Hot Rods '37 up Ford spindles . . .

I have a '30 Model A. If using '37 up spindles . . is there a hub/drum brake setup that is 5 X 4 1/2 BP ?

 

The easies and probably cheapest way is to use a disc brake kit.
If your using 39-48 passenger car brakes or f1 brakes you could have them drilled for 4 1/2 bolt pattern but all 4 1/2 wheels might not fit and some hubs might require machining.

 

I don't see any reason that a redrilled set of F-1 brakes wouldn't let a modern wheel fit. Fairly easy job for a guy with a rotary table on his mill. Or use one of those drilling jigs and your drill press.

 

yep....re-drill some `48-`52 F-1 or `53-`56 F-100 brakes , no big deal

i have them on all my cars and love them

 

When I was a machinist, I built a bolt pattern checker mold. Here's the bolt pattern sizes I used and hope this helps you in your redrilling process.

 

I appreciate everything guys. Yeah I knew discs would be easier, but I think I want drums. Is there anything significantly different between the years drums to look for?

 

39-41 Ford brake backing plates have 4 adjustment points per wheel and 42-48 have just 2 adjustments per wheel.. Sometimes the earlier ones can be hard to get adjusted right....

 

i use a drilling jig i built on a 5 axis control Mazak CNC machining center. i've used it dozens of times. it will do 5-1/2", 4-1/2" and 4-3/4" bolt circles

the jigs offered by RottenLeonard on here seam to be a good value if you don't have access to machine tools. then you can do it for others for $$$

 

I like the later backing plates better. Just be sure you get the right brake shoes they are different from the early ones.

 

Again, thank you very much. I'll look for some 42-48 setups.

 

Are the hubs the same early and later? So just the backing plate is what is different? And a follow up . . would everything from a 1956 F100 front axle work? Spindles and all?

 

There is a difference between '37 to '41 spindles ans '42 to '48.
I forget what it is though.
Maybe the radius where the inner bearing goes?

 

37 to 41 and 42 to 48 spindles are identical except for the backing plaster mounting flange and king pin length. The 37 to 41 spindles have a round flange where as the 42 to 48 have a square flange but use the same bolt pattern and accept any 39 to 48 backing plate. The 42 to 48 spindle uses the same diameter king pin but the pin itself is longer than the 37 to 48.

 

I don't have a mill for drilling the holes but I've used the circle template from Harbor Freight with great success. Place the plastic template over your existing hubs or axles and hand tighten the lug nuts. Then use the correct transfer punch ( centering punch) to lightly mark the hole which is clearly marked for the different bolt patterns. I then re punch the marks using a normal punch after removing the template and drill the punch marks with a 1/8 drill bit in a drill press. I then drill the correct size hole for the stud I'm using.
https://www.speedwaymotors.com/Bolt-Circle-Template,5951.html

Just picked this 47 Ford front end off Craigslist for $100 along with the 15" wheels that are on it.

 

Just my personal opinion, but there's no way in hell I'd trust a plastic gauge to center my wheel studs correctly.

 

x2

 

Your not drilling through the plastic template. I tough I made that clear.

 

1956 F100 spindles will not fit Model A axle. 37-41, 42-48, or 48-52 F1 truck will. The brakes from the 1956 F100 can be made to fit the 37-48 spindles and are a good option.

 

OK this is what I needed. So not the spindles, but everything else. So if I buy some aftermarket stock type spindles, I can use the brakes. You say made to fit . .meaning?

46caddy . . that was a deal!!

and I want to clarify what I'm doing. I have a Pinto/MII 8" rear axle hosing. That is a perfect fit for a Model A. So I need either both front and back to be 5 x 4 1/2 or 5 x 5 1/2. I could have special axles made with a 5 x 5 1/2, or a wheel adapter for the rear, to match the 5 x 5 1/2 front. And I assume I can use 60s/70/80s etc, Ford steel truck wheels?

 

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/brakes-f100-brakes-on-37-to-48-ford-spindles.5877/

Old thread, but info is there. Basically it's a matter of getting the correct bearings and some grinding may be required for clearance if using the 37-41 "round back" spindles. Do a search on f100 brakes and should turn up a lot

 

40-48 Ford car or truck wheels have 5-1/2"×5 pattern, as well as most Ford trucks up to relatively recent history

 

Thanks. Yes I have many Ford trucks, so I have some wheels. So running the 5 x 5 1/2 wheels would mean no alterations to the front, but still have to do something to the rear for a match. Or go disc on teh front Drums would look cooler.

 

Anyone know if these are early or later plates?

 

And also , something I can add . . .I see mentioned using brake drums up to '66 F100s. Well if '66s work, so do '67s. The '67 used the older bodystyle ( '66 ) brake system. It wasn't until 1968 that the suspension and brakes changed. But I guess the hub changed?? The bearings are the same, inner and outer, '66 and '67. So it seems a '67 drum/hub would work?

 

F-100 front drums are the same from '53 to '62 or so.

The bearing sizes were changed in '57; so only '53-'56 hubs are usable on early spindles.

The backing plates in the picture you posted look like '48-'52 F-1 or '53-'56 F-100 plates.

 

So why with this kit does Speedway reference you can use up to '66 drums?

https://www.speedwaymotors.com/Ford-F-100-Brake-to-1937-48-Spindle-Bearing-Conversion-Kit,5387.html

 

Just checking part numbers, a 53 drum has a different number than 66, although I have seen mention that they are interchangeable, at least with regards to this application. I know the 66 hardware is often used as it is self adjusting.

 

Saw these for sale on ebay some time ago. thought it was around hundred bucks for the kit.

 

Pretty cool Dan.
Chopndrop . .right, it is mentioned often. And what I'm saying is, if a '66 works, so does a '67. Anyone ??

 

Looks like front drums have same part numbers 64-67