9 Inch small bearing rear end - need brakes

I just went through this on a 61 starliner 9"
The backing plates and brakes off my 68 mustang 8" rear were a direct bolt on.
One place I found the damn drums for the starliner was $149 each.
Oreillys didnt even have starliners in the books and the other fords didnt have the same brake widths.

 

Those both look 2 3/8" (which is most common) to me.

 

Found this pic (if its accurate), shows the small bearing to be 2.36 (just under 2 3/8)

So the question still remains, COULD I assume that any 9" small bearing brakes would work on this? I realize 8" rears need to be measured, but SHOULD all small bearing 9's be the same offset?

 

In your pictures, your rear looks exactly like mine. It is a 8" from a 55-56 Ford w/small bearing. I went through the same thing you are going through when I replaced my brakes.

I eventually used '79-'86 F150 brakes which are 11" w/2.25" shoes. The only problem I had was that the drums were binding on the circumference of the backing plates after lugs were tightened. I made 1/4" thick spacer plates.

Let us know what you finally decide, and how it works out.............Woody

 

I don't believe the eight inch Ford rearend came out until 1962, when the Fairlane debuted.

There are different offsets for small bearing rears. In particular, the earlier ones (approximately 1965 or 1966 and earlier) are different than the later ones. I found this out when I bought a '59 rear end, and my '67 brakes wouldn't fit.....

 

Ok, bringing this back up....

I measured the 8" rear maverick brakes and it seemed to be about the same offset as this early small bearing 9". I took off the brakes and installed them onto the 9".

Everything seemed to fit no problem. Couple of questions now.

1) Would I know if it will work or not by looking at it? meaning if it fits, it will work? or will I just not know until i install it? Everything is flush and looks fine to me.

2) the axle bolts on the 9" are too thick to go through the 8" drum holes. Is this expected, would I just drill out the drum holes to make it fit?

3) The 8" backing plates only have 4 mounting bolt holes. The 9" retainer and axle has 5 holes. Is this expected, and OK to just omit the one hole when using 8" brakes?


basically this is what the 9 inch axle bolt pattern looks like (5 HOLES)




Which is bolted to this - Only 4 holes




thanks

 

Don't worry about the fifth hole on the bottom, it doesn't get used.

 

A rule of thumb for the backing plate bolt diameters: smaller bolt=small bearing, larger bolt=large bearing. (that 5th hole means nothing)

Have you determined what 9" housing you have, IE what it came out of?

 

The hits just keep on coming

I dont know for SURE what it came out of. It was said to be a 57-59 model 9 inch. Actually bought it from another hamb'er on here.

I am 99.99% sure its a small bearing. By the measurements I have taken about 10 times, it just cannot be a big bearing, doesnt even measure close to big bearing.

this was the info on the ad...

So are you saying if the bolts are big, then it "should" be a big bearing?

this is too much , may be easier to throw an 8" posi chunk in the rear in the car now and be done with it. Or just go to disc brakes would be easier I guess.

 

Yes I used a setup from an 8" on my small brg 9", axles and brakes are the same.

 

Do you recall the 9" axle studs being larger than the 8" drum holes? Thats what I am running into now, and dont know if its normal, or if something is still just strange here...

 

in 29 years of Ford using the 9", there are bound to be differences. backing plate bolt sizes are no exception, lol.

'57-59 9" axles with 52" (flange to flange) width are the same as '62-65 Fairlanes, '65-66 stangs, and '64-65 Falcons with 8" rears. Which is about the narrowest 9" you'll find. Of the 8" applications I listed, it's a matter of finding the biggest brake combo offered (and using those shafts as well). Probably a Fairlane station wagon if I had to guess. Anything else is a matter of combining parts and doing some machining. A small bearing early Bronco might be another possibility. (bolt pattern for lugs is bigger though.)

 

ok, well I appreciate all the information...maybe I am just not the sharpest tool in the shed here (no comments please), but I still DONT know if what I DO have will work or not. That is what I want to know. I realize there is hundreds of possibilities out there, but I have 2 possibilities at home that I want to know if they will work. if they wont i will move on. if so, then great i am done.

Is there anything more that I could provide to help someone say, yes, or no?

 

Maybe I read it wrong, but you have a 57-59 9" rear end that you want to use Maverick 8" backing plates and drums on? 1.75" width?

If so, it should be ok. The housing width is the same for 75-77 Maverick 8" rears, 71-74 V8 Maverick 8" rears, 49-51 Fords, and 57-59 9" rears. What drums you use, you have to use those shafts to match for length.

