12 inch rear brakes

[68_Gladiator]

Were 12 inch brakes standard on a j2000 with a 6000# gross? Parts sites are showing 12 inch brakes listed on trucks 7000+ gross. My truck came with the rear brakes disassembled and lines not hooked up. Wondering if the axle was swapped.

Here's what's in it

[tgreese]

A model 26 should be equivalent to a short-bed J-20 in 1974. Supposedly these trucks were not sold in the USA - only the model 25 got the short bed. If it's a 26 and not 8 lug I'd guess it's a 60-2 with 12" brakes. All the J-10s for 1974 have 5200 (119") or 5600 GVWR (131"). The lightest 46 is 6500, so the trend would be for the 26 to be somewhat lower GVWR... 6000?

[68_Gladiator]

The vin decoder says my truck was export only, some believe it could be a Canadian truck. It's a 73 short bed 6000 gross. Does that mean the front should be 12 inch too? Its buried in 2 feet of snow so I cant check til it melts.

[68_Gladiator]

Should have done more searching, found this. Answers most of my questions.

http://www.ifsja.org/forums/vb/archive/index.php/t-118475.html

[joe]

The vin decoder says my truck was export only, some believe it could be a Canadian truck. It's a 73 short bed 6000 gross. Does that mean the front should be 12 inch too? Its buried in 2 feet of snow so I cant check til it melts.

Yes if it has 12x2 drums on the rear D60-2, the front D44 will also have 12" brakes. Be good to them. New 5 hole 12x2replacement drums are non-existant.

[68_Gladiator]

I've found that out. The rears at least look to have been recently turned with plenty of meat still on them, odometer shows 16k miles. No idea how the front look yet. If they get me a few years I'll be fine. Eventually I'm swapping in some updated axles, open knuckle with disc. Hard part is figuring out what the PO lost or broke as its nothing but bare backing plates right now and a box of parts in the cab

[tgreese]

The drums can look thick and still be worn out. The usual limit is 60-thou over nominal. I have seen people go over the limit on drums (not for this app) though it's not accepted practice. I assume that the adjusters will run out of travel if you go over, or maybe they won't adjust at all. If you have the drums off, take to your local shop and ask them to measure. They should have a special dial caliper that measures drum diameter.

The 60-2 used to be in demand for narrowing and use in baby Jeeps.

[68_Gladiator]

Looks and feels like they've been turned. No grooves and its smooth where it looks like there may have been a groove before being turned. I dont see a business turning them if they're not in spec. I'm still going to take them in tomorrow and have them measured

[KaiserMan]

From what I've seen all 6,000/6,600lb GVW trucks came through with 11" brakes. Including the October of '70 build date 6,000lb GVW J2000 I had. You sure you have 12" drums?

[68_Gladiator]

Assuming I'm measuring correctly. Straight across inner diameter is 12 inches.

[tgreese]

You are doing that right. 12" brakes, no question.

[KaiserMan]

Yep. Definitely a 12". Stuff got a little weird in 72/3 when AMC started changing things up. Those drums are very hard to find, even used. Treat them well!

[68_Gladiator]

Shop says they're in spec and have 1 more turn in them before they're shot. So good to go!!! Time to order shoes and spring kits

[KaiserMan]

Get Centric shoes off rockauto. I ordered several pairs of various quality name brands and I kept getting oversized linings. The centric ones are perfect.



Did the shop tell you how much yours have been turned? I still have a new pair of oversized lining 12x2 shoes you can have.

[68_Gladiator]

I honestly don't remember. I was just happy to hear they were good to go and should get me enough years of use until I swap in some better axles with disks. I'll probably offer them up for the price of shipping when I swap axles and help keep someone's truck alive. I have the Wagner shoes currently sitting in my rock auto cart. I only see centric shoes in the 11 inch.