best brake swap

[xmattxxx]

 Okay i know its not a new topic or anything but heres my question,I bought a 8.75 rear for my duster,its gonna get gutted.What is a good brake setup to run the following 15 inch ralleys(big bolt pattern)?Iobviously wanna stick the biggest drums in there and maintain an easy part source(over the counter).Im told some c body stuffs backing plates will confuse things a little.Should i just buy the brake setup before ordering axles?Im thinking of stranges street and strip big bolt ones by the way.

Okay experts lets hear it

[rank]

I could not find brake drums for a '66 Fury (C body) at any of the FOUR parts houses I tried, including Napa and Autozone.  They all said the manufacturer discontinued them so I'd stay away from C body brakes.

M body police cars used 11" drums on their 8.25" axles and they are available everywhere.  Maybe those M body brakes, backing plates etc will bolt onto an 8.75" housing?

     

[moparrr07]

if you want some cheaper brakes you arnt just limited to drums, my dad, on his race car, put rear disk off of a chrysler imperial that he got for next to nothing, he just had to do a tad of grinding on the calipers to get it to clear his 15s

[Jim_Lusk]

The later model you go the better chance you have to be able to get parts. Five lug Dakota stuff will work, along with all M-body stuff. C-body 11x2.5s are still available, I think. Just make sure you get the backing plates and remember what they came off of.

[xmattxxx]

Thanks guys,
my local speed shop guy ran a big block duster back in the early 80s,he mentioned something about width differences in some c-body brakes....now im totally confused as to my best option.It sounds like the dakota stuff is a good option,but how big are they Jim?Also there are a few diplomats and 5th aves at the local wrecker,but im assuming these brakes arent as big as truck and c-body brakes.....and although i havent looked,i think 5th ave stuff is all disc.

[sportfury70]

I got my backing plates from my 84 4x4 parts truck.  11x2.5  The brakes and hardware were in stock at the local parts store.  The drums I used were from a C-body (1970 sportfury).  I used partsamerica.com to find dimensions for different vehicles.   Lewis

[xmattxxx]

 thanks dudes,it sounds like the truck swap is my best bet.I figure its about as large as these drum brakes get on mopar....or is it?

[mopar stu]

i got the 11" back plates off a 70's van,they are everywhere.then go to the parts store and you can get the  c-body drums,hardware and shoes.i paid $20 for the plates,$55 each drum and cylenders and springs were about $ 40 -$50

[A13Dart]

I went with 11x2.5 B-body brakes. The guy at Strange new exactly what axle length I needed when I called.


mike.

[xmattxxx]

 Ya im gonna have to measure truck backing plates to see just how large they are,im running a fifteen inch rim and would love to fill up the back side as much as possible.Hauling down a high speed big block with big drums is in my books a no-brainer,if anyone knows the measurements on the 80's truck(and im assuming full size van)drums i would appreciate it......before i go to the wrecker with a tape measure.
Once again thanks for all the leads guys,any other suggestions on this swap would be totally awesome.

[sweatybetty]

I could not find brake drums for a '66 Fury (C body) at any of the FOUR parts houses I tried, including Napa and Autozone.  They all said the manufacturer discontinued them so I'd stay away from C body brakes.

M body police cars used 11" drums on their 8.25" axles and they are available everywhere.  Maybe those M body brakes, backing plates etc will bolt onto an 8.75" housing?

     

i think the 8.25 has 4 bolts holding the backing plates on while 8.75 has 5

[xmattxxx]

 Oh man something else to watch out for!thanks Betty.Its starting to look like truck/van parts are the way to go

[b569rr]

I went with 11x2.5 B-body brakes. The guy at Strange new exactly what axle length I needed when I called.


mike.

And you can still find parts for them.

Tom

[sportfury70]

     

i think the 8.25 has 4 bolts holding the backing plates on while 8.75 has 5

True, but the 5th bolt hole is there it is just not used.

[xmattxxx]

 Well the housing is off to the sandblaster now and im gonna comb the wreckers for a truck or van setup,i think its probably the most available stuff right now...at least around here,being as its saturday and i dont gotta work im on it like a fat kid on a smartie.

[mopar_man72]

The later model you go the better chance you have to be able to get parts. Five lug Dakota stuff will work, along with all M-body stuff. C-body 11x2.5s are still available, I think. Just make sure you get the backing plates and remember what they came off of.

I'm not sure about the 5 lug dakotas ( GEN I and now the GEN IV), but the 6 lug trucks ( GEN II and GEN III) use either a 9.5" or a 10" drum.  my last truck had the bigger drums and it was a 3.9.  mu cousin's truck of the same year w/ the 318 had the smaller ones.........try to figure that one out.  anyway, if you're looking at using any kind of dakota parts try asking questions on DakotaUSA.com. 

when you say M-body are you talking like interpeds and concords, or are we talking the new chargers and 300's?

[xmattxxx]

 Hmm yeah,im not sure what m-body stuff is really either.

[Cudadust]

The 70-80 diplomats,Cordobas, R M body had the 10x2 1\2" and 11x 2 1|2" rear drums which are the same as the truck or vans if equipped with the same axles.  I have both sizes on A-bodies and they both lock the rear ends during braking. Look for any R, M and others at the yards and pull the backing plates the other parts are avilable at the parts stores for a reasonable cost.  Mopar still carries the spring kits for these brakes.

[xmattxxx]

 Hmmm im assuming this includes 5th aves....i think my local wrecker has a pair of these monsters still there.

[Cudadust]

The 5th Aves will work.

[Bill_Reilly]

http://www.bigblockdart.com/techpages/chassisstyle.shtml