PS: might be a 1/4" difference between the shafts, IIRC

 

Yes, this is correct. Well I think its a 57-59 rear, but I dont really know how to confirm that 100%, since there are other years with round back 9" rears as well.

So even though we have the 1/4" difference, you think its ok to go with these maverick drums and plates? If so, do I need to drill out the drum holes to fit the axle studs? Anything wrong with doing that?

 

My .02 is go to a boneyard, find a small bearing 9", pull from vehicle, scavenge everything useable. Take the ID of the vehicle and hit local parts store for shoes/pads or whatever. 9" rear ends go for $25-$50 in junkyards around here.

 

There are three flange patterns for a 9" as they came from Ford.
1. Mustang small bearing 2.835" dia.------2" x 3 3/8" hole pattern----3/8" SAE stud
2. Big bearing/big Ford---3.150" bearing----2 3/8" x 3.5" H.P.----7/16" stud---(Used on pickups too)
3. Torino 3.150" bearing---2" x 3.557" H.P.----3/8" stud
*H.P.=hole pattern


The fifth hole (in the bottom) is to allow oil to leak outside of the drum.

I have a pair of 67 Mustang backing plates that should work with your early 9"

 

Ok, update on this thread....I bought some new wheel studs, popped out the old, put in the new ones from summit...

I installed the brakes from the 8" maverick, everything looks ok to me. Thoughts here?

 

I don't know what the backing plate to axle offset was on an 8" to know if this should work but it seems like the 9" offset is greater than the 8" based on how little the backing plate is recessed into the drum. Could just be the drum design. What you need to know is if the shoes are riding in the center of the friction area in the drum. You can do this by measuring the drum and measuring the axle or just putting a big glob of clay on the thin edge of the brake shoe then put the drum on and see how much it compresses.
If it mashes it all out then it's going to rub. If the friction area is 2" wide, the shoe is 1.75" wide and the clay is still .5" tall after being compressed then you know you aren't centered. In this example youd want the clay to be about .125" tall after being compressed. Crude, but it works and we're not talking about precision work.
If it checks out you're good to go.

 

Thanks, I will see what I can figure out here. I cannot get a handle on it because some say its a small bearing 9, an 8" brake set will work, period. others say no, have to check offset.

I thought having the small bearing 9 was bad luck, harder to find brakes for, but talking to a classic mustang shop, he says he ONLY buys small bearing 9's because of the fact you can use 8" brakes. In his words, you got the best 9" available, easy and cheap to put brakes on. He also said just put on the 8" brakes and be done with it, he does it all the time.

 

I'm dragging this thread back up because I have a 57 9" under my roadster.
The O/B put Mark Williams axles in it, with a 2" offset. He was running GM Intermediate front calipers on the back. I'd like to install a drum setup so I could have an emergency brake.
I've been told to simply press off the bearings, have a 3/8" spacer made,put it on the axle first, and press the bearings back on. Does this sound right to you guys? I have to go to a machinist anyway as I will still have to turn the centers of those M/W axles to take a stock brake drum, the boss in the center is about .250 too big. Thanks, Mike

 

btt

 

I know of many guys that took the 8" backing plates from an early Mustang , Comet , Maverick and so on then used them . You can also use bigger 9" backing plates as well and just re drill them . Same goes with the brake drums . If they don't have the same bolt pattern you can re drill them . I would find a salvage yard and do some shopping . Sure would be a lot cheaper than any mail order set up for parts .

Retro Jim

 

Mike if you want an emergency brake why don't you look into the set up that works off the drive shaft ? It's a disc that goes in-between the D/S and the pinion yoke . There are some kits I have seen in , "pardon me for saying this" , street rod parts catalogs about 4 years ago . Worth a try .

Retro Jim

 

The disc deal on the drive shaft is OK for a parking brake; but I would not consider the caliper and pads large enough to be a very effective emergency brake.

 

Just go to the U-Pull-It or whatever they call it in your neck of the woods and find a set of drums and backing plates on a Ford, like a Granada or a Maveric or something along those lines.

Small bearing rearends are as common as anything else. The only part that is different is the backing plate mounting holes, everything else is the same.

 

Jim,
A pinion brake may well be my best option. After all, the GM intermediate discs had no problem hauling the car down from 130. I don't however have any "real world" experience with one. Here in Texas, a "parking" brake, supplemental to the hydraulic system is required to pass inspection. I'm going to use a Speedway kit on the front that uses the same calipers, and I'm sure that will be enough for a T- bucket style car.
As far as the drums,it's the challenge of fitting something that everybody tells me "I can't get there from here". Thanks, Mike

 

Ford uses 1/2" studs on about everything.