9" drums or 10"?

[KJDad]

Okay, this may sound stupid but I don't know if my 8.8 is a 9" unit or 10". It's out of a 1990 and it didn't have drums or shoes when I got it. Just backing plates. Is there a way to tell?

[FoxChassis]

Fox Mustangs and Capris never had 10" drums.

[gdniel]

+1

[TuxStang]

Fox Mustangs and Capris never had 10" drums.False ... Mustangs had 10" drums at least in Belgium ;)

[82mustang]

Fox Mustangs and Capris never had 10" drums.

so they are 9"...is it easy to swap in 10" ranger drums?

[Zephyr 351C]

Yes, depending on if the bolt for the axle pin is stubborn or not. You need the ranger backing plates, hardware, shoes (of course), and maybe the wheel cylinders. One of the Fairmont guys I know online did the swap on his wagon, he didnt want to go to smaller drums when he went 5 lug.

[82mustang]

with ranger drums it forces you to run 5 lug in the rear, or have the drums redrilled..maybe it's possible to find a OEM 4 lug 10" drum though in some ford vehicle

[ricko302]

I have seen 10" drums on some later T-birds/Cougars. I am not sure if the backspacing is the same as a Ranger though. I have read somewhere that Fairmont wagons had 10" drums too.

[TuxStang]

Ford Belgium used 10" drums with 4 lugs and same backspacing, but i don't know from which vehicule they took them ...

[Dean_T]

Ford Belgium used 10" drums with 4 lugs and same backspacing, but i don't know from which vehicule they took them ...

Most likely the Ford Fairmont/Mercury Zephyr Wagons (USA version) since the Fairmont/Zephyr WERE the first Fox chassis.

I believe all the Fox chassis wagons whether they be LTD or Cougar also had 10" rear drums (4 lug).

Ford is a firm believer of raiding the corporate parts bins.

Dean T

[Zephyr 351C]

with ranger drums it forces you to run 5 lug in the rear, or have the drums redrilled..maybe it's possible to find a OEM 4 lug 10" drum though in some ford vehicle
Duh! I keep forgetting that not everyone has changed to 5 lug.

Redrilling the drums isnt hard though. Although you just need to elongate one hole with a die grinder. I did that when I swapped my 83 to five lug, had newish drums out back that I didnt want to replace.


Ford is a firm believer of raiding the corporate parts bins.
Thankfully.

I think the LTD LX came with 10" drums as well.

[Dean_T]

Duh! I keep forgetting that not everyone has changed to 5 lug.

Redrilling the drums isnt hard though. Although you just need to elongate one hole with a die grinder. I did that when I swapped my 83 to five lug, had newish drums out back that I didnt want to replace.


Thankfully.

I think the LTD LX came with 10" drums as well.

That's right! I forgot about the LTD LX. The cop/taxi versions of the LTD and Fairmonts also had the 10" rear drums.

Dean T

[JACook]

My old '78 Fairmont wagon, and my current '79 Fairmont wagon both came with 10"
rear drums. Both were/are factory V8 cars.

My '85 GT has 10" rear drums off a Fairmont wagon. The Fox T-Bird and Cougar 10"
backing plates are identical to the Fairmont wagon backing plates. So are the brake
drums. The T-Bird and Cougar 10" rears use a smaller 3/4" wheel cylinder than the
Fairmont wagon 13/16" cylinder.

The 9" Mustang rear drums use a 3/4" wheel cylinder, but it's not the same as the one
for 10" drums. The mounting lug diameter and bolt spacing are different. You can't use
a 9" drum wheel cylinder with 10" drum backing plates. The brake line hookup is also
a bit different. The 9" wheel cylinder has a straight-in hookup, while the wheel cylinder
for the 10" drum has an angled hookup. The threads are the same size. It's fairly easy
to bend the existing hard line to fit the angled hookup.

[ricko302]

JACook:
Did you notice any better braking with the 10" conversion?
Is it worth the bother?

[Vanstrom Bros Racing]

I'm running '88 Ranger 9" drums on my 84 drag car with a '90 8.8 and five lug conversion. They are a perfect fit with stock backing plates, shoes and hardware.

[JACook]

JACook:
Did you notice any better braking with the 10" conversion?
Is it worth the bother?

Worth it? That depends. For a street car, I'd say it's definitely worth it.

My '85 GT T-top car has 11" fronts, with factory Ford rotors, stock '93 calipers with
solid sleeves, and Hawk HPS pads. The booster, master cylinder, and proportioning
valve are all stock '85. I ran this setup with the 9" rears for a while before I put on
the 10" rears.

Those rears are using the Fairmont 13/16" cylinders, Bendix drums, and Raybestos
Red shoes. They made a very noticeable improvement in overall braking, and the
brakes are also more progressive now. I really like the way the system turned out.
Brake balance is good, even in wet conditions.

My '85 sits pretty low, with Eibach pro kit springs, and Koni reds all around, so there's
no brake dive. With a softer front end, or a notchback, I'd probably use the smaller
T-Bird/Cougar wheel cylinders.

