L-110 Rear Drum Repair and Slip-Fit Modification
Posted: Sun Jan 06, 2019 4:56 pm
I thought I’d post this since it might be helpful to someone. It seems there are regular questions about how to replace the brake drums on the corporate 1/2 ton axles. These are the ones with drums swaged to the hubs. The design is antiquated, and also has a few quirks that make them harder to service than you’d hope.
I tried to have the drums swaged, which didn’t go well due to an error I’ll describe later. Ultimately I decided to convert the hubs to accept new drums with a slip-fit.
My truck is a 1952 L-110 long bed that was originally a farm truck in southern Idaho. It eventually made its way down to Logan, Utah where it served as high school transportation until 1993. From what I was told it was parked because of brake problems. I think I discovered what the problem was…
This is what I started with. Not a pretty sight. The drum is supposed to be swaged on. It isn’t. Instead, it is floating on the lugs alone, with no center index. As a result (and probably from reusing the drum when it was “repaired”) the holes are wallowed out and the drum does not turn true. The lugs are old replacements of unknown origin.
Here is the new drum – Raybestos 2316R. It appears to be made of cast iron and is machined very well. The lug holes are 0.600”. The additional holes in between are a shade over 3/8”, probably about 0.385” but I don’t recall.
I tried to have the drums swaged, which didn’t go well due to an error I’ll describe later. Ultimately I decided to convert the hubs to accept new drums with a slip-fit.
My truck is a 1952 L-110 long bed that was originally a farm truck in southern Idaho. It eventually made its way down to Logan, Utah where it served as high school transportation until 1993. From what I was told it was parked because of brake problems. I think I discovered what the problem was…
This is what I started with. Not a pretty sight. The drum is supposed to be swaged on. It isn’t. Instead, it is floating on the lugs alone, with no center index. As a result (and probably from reusing the drum when it was “repaired”) the holes are wallowed out and the drum does not turn true. The lugs are old replacements of unknown origin.
Here is the new drum – Raybestos 2316R. It appears to be made of cast iron and is machined very well. The lug holes are 0.600”. The additional holes in between are a shade over 3/8”, probably about 0.385” but I don’t recall.