Hey guys, new to the forum here but I’m struggling with a truck project and I hope you can help.
For starters I’m fairly familiar with newer cars but there’s definitely things in this truck that are taking me to school.
I have a ‘59 Viking and the brakes have effectively given up the ghost. The pedal pushes to the floor with very little effectiveness but the emergency brake functions correctly. When I place the vehicle on Jack stands and spin the wheels they spin with little to no resistance, as if the shoes aren’t connecting the drums at all.
But that’s just the start… evidently somewhere in the life of this truck a brake conversion was done. I have 8 lug drums on the front. I can only find reference to 5, 6, and one reference to 10 lug front brakes on this car.
Additionally, I worked that dust cover with a pie of channel locks for an unreasonable amount of time and couldn’t get it to move. I see that the dust cover is faced like it’ll accept a wrench or socket. Is it possible it’s threaded? When I break the tools back out to work on it I can just try a socket but wanted to see if anyone recognized it. L
Can anyone help me identify these drums and guide me to where I can find parts to arrive this vehicle, I’m quickly learning that my dreams of swinging by autozone whenever I need parts were exactly that.
Hy Dustin59viking, welcome, the hub cap on that hub does indeed unscrew it is standard right hand thread. That hub and drum assembly looks like it is from a one ton truck, the largest of the Apache series. When dealing with brake issues we always recommend a complete rebuild, everything, hard steel lines as they rust from the inside, flexible lines, wheel cylinders, master cylinder and return spring kits, not to forget new brake linings and turning your brake drums to a nice flat surface if they are not already too far oversize. It is a big project, but better you and everyone around you is safe on the road. Come back with any questions you have, we are here to help, good luck with your project.
Could you confirm that this is the right kit for that swap? Besides the parts you mentioned earlier, what else would I need to make this work? Thanks a ton for taking the time.
Before you order any conversion kit you need to know exactly what you have. The 1959 Viking trucks were 1-1/2 ton with 5-lug front and 10-lug rear and the 2-ton with 6-lug front and rear.
What's the plan? Are you upgrading the entire brake system?
Post some pictures of your truck so we can see/confirm what you have...
Hy Dustin59viking, as Mike B has said we need to identify what you are dealing with, pictures and a serial number would definitely help. As to the kit you referenced, I could not find information on what those parts are supposed to fit.
This one is an 8 lug front. Someone previously says it appeared to be from the 1 ton Apache. It’s been frankensteined a little and I don’t know exactly which vehicle the parts are from. I’ll try to pull part numbers to identify what I’m working with. Thank you guys for the help!
