So I know that serviceable brake drums for my trucks are hard to come by and so I couldn't pass on a box that came with F6 front brake parts that included wheel cylinders, drums, and spindles. When I spotted the deal, it had been a while since I had actually seen my brake setup. However, I have since realized that my existing front drums are actually drum spindle in one unit. The box of parts has the drum and spindle as seperate units.

So a couple of questions for those that are uber knowledgeable:

Are they even for my trucks? If not, what are they for so I can make sure they find a good home?

Are these two variations of the same thing?

Can I safely run differing pairs on each side?

 

Not sure what years you refer to, but, 53-55 and many later years use a drum/hub assembly that bolts together. Our 1955 F500 uses D1TZ-1125-B. That's the new number. See: https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/s...51#post4497751
Or https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/s...51#post4497751

There are only a few showing up at NOS suppliers and the going rate is about $350.00. I have two. You should replace the studs when replacing the drum. The studs should be cut down with a stud cutter (machining process) prior to separation of the old drum from the hub. Then the clean new drum should be torqued down to the cleaned and deburred hub with new studs (you want good, flat mating surfaces). After that, the new drums should be turned just enough to make them concentric to the hub bore.
That being said (typed?), many folks just bash the old off and bolt on new. To each their own.

BTW: The spindle is the tapered shaft that holds the bearing centers. The hub rides on the outside of the bearings. Also, once the drum and hub are bolted together, they are easy to think of as one unit. Albatross has 5 on 8" lug pattern and the drum has a different (narrower) pattern.

 

My '49 F4 has 14" x 2" drums bolted to the hubs.