Hot Rods buick drums on a nine inch

are there any threads about putting buick drums on a ford nine inch rear? anybody done it?

i have a pair of 40 ford backing plates that i was looking at modifying to fit the nine inch bearing ends. that seems simple enough but then i got concerned about the drum being in the correct location.

if it all ends up working out, do i still need to remove the outer edge on the drum like i do when using the drums on 40 backing plates in the normal front axle application.

or would it be better to modify a set of the buick backing plates that came with the drums and have self-energizing brakes to start with? i never saw a set of stock buick backing plates so i wouldn't know how they look compared to the 40 ford plates.
the 40 backing plates are handsome, especially when drilled.

 

Try John's Industries - they have a kit - and they are great to deal with!

 

thanks for the info but i think i'll stick with (prehistoric) parts, besides, those new drums of theirs look funky. remind me of street rod stuff

 

Whatever 12" backing plates you want to use will work. Might take a little adjustment for drum depth. I don't recall what the offset of the Buick backing plate is but it might be compatible with a bit of work on the center hole. A 12" Buick finned drum will slip right over the drum for 11" diameter brakes for a 9" Ford rear end...a little street rod-ish but hardly discernible once installed.

 

i thought the buick drums would fit over the ford. i really don't want to half ass this

 

I have done several sets for my cars. I use the rear 12' Buick backing plates and rework them to fit the large bearing rear Ford 9' housing. A simple hand tool task. Take a rotary sanding disc and open up the hole to fit the bearing and weld up one hole and re-drill using the housing end for an accurate fit. The offset is the same as the rear ends I use 2 1/4". I had new axles made to fit by Dutchman who have all the measurements. The hub register must match the hole in the Buck drum. Here are some photos of what I did.



The plate has been modified and new axles were slid into place.

The fit is perfect for shoe engagement and backing plate offset.

Here is the finished product. Sorry for the "street rod" look but you can use a spring with this set up also. All pre 60's parts.


The drums are off the rear of a 60 Buick LeSaber…12"


If you look close, you can see where I modified the bottom right hole to fit the 9".

 

Will the Buick drums accept being redrilled to 5 1/2" bolt pattern?

 

Sweet, always wondered about this.

 

I get it - seems spendy - but if you don't have any of the parts on hand (drums backing plates, hardware etc) and have to buy new axles as above or change bolt patterns, etc, etc.....the price can actually start to look OK (a basic drum set up for a 9" costs $450-$500) I think the street rod thing is due to the polishing....with a wheel on and satin finish I doubt you would see a difference......Still, if you have the time, access to the parts in-expensively, and the skill to machine the parts yourself DIY is the way to go (like a true hotrodder)

 

That is done all the time on these drums, you end up with two sets of holes evenly spaced much like a multi-fit wheel with two bolt patterns.

 

I have to admit I find it amazing to pay attention to such detail. to me... to go the cheapest way with what will work or completely stock to avoid any work. but that's part of the mystique of doing things to impress and blow away the others. maybe that partially explains why I have crap. I just put up with what others have done. that I'm not willing to put in the time in the engineering to make something that will be spectacular.

 

Yes, those in the picture are 5 1/2" bolt circle.

 

thanks, i didn't forget about the hub register. i don't have the buick hubs separated from the drums yet. i was hoping they would work with nine inch axles or that the ford was slightly larger and could be turned down.
i think i would rather go the buick backing plate route than modify a 40 ford backing plate.

 

one more question, does buick use the same backing plates front and rear or are they different? @Pewsplace

 

subscribe

 

all this talk about modifying the backing plate, what about modifying the bearing ends to accept a 40 ford style backing plate? then i can run wilson welding finned aluminum backing plates that match the drums on all four corners. just a thought.

 

Don't think the Wilson backing plate will allow you to run a E brake for the rear. Would look cool though

 

Rick, I used the WW fined backing plates on the QC in the '32 I sold last year. I ordered them to the big bearing diameter. I had intended to run a disc brake on the input yoke. I think a clever guy could make a flange for a cable through the finned plate though.

Charlie

 

charlie, big bearing ford as in big bearing nine inch ends? i didn't know they were available that way. i believe that would be the way to go then.

 

Yes, they went right on. It was awhile ago - 12/13 years but I'm sure I called Bob and ordered fronts for 37/41 spindles and the rears for the big bearing 9" (not Torino). He will also drill front hubs to your needs too.

Charlie

 

cool beans

 

I have a set of WW finned aluminum backing plates for the front of my roadster to replace the Lincoln ones there now for a future project. Buick drums on front now.
WW has a rear set for big bearing 9" Ford, and I could weld new bearing ends on my small bearing rear end housing and get new axles and go that way, but I'd like to use the Moser axles I have in it now, so I hope somehow to figger out a way to go that way to install the other pair of Buick drums I have on the rear.
Had thought about using a disc brake on the rear of driveshaft on U joint. I'm confident it'll work as a PARKING brake, but still remember all to well a cousin of mine back in the 50s speeding down the road, seeing a cop on the side, and to avoid the cop seeing brake lights, he pulled up emergency brake to slow the car.
Only trouble was, the car was a Nash with parking brakes on rear of trans, and it fucked up all manner of shit when he gave then a full on at speed. Definitely would need a way to "feather in" those brakes if used in an emergency application due to hyd brake failure!

 

Just wondering if the backspace on the Buick backing plate is deep enough to allow the use of a '40 style front drum on the Ford 9" axle flange in an effort to facilitate mounting '35 wires without the 1 1/2" spacer necessary to mount them to a flat drum surface. Maybe a thinner spacer inside the drum between the drum and the axle flange? Anyone with any hands on experience here? How about you Pew?

 

The title of this thread reminds me of an old joke :

An attractive woman walks into an old time record store and asks the owner : "Do you have 'Hot Lips' on a 10 inch?".

He says "No, but I have two balls on an 8 inch."

She asks : "Is that a record?".

He replies : "No, but it's better than average!".

Sorry, but ever since I saw this thread the first time, this has been rattling around in my head and I had to get rid of it.

 

does anyone have a part number for a longer wheel stud? i'm using 46-48 ford hubs and the stock wheel stud is too short if it has to go through the 1/4 inch buick drum first before going into the hub.