Projects Ford brakes

I have a set of F-250 brakes. It seems they have a bigger bolt pattern. Can I just have them re drilled to 5x5.5 and run them on my 40 axle? I think they're 11" but been awhile since I cleaned the garage. Mike

 

F-250 brakes of the 50's should be 12". If they might be F-1 or 100 of the late 40's through mid 50's they would be 11". The F-1 and 100 have a 5.5" pattern.

Post some pics of your brakes so we can help identify.

 

I guess I wasn't very clear. The holes where the backing plates bolt to the spindles are a wider pattern than my stock ones I believe. All the hardware is good, linings backing plates and wheel cylinders what I wondered was could my backing plates be re drilled to fit my spindles.

 

I used F2 backing plates on my 42-48 spindles and they bolted right on. I believe that is true for F250 and F2 to around 1966 a least. I am sure that someone will correct me if I have a year wrong. What year was the truck you removed them from?

 

'48 - '56? F2 and F250 rear backing plates are usable too but require elongating the bolt holes slightly and I think the bore needs attention too .... can't remember from back when I did mine. Use F100 slave cylinders and 12" x 2" Bendix linings are readily available.
Use F1 (not F100) front hubs if you want to use 45 fin Buick drums mounted externally on the hub. Their OD needs a mild external bevel to suit the Buick's inside face contour and longer Dorman studs help too. Shrink fit a steel sleeve/ring onto the hub spigot to keep the Buick drum concentric. The usual inner bearing radius mod is required to fit the early ford spindles.
There are many tech threads on here about this conversion .... Rich B is one of the experts.

 

Good Information.

 

Do you have mechanical brake spindles? The bolt hole pattern on those spindles are smaller than the 39-48 spindles intended for hydraulic brakes. If you have the correct spindles, the newer brakes should bolt on, except for the inside bearing change. Speedway has those.