The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop TF rear drums

I have converted my '50 3100 to a '58 rear axle. I rebuilt everything in the axle and had about a half dozen drums from front and rear. I tossed most of them but kept two for the rear axle.

I just tried to take them off and had to bang them off because the hub was stuck. I had another drum sitting around and put that one on. Fit like a glove.

I was then trying to set the brake shoes. Had to crank the shoes way out on the drum that was stuck. When I put the other drum on, I had to crank it way in.

Are the drums on the front and rear different sizes?

Hy RedGreen, according to my brake book, front and rear drums are the same on C10s from 1951-68, rears remain the same until 1970, size 11"X2", hope that helps.

David,

A number of those drums could have been turned repeatedly, depending on original placement as to front or rear, number of overhauls and trips to the lathes, etc. According to the 58 shop manual, any drum more than .010" out of round should be turned, and no drum should exceed .060" of the standard diameter, which in this case is 11".

Adjustments between the two rear drums are not likely to be an issue,as long as at the end of the day they are adjusted to the same tolerances. Some of that adjustment that you spoke of may have been part of getting the linings centered, as I presume that you had not bled the brakes as part of this replacement process.

As the drum was stuck on one side, it may have been that the linings were adjusted out rather far in the first place, and if stuck, were hanging on a lip on the inside of the drum.

To Adjust:
On the 58 1/2 ton rear, standard practice as outlined in the shop manual is to turn out the adjuster until a light drag is felt, them to turn the adjuster back 7 notches. Personally, I set mine in that fashion, and just backed off the adjuster until no contact was felt.

Thanks, Richard. That's helpful. The drums were actually getting stuck on the inside hub. The pads were not adjusted yet and I had to pull the whole axle out and beat on the back of the drum to get it off the axle.

I thought I may have hit on something as two of the drums I tossed a while ago were white (or gray) in color. The ones I kept were black. The one I picked up from you was that same white (or gray) color. That got me thinking that I may have tossed the wrong drums. And the one I got from you fit the hub perfectly. Slid on and off without a problem.

I'll check the diameters and set the adjustment per your directions. Then I'll rebleed the brakes.

Thanks again.