drum brakes for my chevy spindled tube axle

I am building a 27 roadster pickup with a tube axle and the one I got already had disc on it. Its a speedway deal that is chevy spindles. I really would rather run drum brakes what is the best way of going about this. Will 50s chevy drums fit on it. I just didn't understand what exactly is chevrolet about these spindles. Thank you in advance for the info

 

The Speedway Chevy spindles are a copy of 49-54 Chevy spindles I believe. 49-54 drum brakes will bolt right up.

Most fabricated tube axles have been and are made to fit 37-41/42-48 Ford spindles, early Econoline spindles, or 49-54 Chevy spindles.

 

Thank you. I wasn't sure if it was considered a chevy spindle jus because it held a factory chevy disc or because it was a copy of a different drum.

 

The common Speedway disc brake kit for the Chev spindles required the spindle snouts to be machined.

Stock Chev hubs won't fit if your spindles are either Speedway spindles or modified original Chev spindles.

There are some pictures on Speedway's web sight showing the changes for comparison.

 

Also you probably want 51-54 brakes, they're a lot better than 49-50 brakes.

 

X2 if it's all speedway they have been modified.

 

Then what you are saying is that hubs for a Camaro with the proper wheel bearings will fit correct?

 

But maybe the axle will hold a stock pair of Chevy spindles? Then you can bolt the 51-54 brakes on them.

 

I have the same setup on my 26, I think they call it the classic in the catalog. Anyway I am using front drum brake setup off a 54 Chevy car, works great.

 

Did you use a stock car spindle or a speedway spindle?

 

If you have this Speedway modified spindle http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Speedway-1949-54-Chevy-Car-Modified-Spindles-Only,3302.html the 49/54 brakes won't work. You can see the areas that have been machined for the later tapered bearings to fit.

A guy might be able to do some bearing matching and find a set of bearings that would match the 54 hub to the modified spindle though and then you would have the best of both worlds with a 54 drum and tapered bearings that didn't need adapters or have to be ordered from a special supplier.

 

Those are the spindles I have. Can I jus use a stock 54 spindle on this axle

 

Stock Chev spindles should fit the axle with no problems.

Be sure to get the '51-'54 Bendix type brakes as previously mentioned.

 

Yeah mine are spindles & brakes. Not the best pics I know.

 

ok guys i bought some 52 chevy backing plates and 54 chevy spindles for my axle and i have a good sized space between the mounts on my spindles and backing plates do i just put spacers between them??? thanks again guys

 

Been a while; but the steering arms go in between the spindle and backing plate on the lower bolts and I think there was some sort of spacers at the top too.

I've used both the stock lower arms and some old MAS lower arms in the past along with making a slingshot style upper arm that incorporated the top spacers. Can't remember whatI used on top on the cross steer set-ups.

Would be pretty easy to make some spacers out of heavy wall DOM so you could reuse your Speedway bolt on arms.

 

Be careful if you decide to change spindles !!! It is my understanding that the spindle as used on original beam axles have a different king pin inclination than those used on the A-arm type found on cars. Getting them mixed up can set your wheels to far apart at the top of the wheel. You may want to check with Speedway to find out if their spindles are copies of the truck or the car. 52-54 car hubs and drums (Bendix Style) will bolt to both the car and the truck spindle (and the were spacers).
If you are still in doubt check with Sid Drapel at www.droppedaxle.com. I am as old as dirt and the old way was to use a 54 Chevy 1/2 ton beam axle and spindles with 54 Chevy passenger car backing plates and drums. Tube axles (Ford Style) I am not sure of ..... Check with Speedway or dropped axle (Sid) Good Luck, Jeff

 

Yes, there are spacers between the spindle and backing plate. And i think the steering arm goes on the "back" of the spindle, not between the spindle and backing plate.

The length of the spacers is kind of critical, it would be nice it you could find some originals to measure at least.

 

Speedway's site says the kingpin angles are machined to fit their axles. Will the new spindles have the correct angle when used on a Speedway axle?

 

Of course they will, all this was started using modified OEM Chev spindles, back in the dark ages, before anyone imagined a need or market for aftermarket spindles.

 

You will (may) need to make some spacers but once you have the backing plate fitted up to the spindle it is pretty easy to see what needs to be done. Spacers need to be made when you swap 54 Car backing plates onto 47/54 Pickup spindles but I am not positive if they are needed for the car spindles.

The best approach is going to be setting the backing plate on the spindle and seeing how things line up and taking it from there.

I wouldn't sell or give the disk setup away quite yet though as even though you are bent on having the drums you might not like the way they stop if you aren't used to drum brakes. We are getting younger guys now who have never driven a drum brake car and some who haven't driven a disk/drum car who find that drum brakes take some getting used to.

I'm like couple of the others here though in that if the axle already has Chevy style spindles on it why do you need new spindles?

 

You don't say what style of disk brakes you have now. Generally, Speedway sells a couple of different types of disk brake setups. The ones that use a Pinto style rotor and caliper need to have the spindle machined, and after you do this then you cannot put factory GM drum brakes back on them. The other type that Speedway and others sell nowdays uses a Camaro rotor and a GM caliper (Metric or Impala depending on which mount you use). These use a sweat on spacer bushing on the seal surface. If this is what you have, then you can cut it off and put the drum brakes back on it with no problems, because the spindle hasn't actually been modified.
Maybe you got one of the high dollar Wilwood setups that use a stock, unmodified, spindle. Don't know without seeing what you've got.
Bud

 

Here is a crappy picture showing the top spacer which is a formed piece of metal.

The steering arm is between the spindle the backing plate and acts as the lower spacer.

 

speedways spindle accepts a mustang two rotor, is shorter on the end than factory gm spindles. no adapter used on it. you can use original spindles on it same inclanation, same everything. and then drums fit them. I have a complete set up off of a 51 chevy bus coupe with everything for 100 bucks.. including spindles arms etc. decent shape in okla might be able to get to the hamb drags with someone for ya ?

 

Here are a couple pics of mine with the spacers, they measure 3/4"