The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline 1950 HO52 Brake Change Question

I want to upgrade my rear brakes from Huck to something more modern (bigger, and available). Got the Bendix brakes from backing plates to drums off of a '69 3/4 ton. Inner and outer bearings are the same. Rear oil seal is the same. The hub slides right on to the end of my axle tube, no problem. However, the backing plate mounting "flange" is too outbound to work.
Is it possible to cut the flanges loose and move them inbound?
I can't use a newer axle. They are too wide, I will already be gaining 13/16" of width on each side with the newer hubs.
As always, thanks for any help guys.

I can offer you an suggestion.
I have an 1953 chevy 3/4 ton rear axle that will bolt right one and it is already set up for bendix brakes.
the 3/4 ton frame is listed for sale as I did posted it a few weeks ago here on stovebolt
let me know what you think

Thanks, RanchoJuan. I'll give it some thought.
Southern PA is a bit of a way to truck for an axle housing, and the '69 Bendixes are 12" x 2 3/4" wide. But you never know...

I know people swap and move perches, so I'm thinking it's no big deal to move the flanges. I would just like to hear from someone who's done it or seen it done.
On the flip side, if it is NOT advisable to move them, someone please chime in.
I have the cut off ends from the '69 axle; I'll cut one of those free, first. To see if it can be freed up and moved.
I'll have a professional do the important welding. My little 135 amp unit won't cut it.

Thanks, guys.

Gary

Gary,
You can move the flanges if you need to.

Have you looked into even newer brakes, like 80 or 90's Chevy truck with a 14 bolt rear. Some discussion that those hubs are also interchangeable and I know brake parts are easy to get and should be for a good while to come.

Grigg

I have the same question for updating my 1949 3600. Can I just take the hubs and drums off a newer truck?

Grigg,
I haven't really looked at newer brakes; newer than '72 anyway. The shoes and springs and drums are available for the '68 - '72 3/4 ton 12" brakes for cheap. From several flaps. If I have to adapt down the road, I'll do it then. Since I'm swapping the rear brakes, I'm going to do a disc upgrade up front. That should slow her down, even with a trailer!

Mike,
From what I understand, the Eaton HO52 is the same basic design from 1948 to 1972. The center section has some changes through the years, but are interchangeable in their entirety; meaning, a center section from a '70 will fit the banjo housing of a '48.
The ends of the axle tubes are the same. The inner and outer bearings and races are the same. The oil seal is the same. The distance between inner and outer bearings are the same. The overall width changes at some point. The axle shafts that I have from the '68 are longer on both sides than the shafts from my '50.
The brakes went through three changes. Forty-eight through '52 are Huck brakes. Fifty-three and later are Bendix brakes; with a width change in '68(I think) from 12" x 2" to 12" x 2 1/2". I don't know if there was a backing plate flange change between Huck and Bendix in '53, but the flange for the 2 1/2" Bendixes is 1 3/8" inbound from where the Huck's is. (I have photos of the difference on Photobucket in the brake system folder [see link]).
Maybe someone else will chime in regarding the Huck to 12" x 2" Bendixes flange position. I don't know if the '53 to '67 Bendixes are a no fuss direct swap.

Thanks again,

Gary

Thanks Alot Gary.......I will keep diggin for info!!

Gary- Have you ever thought of looking in the 14 bolt direction? I'm planning on swapping a 14 bolt under my '54 3600 truck and I have also been plagued with a, "What to do with the brakes dilemna?" Anyhow, GM has a number of drums in varying depths that they used from 72-present. Most of the drums can be mounted inboard or outboard of the hub. The backing plates also have a deeper dish than the Eaton.

What I've also found is that the 14 bolt hubs will bolt directly up to the Eaton. You may be able to use a 14 bolt hub from a SRW truck and use the later 67-72 drum. The SRW hub will push your WMS out to about 65" though.

Anyhow, If you want some measurements from a 14 bolt (I have a 63" and 67" in the garage) or some measurements from my Bendix-brake HO52, I'll be happy to give you a hand.

