Brake Question

xrdhx

New Member
Nov 22, 2004
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Ok here’s my situation,
I have a 1965 fastback in the process of being restored. Last weekend I pulled the rear end and checked the brake drums for wear. The good news is the rear end is fine, but both drums need to be replaced as they are out of spec. I’m thinking that I’d like to upgrade the rear brakes by going to a 10” x 2 ½” rear drum like Shelby, but after a quick trip to the bone yard I found that I’ve got a small diameter (2.835) wheel bearing. Every car I found at the bone yard with 11” or 10” brakes used the larger diameter (3.15) wheel bearing. I even started looking for a disk brake set up I could use, but I haven’t found much that’ll accommodate my unique rear end. Did they make a rear backing plate that’ll accommodate the smaller bearing and a larger drum or should I just pony up the cash and go with a disk brake conversion? Also how unique is that type of rear end?

Thanks and sorry for the long post.
 
xrdhx said:
Ok here’s my situation,
I have a 1965 fastback in the process of being restored. Last weekend I pulled the rear end and checked the brake drums for wear. The good news is the rear end is fine, but both drums need to be replaced as they are out of spec. I’m thinking that I’d like to upgrade the rear brakes by going to a 10” x 2 ½” rear drum like Shelby, but after a quick trip to the bone yard I found that I’ve got a small diameter (2.835) wheel bearing. Every car I found at the bone yard with 11” or 10” brakes used the larger diameter (3.15) wheel bearing. I even started looking for a disk brake set up I could use, but I haven’t found much that’ll accommodate my unique rear end. Did they make a rear backing plate that’ll accommodate the smaller bearing and a larger drum or should I just pony up the cash and go with a disk brake conversion? Also how unique is that type of rear end?

Thanks and sorry for the long post.

If your not building a race car, you don't need to upgrade the rear drums, they don't do much to stop the car anyway.
 
WORTH is correct. In fact I still run drums on the race car. Had the disc set up but they were actually too much rear brake so I returned to the drums.

HistoricMustang
www.historicmustang.com

lowesbs1.jpg
 
Wow, thanks to all for the fast replies and good info. So you don't think I need to upgrade to a larger drum at least? What size drum is everyone running on their car?
 
I decided to save some cash and not change to rear disc brakes. I used this information to upgrade to 10 x 2 1/2 drums in the rear.

http://mustangsandmore.com//ubb/RearBrakesbySamGriffith.html

I used junkyard.com to locate the backing plates, $50 for the pair. I bought the remainder of the parts from a local parts store. Installation was easy, the rear was out of the car for other work, so I just bolted on the backing plates and finished it up after it was back in the car.

The hole in the wider drums is larger than the factory drums. I spent $60 to have a machine shop make rings to percisely center the drums on the axle. Save the cash, they are not needed.

I have the SSBC kit in the front, basically stock disc brakes and now these bigger rear drums. The car stops quickly and repeatedly without fade.
 
xrdhx said:
Wow, thanks to all for the fast replies and good info. So you don't think I need to upgrade to a larger drum at least? What size drum is everyone running on their car?

I have NEVER in my entire life upgraded rear brakes on anything. They don't do squat. Spend your money on other stuff.

If you want you can paint your drums Red and tell everyone they are Shelby Brakes :D