Cutting Ranger drums to fit Shoebox???

OK, so i was at the local salvage yard today looking for a late model drum that would fit a 1950 ford rear end without having to swap backing plates, the 80's style Ranger has every correct mesurement except for the fact that they're too deep, has anyone ever CUT a drum in half in order to reduce the depth??? It'd be bitchin if this could be done, shoebox brakes would cost next to nothing to replace. Any help is appreciated.

Willy59

 

Any time your heating the drum unevenly you run the risk of warping them. It is a bad idea. Better keep looking for something you don't' have to cut up.

 

Why use heat? Use a cutoff wheel or turn it in a lathe until done.
Hell, I've turned all kinds of weird shit on brake lathes!

 

Your brakes are not the place to try a 1/2 ass idea on !

Just replace them with the correct drums !

RetroJim

 

I was thinkin the cut off wheel, after you take about an inch of these they look damn close to the originals, retro jim this is for a traditional beater rod built on the incredably cheap, new drums r out of the question

 

so you give up safety for saving a buck??? retrojim has some good advice.

why do you think those drums have a thick outer lip??you cut it off and you'll kill someones family and yourself when those drums explode.

 

I agree on using the lathe, the cutoff wheel idea isn't going to be nearly straight enough to keep things balanced...but there's gotta be drums out there that are identical to what you need, even if it means having a new bolt pattern added to them...

 

Well said! Never sacrafice safety.

 

Usually brake drums have a reinforcement ring toward the edge of the drum. I'd be concerned about that reinforcement, it was placed there for a reason.

 

I hate to sound like a jerk, but if you can't afford the correct brake drums maybe you should be focusing your energies on the basics (ie: food , clothing , shelter) and leave the build for better times.

 

Ya i hear ya on the safety thing, i was just wondering if anyone had ever tried this before, to expand the question has anyone used any late model drum on a shoebox???

 

there are some amc rambler brakes that were the same diameter and width.

 

bitchin', do u remember what years? also do they bolt up or do they require redrilling?

 

I really dont see anything wrong with it as long as it dont have a big lip that you are cutting off, i'd bubble ballance it afterwords and it would be safer just incase if you have a dual M/C

My t is gunna be running buick alum brakes that had the centers cut out and aftermarket wide 5 centers put in - yea the '37 ford bolt pattern

 

Wow this thread is starting to be come a little too scary for me to read !!!

 

i would say that cutting one in half,the lip would be gone..please don't encourage this behavior,i have 13 grandkids that travel up and down the roadways.

 

use the correct part

 

Just curious why exactly you need to replace your rear drums? Are they too thin to turn? In the past when I was on a budget I wouldn't get them turned if they were too thin. Sure the pads might get a little grooved but it'll stop safely. I also have mixed and matched brake parts from different vehicles but I always made sure in the case of either pads or drums they were the same dimensions as the original part.

 

If you cut up the Ranger drums please stay in Canada!!

 

Why not just use the entire Ranger rear? It should be reasonable close to the same width, it's still got to be cheaper than new shoebox drums, and safer.

 

What about trimming your backing plate so they slip over, might be a water trap though

 

I'll second that. Cheap and safe.

 

but wrong and gay too

 

This Guy thought it was a good idea....

 

every response to this idea should have been WTF! this kinda shit belongs on rat rod forums!

 

The Ranger drums came in two sizes. Not only are the drums different,but so are the backing plates. You would want to find a rear-end with the smaller brakes,usually the 4-cyl and small V-6`s came with the small brakes. Those are nice and skinny.

 

I'd rather be wrong and gay than cool and dead.

 

ass!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Yeah, by all means don't cut the drums.

Take your shoebox drum measuements with you to the wrecking yard, and check out all the older 60's, 70's and maybe some 80's Dodge Chrysler and Plymouth stuff. The Mopars share the same 5 on 4-1/2" bolt pattern that your shoebox has.

 

Replace the rear end or adapt some other brakes; at least this way you might be able to find parts again at a later date.