Does anyone know if anyone makes shoes and springs and stuff for this size of truck? I've briefly looked it up, and usually it isn't very clear what size truck the brakes are for, or the bigger ones aren't listed.
Last edited by klhansen; 12/10/20255:56 PM. Reason: Fixed image display
Is that a two ton truck? I'd go to a place that works on box trucks and semis and see what they can do for you.
Rock Auto has parts for a C30. Maybe some parts are shared? They've got 11" and 12" shoes as well as drums and hardware for dual rear wheel trucks.
1950 Chevrolet 3100 (Ol' Roy)
1939 Packard Standard Eight Coupe (The Phantom) | 1956 Cadillac Coupe de Ville (The Bismarck) | 1964 Ford Galaxie 500 coupe |1966 Ford Mustang (Little Red) | 1969 Pontiac GTO (The Dishpit) I 1979 Ford F-100 | 1976 Ford F-150 (Big Red) | 1995 Ford F-150 (Newt)
Awesome, will check with rock auto, then if that doesn't work go to a place that does semi and box truck type stuff nearby. The place in Indiana definitely can do what I need if neither of the other two places work.
High Plains - Can you confirm the dimensions on your brakes? Front shoe size? Rear size? I've got a 1984 NAPA Brake System Parts Catalog that lists your C40 front brake shoes as 11-5/32" x 2-3/4" and the rear shoes as 15" x 4".
The catalog lists the front brake shoes set as either Bendix 248R or Raybestos 248R. Both of those can be found through a web search and appear readily available. NAPA actually currently lists them as:
* NAPA does not list the C40 as using this brake shoe in their online content, but my catalog confirms they fit 1960-65 C40 trucks.
The catalog lists the rear shoe sets as Bendix 108 or Raybestos 108**. Neither of these is currently listed on the current NAPA web site. A web search found nothing available new or in old stocks being sold on line that I could find.
** The catalog list these same rear shoe set numbers as fitting 1958-65 C50 and 1960-65 C60 trucks.
As with most of the Big Bolt trucks, rear shoes are more or less commercial truck size/grade. Your best bet for getting them back up to snuff is take them to a commercial truck shop and have them relined. They will have the right materials and skills to get the job done.
As far as the return springs go, my NAPA catalog lists the return springs (axle set) as NAPA 80169 for front and rear. The original front brake pull back springs are listed as GM# 3694822 (primary) and GM# 3739278 (secondary). The rear brake pull back springs were originally listed as GM# 3748513, but were replaced by GM# 3799320. You can still find some of these rear springs offered like these ebay NOS GM# 3799320 springs.
Hope this provides some help with your questions.
PS - The catalog also lists hydraulic brake components (boosters, master & wheel cylinders, flex brake hoses and axle bearings/seal #'s) if you need more info.
Last edited by Gdads51; 12/11/20254:48 PM. Reason: add PS note
~ Dan 1951 Chevy 3 window 3100 Follow this story in the DITY Gallery "My Grandpa Carl's Truck and How it Became Mine" 1966 Chevelle (Wife's Hot Rod) | 2013 Chevy Silverado (Current daily driver) US Army MSG Retired (1977-1998) | Com Fac Maint Lead Tech Retired (1998-2021)
Gdads that is some very good info, I can't confirm because I have yet to get into them yet waiting for a warm idle day haha. Thank you, I'll have to get the wheels off and look.
So I did this dance back in the '90s when I got my C60 bus.. dutifully rebuilt the rear brakes with all new hydraulics, shoes, and all four wheel bearings and seals, I even found a pair (the last pair) of 15x4" drums. Brakes great.. worn out banjo housing rear end for which parts didn't exist in 1993, not as great. Long story short, I wound up swapping in a later T170 axle and of course I had to buy all new shoes, springs, wheel cylinders, and seals (IIRC I got lucky on the bearings which were still OK, at least) once again.
If the rear end currently in the truck is good-as in doesn't leak, isn't noisy, the two speed still shifts, is somewhat decent in being able to go more than 55mph if you had to.. then go ahead and do its brakes. The trouble with the T150 is that one of the side bearing races *doesn't exist.* Like, I had to have one made back in the '90s and it was almost $500. Also nowadays, the only other available ratio, 5.83:1 ring and pinion doesn't exist either. Another exciting wrinkle in this story, is that back then the T170 was the modern option, you could get parts for it at the dealer. I've had this bus so long that the updated axle I installed is now deprecated, but at least it's just the ring and pinion that's scarce as chicken lips. You can still get the bearings for it.
I guess the moral of the story is, if you aren't gonna drive it a bunch, then what you have now will probably work and you can give it new brake shoes.. BONUS: those 15x4" brake drums also *do not exist* so the 13,000lb rated 3500HD axle swap keeps looking better and better.