BTW- I'll be picking up a disc-braked 14 bolt sometime this week, so there's more info to come on that.

www.photobucket.com/whitedog76pics

Gary- Sorry, I didn't read your reply to Grigg, untill I sent mine. Go to Raybestos.com and look up part # 2008R. It's a 12x2" Front drum from a 53-59 truck. It's 2" narrower, so you may just have to put a spacer behind your backing plate, no cutting required.

Thanks, Whitedog.
I haven't really thought about a 14 bolt. Before deciding to change brakes, I was going to go with stock. I had already found a 4.10 center and made the purchase. After finding it too difficult and expensive to stay with the Hucks I purchased the 12" x 2 1/2" Bendixes. At this point I have a little too much money in this to turn back now!
I started cutting the flange off one of the '68 axle ends. Haven't finished yet to see if I can do it. If I find it impossible, I may need some measurements from you . The disc rear does sound appealing.

Gary

Gary- I know what you mean by having a little too much money involved to turn back now. I have a rotor out in the garage that I can't return, plus I'll have bits and pieces from 3 rearends by the time it's all said and done. Not to mention the pile of parts I've gotten from the scrapyard.

Anyhow, good luck on moving your flanges.

Chris.

Thanks Chris.
I have a small junk yard going on myself. After twelve years of keeping a '72 GMC 1500 as a day to day work truck and the '50 Dubl-Duti build, I have multiples of things. Like four transmissions and three engines, in various states of assembly.
I'm going to be King of the craigslist parts section one day! Or on that hoarders show.

I should be able to get back to the flanges this week. I'll post the outcome.

Gary

Gary- Just off hand, what are you using for front discs?

Chris,
I haven't tried anything yet. I was thinking of going with discs and calipers from a modern Chevy van. Weren't you doing the same? I thought I saw a post by you discussing the use of Express van discs. Did you get that worked out?

Still haven't gotten back to grinding loose the flanges. Hopefully I'll get some time on Saturday.

Gary

Still working on the van discs. Been real busy. Just busting the darn things loose was quite an ordeal. It's good thing I have a really big hammer. LOL

Ok. After a long winter's rest, I'm back on this thing.

I'm trying to cut the brake backing plate mounting deal off of the axle housing and move it inbound. I've removed all of the weld that I can get to. The thing won't budge. Whacking it with a punch and a BFH isn't getting me anywhere; and I'm scared to REALLY whack it. Don't want to deform it.

Any one have a suggestion? Heat? Press? Counseling?

I know. I know. "Swap the axle." I'm not ready to give in yet!

As always; thanks guys.

While working on a different project, I came up with an idea for the brackets. This is how I usually get difficult things solved. When a problem gets too tough, go do something else.

I had the axle ends from the junkyard '68 brake buy that included the brackets. I sliced them off straight through the axle housing, and then had the axle material turned out on a lathe; leaving just the newer bracket. Old brackets were cut and then ground off the original axle. They sure had good weld penetration. The newer brackets can now be welded on.

Problem solved.

A fun thing occured when I went to the local spring shop to get a set of rear main leaves. One of the eyes was terribly wollered.
Their new machine doesn't have the ability to bend an end as tight as needed. But they had a pair of two inch mains on the shelf! Said they had had them for quite a while. Was the only pair they had. What luck!
When they asked if I was impressed, I of course replied; "Yes". I told them I would be even more impressed if they could find me a shackle (one of mine was also wollered). After searching around on the shelves, a slightly used one was found! I was SPEECHLESS. Things are looking up!!!

Just to clarify, the newer Bendix brakes are 11" x 2 3/4", not 12" x 2 3/4" as I wrote earlier. Parts are not as plentiful as I was thinking.

It may have been easier to swap axles, and possibly cheaper. I would have more gearing choices and even larger brakes. But I can still say it is the original. And I love that big round rear cover.

If I were to do it again from the start, I would probably go with the swap. But then again...