Brake drums and shoes

[chainsawedfingers]

I'm sure it's been asked before and I did search the forum as well as searching through google and ebay and even trying to go through NAPA...
I'm trying to find Rear Brake Drums for my '48 Kaiser Special.

Also, I was able to find the Brake Shoes through NAPA but they weren't sure if they were fronts or rears. From my research, I found that the fronts and rears are the same... I just want to make sure that's right. The price I was given was about $55 for a set (2 wheels) does that sound just about right?

My final question is, Can I buy a brake hardware kit anywhere? (springs and adjusters)

Thanks for the help!!

[kaiserfrazerlibrary]

Buy the factory parts list book for your car first.  Many vendors, including those in the club rely on the factory part numbers and/or description in order to figure out if they have what you need.

A number of them have appeared on eBay in the last few months some of them apparently unsold so they are out there.  Otherwise, KFOCI members can run a free WANTED ad in the monthly newsletter.

[joefrazer]

Kaiser-Frazer used the same brake shoes from 1947 thru 1955. The only exceptions are for 1949 and 50 where some cars were equipped with Wagner self adjusting brakes, and the Henry J cars as theirs were smaller.

The shoes are the same, front to rear. If you have an Autozone near you, try them first. Some locations can get shoes for your car...they're part number 173 and are about $20 cheaper than those from NAPA. And, there's no core charge.

Also, for 1948, two different styles of rear drum were used. One type looks like a modern drum where the hub (the part with the axle nut and studs for the wheel nuts) remains attached to the axle when you remove the drum and the other style where you have to remove a large axle nut and use a puller to remove the drum. The latter is easier to find as they are the same from 1947-55. The former is unique to the 1948 cars from what I've found.

[chainsawedfingers]

I have a parts book. Figured "brake drums" would be enough... but thanks for the heads up.

As for the two styles of drums... well, I think that the drums are the style where the center nut it removed and the whole hub comes off with the drum. I say "I think" because I wasn't able to remove the drum with the hub... even using the tool did nothing. I ended up working around that and eventually got the drum off by itself... Like a standard drum 

[chainsawedfingers]

I had to look up the brakes at Advance because $20cheaper is great. I stopped at Advance and their computer wouldn't find anything. So I went hope and searched on Advance website and found this. If this is the part then its half the cost of any other brake shoes online or in NAPA or from KF Willow Run. Here is a link to the part on the Advance site: http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_brake-shoes--remanufactured--front-wearever-silver_3590070-p?searchTerm=173

Kaiser-Frazer used the same brake shoes from 1947 thru 1955. The only exceptions are for 1949 and 50 where some cars were equipped with Wagner self adjusting brakes, and the Henry J cars as theirs were smaller.

The shoes are the same, front to rear. If you have an Autozone near you, try them first. Some locations can get shoes for your car...they're part number 173 and are about $20 cheaper than those from NAPA. And, there's no core charge.

Also, for 1948, two different styles of rear drum were used. One type looks like a modern drum where the hub (the part with the axle nut and studs for the wheel nuts) remains attached to the axle when you remove the drum and the other style where you have to remove a large axle nut and use a puller to remove the drum. The latter is easier to find as they are the same from 1947-55. The former is unique to the 1948 cars from what I've found.

[Logan]

You can also get your old ones relined.  That is what I have done in the past. You'll need a shop that does truck brakes, though.

[joefrazer]

Yes, that's the same shoe. My experience was with Autozone and not Advance. I am surprised they carry them.

[chainsawedfingers]

Well, I had them look in to it and they can special order them... But if something should be wrong, they cant return them. Ill have to see what Ill end up doing.

...Either way, the biggest problem is still the drums. I cant find them anywhere. I tried ebay, NAPA, other auto part stores, online, KF Willow Run and a few KF vendors.. No luck with any of them.

So I got the numbers off the rear and I found that its a Dana 41. After more research, I found that some Jeeps used them but I only read that they used 9" drums where as my kaiser used 11". I wire wheeled the drums in hopes of finding a part number but oddly enough there isnt a single number of any kind. Not even the max diameter for cutting. I have never come across anything like this before.

[StillOutThere]

It is very unusual to need to replace rear brake drums.  They don't wear near as much as fronts.  Is the car extremely high mileage or why do they need replaced?   Get them turned on a brake lathe.  They can be cut at leat .060, sometimes more.

[boatingbill]

chainsawedfingers: I just looked up Kaiserwillys.com and they list a 11" x 2" drum for the
front or rear of the 1946 to 1964 Willys truck or station wagon. Part #941877. I wonder if this fits KF
vehicles as well?

[HJ-ETEX]

Boatingbill: You overlooked the difference in wheel bolt patterns!

[boatingbill]

Not having a Willys drum to compare with, a person would have to call them for info. They also
list other 11 " drums besides the one I mentioned. Can it be that KF drums are unique?

[rialto]

According to my 1955 Hollander Manual Kaiser and Frazer hub and brake drum assemblies don't interchange with any Willys or any other makes. 1947 -50 rear interchange with thier hubs but some have lug studs with nuts and some have threaded holes with lug bolts. The rear drums alone 1947-54 can go on the 47-50 hubs provided they have the same style lugs. The drums are riveted to the hubs and need to be reattached then turned .

[boatingbill]

Rialto: The KFOCI Interchange list shows K/F drums as same as 61-63 Jeep and gives a NAPA
part# as 6401417. Is this wrong? This was after your 1955 list, so where are we on this? I am
more confused now than ever. The list also states that KaiserWillys can supply K/F drums.

[rialto]

I looked in the 1966 Hollander interchange. It shows 48-55 Kaiser drum less hub with threaded lug holes, front #525 with no further interchange, rear #526 it shows an interchange with 37-55 Plymouth 6 cyl. But I don't think the Plymouth interchange is valid .It shows the Plymouth drum as 10 inch. Kaisers are 11 inch. It doesn't show any interchange with any Willys up to 1965. Things change some genius could have made a new discovery of a then unknown interchange. This book covers 1951 to 1965 but does have some older listings. Who knows?