Any Dj3/dj5 Guy's Out There For Front Brake Drum Help?

Just joined the forum in hopes of gaining advise on DJ5 Postal brake drum specs.

I bought an "I" beam straight axle out of a '66-'68 IHC 4x2 Postal Scout 800 for a project and the 9x2 drums are bored to unsafe limits so I'm hoping to use DJ drums as a functional equivalent.

Long 3 month story but finding the original Kelsey-Hayes (Canada) IH Scout 4x2 postal drums has proven to be impossible. Even leading Scout vendors & forums have said "good luck". I know some DJ's had 9x2 brakes so this is why I'm interested. My drum specs are as follows"

> Brake surface = 9" x 2"
> Non-Hubcentric - Centers on .625 lug holes. Uses 1/2-20 studs with .625 knurled shoulder.
> Lug pattern = 5 on 4.5
> Hub hole = 2.813
> Wheel mounting surface is parallel to base with no rise or indentation. Overall thickness = 2.875

I know some DJ drums spec out very, very close, but still uncertain of applicable years. I did find part numbers 5732482 and/or 16701.14 on ebay but some say front, some say rear, some say front & rear for '66-'74 DJ5. Desperate for help...................

 

Were there DJs with 5 on 4.5? All the CJs are 5 on 5.5, as were the 4x4 Scouts. CJs through the mid 60s still had 9" drums (widely available), but the wrong bolt pattern for you.

 

How are you measuring the wheel bolt pattern? Ron

 

With a 5 hole multi-pattern lug gage. Thanks Ron

 

Yes Sir,
The 4x2/RWD versions of early Jeep & Scout postal/dispatch vehicles is often overlooked by Jeep/Scout enthusiasts who are accustom to the more popular 4x4 versions. Hence my dilemma. Thanks

 

Willys DJ3 used a 4 lug rim, and I believe the Postal Jeep DJ5 used 5 on 5.5 bolt pattern, as well as 4wd Scouts and Jeeps.
There were some 2wd Willys wagons that I believe used the 5 on 4.5 bolt pattern in the 1950's, but I think they were either 10"or 11" brake drums.
-Donny

 

Yeah I think the 5 on 4-1/2” is the biggest hurdle.
If your not specifically trying for standard parts then a swap to a more common backing plate assembly could be a big improvement over the original parts.
Ideal backing plate (complete brake assemblies) would mainly depend on the backing plate bolt pattern.
As a example I have a complete set of Jeep 9” brake drums , hubs and backing plates available for cheap.

 

I would be tempted to try some disks and make caliper brackets.

 

Remember guy's that Ford & MOPAR commonly have 5 on 4.5. Now recall that FORD once owned Willys, Willys became Jeep and Jeep became AMC Chrysler (MOPAR).........I suspect this lineage is why the 9" with 5 on 4.5 found its way onto some 4x2, 4 cyl & 6 cyl DJ's.

I called Centrix who manufactures drums and their tech dept. set me up with a '81-'82 DJ5 rear drum which is 9" with 5 on 4.5... BUT I had to settle with a brake surface width of 2 1/2" instead of 2" so it may interfere with the backing plate and require machining. Upon arrival I discovered the wheel mounting surface was well below the outer rim of the drum so my wheels won't fit without using a spacer.

This work-around may be my safest bet but I'm still convinced there is a drum out there that is closer to what I need. Thanks for all the input.

 

Along this line I looked at upgrading to early V8 Mustang 10" but the backing plate hole pattern didn't come close. How does your Jeep 9" drum spec out?

 

Just wanting to stay as stock as possible.....Thanks

 

The typical Jeep backing plate has Qty of 6 bolts at 3/8” diameter.
The bolt circle circumference is 4”.
It’s also feasible to re-drill a set of backing plates to fit your axle bolt pattern.

 

You have already strayed from that using the Scout front axle.
What is the spindle bolt pattern for the backing plate? Might help in finding a retrofit with more available parts.

 

Good point:
Forgot to mention the Scout I-beam straight axle is in a '54 Ford "Gasser" that was built and drag raced in the '60's & '70's so I'm working with a custom application. Since I plan on racing it in South Eastern Gasser Association (SEGA) I want to keep things as stock as possible since we are bound to 1966 NHRA rules.

Backing plate has a (4) bolt pattern, horizontal axis = 2.531, vert axis = 2.664
Thanks

 

On this web page: Calipers/Hardware it looks like AMC/Rambler had several vehicles with Kelsey Hayes 9x2" drums and a 5x4.5 bolt pattern. It might be worth calling them with some measurements.

 

I had a D J 3, my first Jeep, 1960, I got a free D J 5 chassis somewhere, it had a Chevy 4 cyl. and a Powerglide in it. I used the D J 5 rear axel in it, I then welded up the four hole front hubs stud holes on the D J 3 front axel, that Donny mentioned, and set them up on a Bridgeport and drill new stud holes to fit the same wheels as the rear axel, and it used D J 3 brakes on the front and D J 5 wheels on it.

 

Thanks for the lead.

 

Thanks, I'm a Machinist by trade and just retired and built my own shop but don't have power to it yet. When I do I can power up my Bridgeport, Lathe and other machine tools at which time I'll have the flexibility to modify if necessary.

 

Welcome from Michigan, and Congratulations all at the same time. The Guys on this site are great help. Good Luck. Machinist you say, hum.