1952 F3 - front 8 bolt to 5 bolt drum swap
 

Hey guys...this newbie has another question that I cannot seem to find an answer for....I have put in a new drop front axle and want to get rid of the 8 bolt front drum to a 5 bolt...I am putting in a 56 5 bolt rear so all tires will be the same...what drum can I get to fit over the spindle ? Is there a drum that will bolt right on? Or is there a drum I can have the centre hole bored out to fit??


Thanks for all the help...really appreciate it....I am sure this will not be the last....lol




Jeff

The spindles themselves are the same for F1,F2, and F3 models. Scrounge up some backing plates, hubs, and drums from an F1 and they will swap right on and give you the same 5 on 5 1/2" lug pattern that you'll have in the rear.

Thanks for that, but I was hoping for something newer that would be a little more easier available and give me a newer brake set up....???

Get a disc brake kit made for an F-1. It will fit the F-3. You will have to change the MC also. :)

Well....I have not been able to locate any front F1 backing plates, new drums run about $150 US + shipping, and disc brake option would run me about $1000 bucks...so that is out...No other ideas out there for a backing plate drum swap??


thanks

I you can live with a 5x4.5 bolt pattern, here's a much less expensive kit...:)

1948-1956 Ford Half Ton Deluxe Disc Brake Kit, 5 x 4-1/2 Inch - Free Shipping @ Speedway Motors

1948-1956 Ford Half Ton Deluxe Disc Brake Kit, 5 x 5-1/2 Inch - Free Shipping @ Speedway Motors

The 5 on 5.5 kit isn't that much different in price. Where it adds up is including the booster/master cylinder kit to go with it to make it all work, so you can about double that, all in. Still, it's less money than messing with the old drums when you add up buying all the same pieces you get in the disc kit to make the drums work, and you'll have more reliable and safer braking, too. Brakes is not a good place to skimp, imho.

I agree with 52 MERC good brakes should be the major purchase in your rebuild. If you think drums are hard to come by and expensive how about a grill and fenders. I got mine from speedway and redid lines power MC and front discs for about $600. So pay a little now or pay alot later with dented fenders or worse.

Just following up on this, according to speedway this kit is only for the F1, is there a kit somewhere else for the F3?

thanks

Any kit that fits an F-1 will also fit an F-3. :)

Should fit the F3.

https://www.summitracing.com/int/par...f3?prefilter=1

I bought these and they went straight on, just re-installed them today after doing my kingpins. Little rusty from when i was installing the motor in the rain, but that's nothing to do with the kit itself.

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...7de94de5fc.jpg
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...97b5b2666f.jpg

The grease fittings on mine didn't need to be relocated, but i can't promise the same for your setup.

Are your original F3 drums usable?

Not as they are now. One was seized with some sheared studs and the other had the outer contact area cut off.

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...417c4fd8ca.jpg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...62a1cba8c0.jpg


They may be salvageable for parts if you're interested though. However i'm not too optimistic about them.

Yeah, they look pretty rough. Thanks anyway.

Honestly F3 brakes are made of pure unobtanium. You could swap in the F1 drums but I'd just convert it to discs if i were you.