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Brake Drums

Discussion in 'Early CJ5 and CJ6 Tech' started by norville, Feb 20, 2021.

  1. Feb 20, 2021
    norville

    norville New Member

    Pa
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    I'm still not clear on the whole 11" brake swap. My 61 has 9" brakes down the road if I found a good deal I'd like the swap the fronts to the 11" . I know they are not as abundant as they used to be. I have locally a lot of older ford's. Will the rear brakes off s 9" Ford rear work on the fronts of my 61?

    Thanks
    Bob
     
  2. Feb 20, 2021
    47v6

    47v6 junk wrecker! 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    USA
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    The 11" front drums are still out there. Put a WTB ad and I'm sure you will find a seller. The reason I went with disk is because the parts were cheaper... The 11" drums are a direct swap and when I did that 20 plus years ago it was night and day difference. I highly recommend either the 11" swap or the disk setup. You may have issue with clearance with some drum vs stock rim setups.

    No idea about the ford swap. Im sure it's possible.
     
  3. Feb 20, 2021
    timgr

    timgr We stand on the shoulders of giants. 2022 Sponsor

    Medford Mass USA
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    Using brakes from something like a '65-66 F100 is possible. You want 11"x2" Bendix brakes with the cable operated self-adjusters. The Ford backing plates do not bolt on. Brakes from a Jeep will bolt on. The Ford brakes require machining the center hole bigger, new bolt holes, a spacer to the axle end, something like that. Somebody (Novak?) used to sell instructions for this conversion. I suspect if you had the Ford backing plates, you could measure what you need and figure it out.

    Jeep or Ford would use the same size brakes at all four corners. The rear backing plates have a hole for the cable-operated parking brake, the fronts don't. If I used the Ford backing plates, I would put them on all four corners and copy what's used on the '72-75 CJs. Then all I'd need from the Ford is the backing plates, and use the rest of the hardware (including cylinders, shoes and drums) from a CJ. All this stuff is available new for not much money.
     
    Last edited: Feb 20, 2021
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  4. Feb 20, 2021
    givemethewillys

    givemethewillys Been here since sparky ran it. 2022 Sponsor

    New Kent, VA
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    I have an ad up for a front dana 27 with 11" brakes. Located in Richmond va. I might be inclined to pull them off the axle and ship, hit me up via private message.

    The swap is very easy and straightforward.
     
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  5. Feb 21, 2021
    Rick Whitson

    Rick Whitson Detroit Area 2024 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    I live South of...
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    Welcome from Michigan, I Have been putting together a set of 11" front brakes to replace the 10" and just got them ready to do the install, I also bought a duel master cylinder and bracket from a member to do at the same time, with the help of all the Great People here my 64 Jeep will be all up graded and Safe to drive. Good luck
     
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  6. Feb 21, 2021
    47v6

    47v6 junk wrecker! 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

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    Even with the single circuit master, the braking difference is a significant upgrade. Definitely a worthwhile project.
     
  7. Feb 21, 2021
    Oldpappy

    Oldpappy A.C. Fults - Curmudgeon at large 2022 Sponsor

    East Tennessee
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    The 11" backing plates are getting pretty scarce which is why some of the guys who used to sell upgrade kits are running out of them.

    I kept watching Ebay, and the classifieds on several Jeep forums until I rounded up enough to do all four wheels on my 3 Jeeps.

    I have two which are a little bent or twisted I won't use. These could probably be straightened out with a press or a BFH and some heat. Anyone who wants to try to do that can have them for the cost of postage which I think would be $21.95 in a Large flat rate USPS box.

    The 11" backing plates which will fit without modification are mostly from late sixties to early seventies Jeep vehicles, IH Scout II, and Ford Bronco. There are probably other vehicles out there which used Dana axles that would work. The 11" backing plates from Willys trucks and wagons will also work without modification but they are manually adjusted.

    Those which will work with some modification;

    The rear plates from a Jeep Wagoneer will work but the top two holes have to be drilled. I do this by bolting a rear axle bearing retainer to the holes that match to give me a good guide for my drill. I think you could do something similar to machine F100 backing plates, though you will have to drill more than 2 holes, and machine or grind out the center hole to fit over the spindle, if you have access to a drill press it would be easy to enlarge the center hole with a hole saw made to cut metal, so it would be easy. I plan on using a set of these on the rear of my 47 CJ2A. These have the cable operated E-brakes and if you split them to two floor levers it is a low cost, but effective upgrade for an open differential rear end.

    There used to be adds in the magazines for upgrade kits which had been put together using backing plates from old Mercury cars which used the Dana 44 rear axle. These had been drilled to fit the Jeep axle flange, but as they came from cars of the early to mid 50s I expect they would be very hard to find.
     
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  8. Feb 26, 2021
    Oldpappy

    Oldpappy A.C. Fults - Curmudgeon at large 2022 Sponsor

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  9. Feb 26, 2021
    Oldpappy

    Oldpappy A.C. Fults - Curmudgeon at large 2022 Sponsor

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    First conversion I did was using a pair of the DJ5 plates I got from the same seller. They were already cleaned, painted and ready to go. I would have bought this pair but I already have accumulated enough to upgrade all 3 of my Jeeps.
     
  10. Feb 26, 2021
    CHUGALUG

    CHUGALUG Member

    Silverton, OR
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    I have a Bronco backing plate as one of my front plates. I saw no real difference between the Jeep one and Ford one they both bolted up to the D-25 like they belonged there the line went in the same place the internal parts were the same.

    YMMV
     
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  11. Feb 26, 2021
    Oldpappy

    Oldpappy A.C. Fults - Curmudgeon at large 2022 Sponsor

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    Yes Bronco plates will work. I have them on the front of my CJ2A. The only difference is the Ford Bronco plates have a larger center hole than the Jeep plates, but that doesn't hurt a thing they will bolt up and work fine. The shoes, hardware, and adjusters are the same.
     
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