Apparently they do have them available.... for under $120.
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Nice finds guys! For $120 for the pair I ordered the new service parts. The applications for the parts all said the product was obsolete but the site let me order - we'll see what happens. Looks like rockauto.com has everything else I'll need super cheap! Thanks again!
Well drat, Silver State Ford only had one side - and asked for $90 for that! Back to junkyard/eBay diving. I found a yard in Nebraska that is going to check out a possible set for me tomorrow if it doesn't snow too much. If that fails, it's Ranger time.
Good stuff - but just found '85 Town Car backing plates today at a salvage yard in Nebraska via car-part.com. Not bad at $35 apiece and $15 total for shipping. I'll have to see condition when they arrive. Will I need the indexing rings? If so, found a source here for only $20 for the pair. Rockauto looks to have all the various hardware bits for cheap - I will post a total once I have everything. Certainly does look like a good way to save a lot of time and hassle chasing items though - I may well have gone that way if I hadn't already ordered backing plates (and could yet if they don't pan out for some reason). Thanks again for the info - the combined knowledge and Internet perusing of this crew is an impressive thing.
Anybody know the difference between FMSI 169 (brake shoe for classic 10"x2.5") and FMSI 481 (newer 10"x2.5" brake shoe)? I can find Porterfield RS-4 shoes for 169 but not 481. My guess (which I don't trust) is that if I use the older drum hardware I could use 169 and newer hardware for 481 but I really don't know and can't find specs/dimensions.
Anybody know the difference between FMSI 169 (brake shoe for classic 10"x2.5") and FMSI 481 (newer 10"x2.5" brake shoe)? I can find Porterfield RS-4 shoes for 169 but not 481. My guess (which I don't trust) is that if I use the older drum hardware I could use 169 and newer hardware for 481 but I really don't know and can't find specs/dimensions.
not why call the Porterfield folks. In my experience they have always been very helpful.
Not surprised you can't find anything at your local salvage yard. Junk yards are getting kind of absurd these days. Apparently, about 10 years ago, when steel prices were very high, a lot of yards crushed everything they had and sold it as scrap. Now, when I go to a salvage yard, they want to sell me new parts. No thanks!
Anybody know the difference between FMSI 169 (brake shoe for classic 10"x2.5") and FMSI 481 (newer 10"x2.5" brake shoe)? I can find Porterfield RS-4 shoes for 169 but not 481. My guess (which I don't trust) is that if I use the older drum hardware I could use 169 and newer hardware for 481 but I really don't know and can't find specs/dimensions.
This is from the Friction Materials Standards Institute book.
They are similar but not the same. The brake shoe hardware
kits are not the same part number either........
__________________
As the drill sergeant said, "I taught you everything you know. I didn't teach you everything I know."
"Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so."
- Douglas Adams
Having done a few of these previously..... note 22GT's post that GN has the original style drums. These will fit your axle flange properly. If you use late model drums you will have to (well, should) use a spacer between the axle flange centering knob and the drum as the drum diameter is larger by about 1/4" all the way around. This is important if you're using hub-centric wheels, because you need a thin ring that does not protrude out past the drum face.
I agree that that is the right way to do things. While waiting for the
lathe to free up so I could make the spacers, I drove mine for a few
weeks without. I discovered that the factory drums are a really
close-tolerence fit on the wheel studs, so it's not a huge issue.....
I don't know about aftermarket drums, might be a looser fit.
__________________
As the drill sergeant said, "I taught you everything you know. I didn't teach you everything I know."
"Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so."
- Douglas Adams
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