
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Taken from http://mustangii.org/tech/tipsntricks/wheels-101.shtml

The rear for 5 lug can be accomplished several ways. Redrilling the axles and drums is the basic soution. have a machine shop weld p the 4 lug patttern and go to the 5 lug pattern of choice. Next is the bone yard aproach. Any 64-66 Mustang is the same drum to druma dn perch to perch measured axle as a MII. Meaning that the axles will directly replace for length and fit. find a 5 lug 64-66 Mustang or 63-67 falcon, or newer Versilles amnd get the axles, brake backing plates, drums and shoes and you are done. NOW note if you do the bone yard approach to make good notes of what you have because n the future you will order brake parts for the donor car not the MII. Lastly is the rearen swap.

The Versilles disc brake 9" is the rear os first choice, bolt in convenience, drear disc stopping power and easy Emergency brake adaptaion. understand though that the 9" is heavy, and inefficeint. Also, the 9" really only offers about a 25% increase in overall power handling capacity over a well built 8" so I only recommend going to the 9" in extreme cases and stilll would weight using an 8.8" from a newer
Mustang first.
 
There is a fatal flaw in the above information. The II 8" housing ends are not the same as any other 8" rear. They will not accept other axles without machining, as the bearings are different size on both the inner and outer diameters. The bearing retainer plates also have a unique pattern.
 
Dmoody, Do you have re-drilled II axles in your car?? I have concerns about the center hole, because I heard talk on this forum of opening up the center hole of Ranger drums. I drive my car, and I want to be able to have a car I can fix on the side of the road without a machine shop:D
 
so you mean that if i could find a 1976 granada with the 8" rear all i have to do is pull the the axles, press on the II's bearing retainers and just throw them in? i guess i'd also use the granada's drums? i would'nt have to swap out the backing plates? then i would have five lugs:nice: sweet. i wiould love to put on some crager ss wheels on the II.