Wide 5 Disk conversion- AC industries- Need help-

Now I'm getting somewhere. I just measured the female spline on the bent brake drum. I placed the drum on the desk with the inside of the drum facing upwards and measured down the inside of the spline from the desk up to the flat edge that

rests against the bearing or whatever. It is 1 7/8". I think this is a short spline and therefore a 1966.

Having said that, my rear axle setup doesn't appear to be as narrow as Al says in an earlier post which would allow wider wheels and tires. I have an older IM and the space between the side of the rear tire and the fender is so small you cannot squeeze a finger in between them. I cannot put wider tires on my car.

Ted...if you get a chance, could you please measure the length of the spline on the drums that you have ? Thanks...

A couple of old school philosophies help keep my life less complicated and less stressful in my advancing age;

1) Live & let live.

2) Sticks & stones….

…plus, I'm just getting too old to be throwin' down and providing other's with an occasional 'attitude adjustment' as in times past...

                       PEACE - OUT! 

Wilco, my friend. I'll do it tonight.  I will say (and I don't know that it matters) but I did have use a spacer on my axles. My drums that I removed are literally like new. I'm kicking myself for recycling the fronts. *shrug* live and learn.

Ted

Here is a bit of info. Pre 66 are considered short axle short spline

67 axles are one year only and the splined area is the same as on the short axles, but the overall length is longer. 27 7/8 long, splined area is 4 1/4" long

68 and type 3 have longer splines but the axle is the same length as the 67 When measued from end of spade to bearing surface. The splines are longer at 5" 

you can use 67 drums on 68 axles, brake shoes/backing plates because the drum shoe contract area is wider but you need a spacer to make up the difference in the splined area.

when converting 67 to four lug I think you can use the 68 drums and cut the difference  67 European modals came with four lug drums not wide five like the usa models.

note: the steel tube is the same length on all swing axles, the difference in length is made up in the end casting which your backing plate mounts to.

Ted what do want for them?

David Stroud has first rights on 'em. Let me see if he needs them first.

Thanks for asking,
Ted

Jim Ignacio, SOC Ambassador for life.

Thanks for that, Ted....really appreciated. A local lad gave me a new drum today and the local VW guy saw the brake back plate and says it's repairable. The thing is, it just got slightly bent...like about 3/8" when whacked by the drum which was whacked ( along with the destroyed wheel ) by the other car in the collision.

I'm not trying to be cheap here in fixing my own plate, but my stuff is 1966 and I'm not sure if it's early or late '66. Apparently the wheel cylinder might be different being early or later '66 so I don't want to get into a mess not knowing what fits what. Repairing what I have now is the simplest route. It'll just take an educated stomp or two on a hydraulic press to make it right. 

Here's a pic of my setup. Maybe it looks familiar. And thanks again.

Strange looking valve cover in the background, eh ?

Phil--- I really like Your black wheels.  I almost went down the Beck path, but my wife talked me out of it, and threw down a "shop the sales" challenge giving me a 1000$ max budget.  If it had not been for the spare tire rim and the les schwab $123 mount and balance cost. I would have beat her target.   ( thruth be told, I never accounted for mounting/balancing cost).

Also, If i had not been on the road with work so much this summer, I think I could have come in under 900$... I kicke my self after missing a couple 30% + free shipping specials this past year. (I had been planning the retrofit since last January).

David--- In regards to front end Alignmenget ; when I return home I will post a few notes... I'm in Europe for a few days.

But honestly, I don't think I could try a front alignment again without the +35yrs of VW/Porsche experience my chaperone provided when we did my car.  When I invited him over, I was hoping he would take over and do the work in exchange for beer and dinner... but he opted for sitting back, holding the shop light, and walking me through the process ---  also double checking my measurements.  

All--- Thanks again for you encouragement. Feels extremely rewarding to learn how tthis work on your own car.  

Next-    I will be tackling a gas tank swap... I want to swap out the smaller stock VW for either the larger one or a 356 style recreation --- something for longer touring.  (waiting for the next round of sales...)

Cheers,

That damn collision whacked the car so hard it relocated  your exhaust manifold?! 

If you're going to pass on them, I'll offer them up to Anthony.

Good luck fixing that exhaust pipe,

Ted

David.

A month or so ago I was doing the rear brakes on my car and discovered that the rear passenger side plate was significantly bent at the bottom.  It appeared that it may have possibly fell off a jack stand or something since it has never been hit as far as I can tell.  I was able to straighten it out using a 7 foot pike pole braced against the frame (upper left of your picture) and the bottom of the plate below the adjuster.  It took two of us pulling on the pike pole, but we straightened it and everything is fine.  Just be careful to have the car very securely braced on jack stands with the front wheels on the ground.

Lfepardo - I just sent you a PM with a couple of questions regarding your project as I am just about to get started on the same conversion.  Thanks, Grant

Thanks for that, Troy. I thought about bending it back into place too. I did notice a bit of oil residue back behind the plate which indicates a need for rear seal replacement anyway. Replacing the seals means taking the back plate off so I'll correct the bent plate the easy way in a press.

Deeper and deeper we go....no one asked for it but I do have a nice opportunity for a paint colour change when the car goes in to the shop tomorrow.

Phuck...new paint, might as well do new interior. New interior, might as well clean up the engine bay. Sure ...new tires too, maybe disc brakes....where's this going to end ? add defrost / relocate the heater ? What colour for the hardtop ? ....new haircut ?