I will be installing a 3.00 geared 9" on my '59 F100 to replace the 4.11 it has now,it is out of a late 60's Torino with the smaller bolt pattern.... I have a full set of Wheel Vintiques steel wheels that I custom painted in the smaller bolt pattern but need to convert the front drums to match...what are my options? does anyone sell drums already converted?...do I need to buy new drums and have them re-drilled, since I probably need to replace anyway. Thanks JP
Unless you are dying to use the new wheels, just swap the third member (assuming it is same 28 spline axles). Sell the new wheels you have and get something that has the 5 x 5.5 bolt pattern of the truck. You should be able to redrill and hubs and drums for the smaller pattern. The hubs need to be done accurately by machinist, but the drums you can do yourself.
The 9 in the truck is 31 spline, i should be able to use the r&p right? It doesnt matter that the donor is 28 spline
The 69 Torino rear end is 31 spline? Or the truck's old rear end? There weren't any 31 splines in anything before 1964. Front can be converted to 5 on 4 1/2" by switching to 11" car drums, just match up the bearing inner diameter. You could also use the wheel adapters that bolt on the 5 1/2" studs and have their own 4 1/2" pattern studs. They are usually about 3/4" thick or so.
The Torino is 28 spline and I thought the trucks was 31, just because its in a truck. Would I have to call Timken or another manufacturer to find the appropriate inner diameter? The thinnest adapters that I found were 1 1/4 " to wide for the front as I flipped the front axle.