I'm just curious how do you tell what the condition of your existing drums and shoes are. Mine are rusty but not extremely so.The shoes show about 3/16" of material. Both the shoes and the drum looks a little shiny but that might be normal. I am not sure.

John
Ford F-3

 

Not sure how your drums can be simultaneously rusty and shiny?

What you're looking for is leakage at the wheel cylinder; adequate shoe friction material (sounds like you're good there); and even wear across the drum friction surface. If the drums need turning, then you need to measure their diameter to tell if there's enough meat left.

 

Wear surface is shiny but everything else is rusty. The wheel cylinders are shot. I opened them up and found corrosion and what I assume is sand but no fluid at all. the plungers do not move at all. My thought is that if I will need nerw shoes and drums as well as cylinders and plumbing then discs start looking like only a small premium over drums but if the drums and shoes are serviceable then I can put off the disc conversion for a little while and enjoy the truck and get to know its quirks before I dump big chunks of money into it. Thanks for the advice.

John
Ford F-3

 

If there is not grooving and ridges in the drum surface you can easily feel with a fingernail dragged across the surface, then you can clean off any light surface rust with some 220 grit emery paper. Exterior rust is normal, you can sandblast it and paint it with a high temp paint or leave it. There are two types of shoes, riveted linings or bonded linings. Riveted linings have large flat rivets in recessed holes in the lining surface, bonded linings do not. Riveted linings should be replaced when the friction material is within 3/32 of the rivet heads, bonded linings should be replaced when the thickness of the friction material reaches the thickness of the steel backer (use the steel portion of the backer of another shoe as a thickness gauge).
The "sand" behind the cylinder seals is really corrosion and oxidized fluid. Replace the cylinders with new ones, don't be tempted to "rebuild" them yourself. While you have the lines disconnected, replace the steel and the rubber flex lines with new. Check the master cylinder for any signs of leakage. I'd highly recommend replacing the MC with a replacement dual chamber/circuit one. There is absolutely nothing wrong with front drum brakes unless you are driving in hill country, on flooded roads, or carrying or towing a heavy load regularly. They actually work better than discs for most driving if in good shape.

 

AXRacer,

I have been looking for a dual cylinder MC and/or power MC but most seem to want you to disc/drum setups or disc/disc. In a previous thread this one was suggested Master Power Brakes - FORD TRUCK 7" DUAL DIAPHRAGM POWER BOOSTER/MASTER CYLINDER

Do you have a suggestion for drum/drum or can I use one like I linked with all drums. Sorry for the questions, I am just a little out of my element with brakes.

Thanks,
John

 

I'm not an expert on all the combinations possible.
My usual solution to dealing with something out of my element is to call the manufacturer directly and talk to their customer support people to get an accurate and definitive answer. I have talked to the people at MP brakes before and found them to be very helpful. Give them a call, I'm sure they can help you. Come back and tell us what they recommended.

 

I wouldn't say your cost for rebuilding the stock system will approach the cost of REBUILT discs. Junkyard discs, maybe. Compare apples to apples, discs are still a premium unless you have to buy new drums.

 

Based on everything I was going to have to buy (if I replaced drums and shoes) I was going to have to spend in the neighborhood of $600 (much cheaper if it is just wheel cylinders and hoses). If I go with TSMs front disc package I am in the same neighborhood. Once you throw in a power master cylinder you will probably be a fair ammount higher but only by a few hundred. I am probably not thinking about some conversion related costs but my first blush math was starting to work out. If I can keep the drums and shoes then it is a no brainer to stay with them until they wear out. Thanks for all the input.

John
Ford F-3

 

I haven't priced brake shoes lately, are they expensive? I'd check with your local NAPA store, they still stock a lot of the wear parts for our trucks. Unless the drums have been turned a number of times already, even if scored they should be able to be turned a lot cheaper than new drums.
Rock auto lists the shoes from 17.50 - 33.00 a set.
New drums 25.00 ea

 

I should definitely do some more research but for the F3 all I have found for drums were $130/drum and the shoes were $100 for 4 shoes. I think F1 brakes are far more available and as a result much cheaper.

 

Go to a big-truck brake and clutch shop, they can reline you old shoes, very economically. Plus you know they'll fit.