Front brake drum questions.

[John H.]

I recently picked up some used brake drum parts for my 53, B-4-C truck from a seller on eBay. They were advertised for a 1948-53 truck and it appears to be what I need as far as the shoes and cylinders go. The deal also came with the backing plates and drums. Now, though the drums appear to be the same as mine dimension-wise they use wheel bolts instead of studs and nuts. Mine have the studs and nuts and I am wondering when Dodge went from bolts to studs on these trucks? Did someone swap drums at some point on my truck or is it correct? Are the drums I bought actually from a car of that period and not a truck? Trust me, I feel stupid for asking the question but I couldn't find anything searching elsewhere.

Thanks, John

[Tooljunkie]

my 51 1/2 ton pickup was wheel bolts. They all are. I cant answer about 3/4 ton and up. 
so likely yours may have been converted. 
i really prefer the studs/nuts and all of them being right hand thread. 
 

all i did was order studs and drill the bolt holes on my drill press. Pressed them in. 

[Los_Control]

My 1949 B1C had studs and nuts on the rear.

Old farm truck, farmer had swapped in a 1/2 ton front end so it had bolts on the front.

 

Just curious now if the 3/4 tons had studs/nuts front and rear?

Is it even possible to swap brake drums front and rear? Thinking center hole may not be the same.

Thinking the studs were good for dual wheel applications, but may have used bolts on front?

I really have no idea and will be quiet now 

[tanda62]

My 53 B-4-C has studs and nuts not bolts.  Also the drivers side are left hand thread, the studs have L stamped into them while the passenger side have R stamped into them. Hope this picture of the drivers side helps.

[Dodgeb4ya]

3/4 ton "C" model trucks use studs...not bolts like the 1/2 ton trucks ....on all four drums.

[Merle Coggins]

Also, the 3/4 ton trucks have a 5” bolt pattern and the 1/2 ton trucks have a 4-1/2” bolt pattern. It sounds like you got 1/2 ton drums. They’re not going to work with your 3/4 ton truck without several modifications. 

[Los_Control]

Also 3/4 ton are 11" drums while  1/2 ton are 10" ?

[John H.]

Hello, and thanks for the responses. Again, I have a 3/4 ton truck and the drums with studs and nuts. I am not planning on changing them out. The drums I purchased with the parts lot, I agree, will be for a 1/2 ton truck and it makes sense that this is the drum difference between them. Digging through the catalogs I feel the shoes, wheel cylinders and miscellaneous other parts should work on my truck as they are the same part numbers for both the 1/2 and 3/4 ton units. I feel like I still came out ahead as I can sell the 1/2 ton drums. I also have a set of drums from the rear end of a Chrysler, approximately 1948 if anyone's interested? Los Control, am I wrong in thinking I've seen trucks running 11" drums in the rear and 10" in the front?

Again, thanks much for the help.

John

[Los_Control]

38 minutes ago, John H. said:

Los Control, am I wrong in thinking I've seen trucks running 11" drums in the rear and 10" in the front?

I am actually ignorant on this issue. I know my B1C had the 11" brake drums on the rear with the 5,5" bolt pattern. While the front had the 1/2 ton front axle with 10" drums 4.5" bolt pattern.

As far as I know, the 3/4 ton just had a little heavier leaf spring pack, bigger brakes. Wheel base was a little longer and they offered a longer bed.

A trained eye can spot the wheel base and know it is a 3/4 ton and not a 1/2 ton. Really not a lot of difference between them.

 

I moved out of state and never got to finish that truck, I gave it to a friend.

Because the 11" drums are even harder to find then the 10", I planned on a rear axle swap and front disk brake conversion. For a daily driver this was simply the cheaper way to fix a bunch of issues.  That may not work for your plans.

Depends on if you want to restore, or repair and drive? My point is, 3/4 ton brake parts will not be easy to find used. Price of 1 new brake drum from ebay, would pay for a complete axle swap with modern brakes. For ~$2k you can put new brakes on that truck, for ~$400 you can do a axle swap with modern brakes.

 

Today I have a B1B and plan to keep it as bone stock as I can. Different truck with a different plan, And I have a spare rear end hoping to get 2 good drums out of 4.

If I run into brake drum issues, I will do the axle swap on this one.

Oddball trucks and just not a lot of choices for aftermarket replacement parts. For a price they are available.

[John H.]

Thank you much.

[Merle Coggins]

John H,

I believe you are right. I believe the 1/2 ton trucks have 10" brakes up front and 11" in the rear.   3/4 tonners are 11" all around.  

[tanda62]

My 53 B-4-C has 11" brakes all around.  I got some great parts from DCM including new wheel cylinders after trying to rebuild and failing with the original cylinders.  If you are going to redo your brake lines I highly recommend NiCopp lines - easy to bend with patience.

[Radarsonwheels]

My 54 3/4 ton long bed had the wheel bolts and nubs on the drums so you could hang the stock wheels on there while getting them bolted up. 
 

I didn’t even know I had a 3/4 ton until I tried to put a 1/2 ton rusty hope disc brake kit on it and the bearings/spindles were different (bigger). But back then I didn’t know much (still dont)

 

I ended up shaving the ‘hanger nubs’ off the drums when I went to new powdercoated ‘soft 8’ american racing wheels with chrome centercaps to replace my mismatched rims. They required you to hold them in the air while starting the first bolt.

 

Oh and my truck was 5 on 4.5” bolt pattern...

[John H.]

I guess that's what happens when you're working on an old vehicle. Every owner has made their mark somewhere along the line. I'm just going to take my time, photograph everything, and take notes. Again, I appreciate the help and input, and I wish you all well with all of the crap that's going on.

John.