Getting close with my 1956 NAPCO GMC F350. I've been restoring it for a few years. I'm having trouble figuring out how to get the front drum brakes apart. I have done brake work on BIG Chevy's before but never on BIG Napco axles. Does anyone know the secret to getting the drums off? Thanks
Post a pic or two of the hub/drum. That will help us help you. Maybe a BFH?
Kevin 1951 Chevy 3100 work truck Follow this saga in Project Journal Photos 1929 Ford pickup restored from the ground up. | 1929 Ford Special Coupe (First car) Busting rust since the mid-60's If you're smart enough to take it apart, you darn well better be smart enough to put it back together.
I was looking at it today and I can't really tell if it's one piece, hub and drum together? I was going to try taking out the 8 allens, and the big nut that's under that cover, and seeing if that would let it come off. I got side tracked mounting the tires on the 3 piece rims. Took me a month to sand blast and paint so I was anxious to see the tires on the rims .Much much easier to mount those tires than to disassemble them. Thanks, I hope the pictures help.
Hy hotshoe99, I have a book which covers 54-55 Napco driving axles, the 1 1/2, 2 ton brake drum is mounted inboard of the hub, so it looks like the hub will have to come off and the wheel studs removed to get the brake drum off, Hope that helps.
Last edited by 3B; 07/15/20224:14 AM. Reason: change if to of
If the hub/drum assembly can come off, there's really no need to take the drum off the hub if you just want to do the brakes. Not much different than my '51 1/2 ton front brake drums that are pretty securely fastened to the hubs with the studs as well as a couple screws.
Once those allen bolts come out, that cap should come off the axle shaft (female splines on the cap) and the bearing nut should come off, allowing the hub/drum assembly to be removed as a unit.
Kevin 1951 Chevy 3100 work truck Follow this saga in Project Journal Photos 1929 Ford pickup restored from the ground up. | 1929 Ford Special Coupe (First car) Busting rust since the mid-60's If you're smart enough to take it apart, you darn well better be smart enough to put it back together.
Got it done. I learned something about the front wheel cylinders. The wheel cylinders are the same ones that are on my 1/2 ton Napco.I still get them at O'Reilly's no problem.
Got it done. I learned something about the front wheel cylinders. The wheel cylinders are the same ones that are on my 1/2 ton Napco.I still get them at O'Reilly's no problem.
What's the bore size of the wheel cylinders? The 2-wheel drive 1/2 ton trucks use 1.125" bore and the 1-1/2 ton use 1.5" bore...hard to believe NAPCO used the same size cylinder for both...
Mike B
Mike Boteler
1956 Chevy 3100 Resto Rod 1952 Willys M38 Army Jeep 1983 Jeep CJ7 Laredo 1984 Jeep CJ7 +++++ Silver Spring, MD
I just took a quick measurement, with a tape, of both sides of the wheel cylinder. One side is 1 1/4 and the other is 1 3/4. The old one, made in U.S., has the size written on it. I'll look for it tomorrow.
By the way, I'm also a member of the Napco forum, I guess I haven't signed in there in a while and now it seems to be only on facebook? Is that correct? I don't facebook.