I'm sure I could smoke these brakes pretty quickly on a track day, but my '85 is built
to be a fun street car, with decent enough manners to drive in traffic when the need
arises. Station wagon rear drums are an old hot rodder's trick, and if you use good
quality parts, they still work well.

[yodaddyz82gt]

Worth it? That depends. For a street car, I'd say it's definitely worth it.

My '85 GT T-top car has 11" fronts, with factory Ford rotors, stock '93 calipers with
solid sleeves, and Hawk HPS pads. The booster, master cylinder, and proportioning
valve are all stock '85. I ran this setup with the 9" rears for a while before I put on
the 10" rears.

Those rears are using the Fairmont 13/16" cylinders, Bendix drums, and Raybestos
Red shoes. They made a very noticeable improvement in overall braking, and the
brakes are also more progressive now. I really like the way the system turned out.
Brake balance is good, even in wet conditions.

My '85 sits pretty low, with Eibach pro kit springs, and Koni reds all around, so there's
no brake dive. With a softer front end, or a notchback, I'd probably use the smaller
T-Bird/Cougar wheel cylinders.

I'm sure I could smoke these brakes pretty quickly on a track day, but my '85 is built
to be a fun street car, with decent enough manners to drive in traffic when the need
arises. Station wagon rear drums are an old hot rodder's trick, and if you use good
quality parts, they still work well.

hey jeff i wanna get that done to my car by this summer. so you used your stock 85 a-arms,mc,booster and all?? i have a complete 89gt susp layin around so i can get the better braking on my 82. that spungy brakin feelin on my 82 makes me feel way uneasy...are the stock 93' calipers any diff than the 89s???thanks

[JACook]

so you used your stock 85 a-arms,mc,booster and all?? i have a complete 89gt susp layin around so i can get the better braking on my 82. that spungy brakin feelin on my 82 makes me feel way uneasy...are the stock 93' calipers any diff than the 89s???thanks

The only things you have to change when going to the 11" fronts are the struts, (or use
the spacer plates) front brake hoses, and your wheels, if you're still running 14"s. Don't
forget the spare...

AFAIK, the calipers are the same from '87-'93. The spindles will bolt to the earlier A-arms,
but the later arms with the low-friction ball joints do noticeably smooth out the front
suspension.

[Desi]

hey jeff i wanna get that done to my car by this summer. so you used your stock 85 a-arms,mc,booster and all?? i have a complete 89gt susp layin around so i can get the better braking on my 82. that spungy brakin feelin on my 82 makes me feel way uneasy...are the stock 93' calipers any diff than the 89s???thanks


Ok, I thougt it was just my car.. for new shoes, master cyl/fluid, they feel waaaaaaay soft to me..

[Wrencher]

Anyone know of a good source for the backing plates? The 10" Fairmont ones. Also, do the stock emergency brake cables work or do you have to change to Fairmont cables?

Thanks!

[JACook]

Anyone know of a good source for the backing plates? The 10" Fairmont ones. Also, do the stock emergency brake cables work or do you have to change to Fairmont cables?

Fairmont wagons, or some of the Fox-body T-birds and Cougars. Might be some
others, but those are the ones I know of. The Mustang e-brake cables work fine.

[Wrencher]

So you're telling me that Ford dealers still carry new parts for an almost 30 year old car?

I'll have to call on Monday

[ricko302]

I think I tried the dealer for those a while back. They looked at me like I was retarded.
Let us know what you find out from your dealer.

[JACook]

So you're telling me that Ford dealers still carry new parts for an almost 30 year old car?

That is not what I said. You can try to get new, or you can hit the boneyards.
All's I'm telling you is what cars have the plates you want.

BTW, grooved backing plates can be welded and resurfaced...

[Wrencher]

OHHH Okay, no problem.

So the boneyards are the only way to find them? Anyone making them new yet?

[MurPHy]

I'm sure you can still get drum brake parts from the dealership. It's a simple design that hasn't been changed in over 80 years.

I'm gonna inquire at my dealership about it on Monday. Worse case scenario, I'll have to get the backing plates from a junkyard. Everything else is a wear item, and can be rebuilt/replaced, so I'm sure you can get everything else (springs, shoes, drums, wheel cylinders, etc).

If I ask for rear drum parts for a 1979 Fairmont wagon, 302 automatic, that'll suffice, right?

[JACook]

If I ask for rear drum parts for a 1979 Fairmont wagon, 302 automatic, that'll suffice, right?

You may have to specify the 10" drums. Not sure if all the V8 wagons got the 10"ers or not.
(Every one I've ever seen did, but I can't say I've seen anywhere near all of 'em...) :)

I'll be interested in hearing how you make out.

[Wrencher]

So you can take the 13/16 wheel cylinders from the Fairmont wagon with the 9" brakes and swap them with the 3/4 Mustang ones? Mine needs new wheel cylinders anyway and I might as well go larger.