Long time without a post. Need advise, help! I have a 1959 ford rear end from a ranch wagon, (Big Bearing) I can't seem to find new Drums, shoes or wheel cylinders for. Does anyone know of another later model that the backing plates, and all the other parts (Drums, shoes, wheel cyclinders) that may go on this particular rear end. The axles stick out farther from the housing on this rear than the others. Would it just be easier to start with another rear end that I can get parts for? I have just about exhausted my resources for parts.
drums may be a issue, but shoes hardware and wheel cylinders are available on Rock Auto. https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/ford,1959,ranch+wagon,4.8l+292cid+v8,1337015,brake+&+wheel+hub
I have always hoped that some knowledgeable Forum member/s may start a Ford 9" brake Thread so we could have a lot of this information all in one place... I am guessing here, but think some of the early Ford Galaxy brakes up to the mid 60's could fit...
I have a 59 Station wagon 9 inch with big bearings under my 28. It has 2 1/2" wide shoes on it and I can't find new ones.
I'm pretty sure those 2 1/2" wide shoes are the same as the mid 60's Galaxy that I mentioned earlier.
Yea, just got off the phone with Currie. I wonder how old this add is? $775.00 now. Guess ill keep looking. Thanks anyway.
Freddy if they are 11” check the last F-150 drums. I think 1994. I have them on my 8.8 redrilled for 5 on 4-3/4. They are 2-1/4” wide.
Thanks! I'm going to research that. Are yours big bearing? Something about 2.263 bearing offset, spacing on the hub where the backing plate attaches, 1/2" bolts to hold everything together, ahhh,,,,
As I mentioned earlier, try Yogi's They also have a disc conversion for not much more. https://www.yogisinc.com/YJ823-BBL
Funny that you mention the snapping axles Elcohaulic. I had a 1950's Cadillac diff narrowed for a project and discovered that the axles were quite tappered from large diameter at the bearing to small diameter at the center. I asked the diff guy as I was amazed how slender they got, he said it was so they would flex under load rather than snap... While doing the narrowing he also added tapered bearing F150 rear drum brakes for me. They cost like nothing when I went shopping for them...
More 9" sticker shock... I had to shop around lately to find brake parts for my F100 rear. (out of a '60 F100) Kanter has parts. Fair prices.
Try Thunderbird headquarters located in Concord Ca. They have 11-1/32x 2.5 drums,and shoes for 58-62 T birds. I bet they are the same as your car.
As mentioned the wagon 9" rears had the wider shoes and drums. Maybe some early F100 models could work but with a 5 x 4-1/2" bolt pattern done. Can't comment about the axle flange offset but several models did have varying amounts. Please post your findings, it may help us all in the future.
On my big bearing '59 rear axle; I used 1-3/4" F-100 rear shoes and F-1 front drums. I had to face off the lip of the drum a little to clear the backing plate and drill the drum to 4-1/2" along with machining a centering ring. I thinking you could go with wider shoes if a Bronco drum was used. I used the narrower shoes as they a stock sized match with my F-100 front brakes.
Early 60"s 9 inch had 2-3/8 offset at the axle end/backing plate.The later,about 68 Ford changed to 2-1/2 off set at the axle end with matching backing plates. The flange pattern,and bolt size changed too. Dont mix drums between them as you may come up 1/8 inch short.....or long.
I had centering rings made for my 8.8 when the F-150 drums were installed without them from the builder. Once many years ago when drums didn’t sit on the purchase on narrowed racing rear end I applied the emergency brake, drilled the drum/hub, tapped a 5/16” course thread, then tapered the hole for a flathead screw with an Allen wrench sunken head. The stud holes were a little too big to suit me. Later in the 90’s I found this on Honda’s I bought.
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