Rear brake drum questions?

QuigRig · 04-21-2018, 07:57 AM

I have a 1990 ford E250 Quigley. I bought new drums and shoes as I heard the dreaded grinding. I prepped and cleaned and started to change them and found out that the drums and shoes that I am replacing are 2 1/2" and all the replacement I ordered were 3" Where I ordered said that it fit my van and year. Everything fits fine except the inner diameter of the drums that meet the axle. Researching to get new drums and pads I am seeing the word "floating" I am assuming that they have to be centered using the hub but did not know if there was such a thing as a floating rear drum?????

I have searched and was just hoping for some clarification.

Thanks in advance, Patrick

carringb · 04-21-2018, 09:54 AM

Floating refers to the axle style you have. I suspect they gave you the 3" wide drums because through the 90's, some E250s were built with the full float rear axle, which had the larger brakes. You probably have the semi-float axle axle. So when you're shopping, look for either the smaller shoe width, or shop by "non floating".

I always had the opposite problem with my '94. No matter what, the shoes that came in were always the smaller shoes, but mine had the full float with the larger brakes.

QuigRig · 04-21-2018, 10:29 AM

Thank you for the information.
I was researching and coming to that conclusion and I am appreciative that it is confirmed. The bad news is I have to order new parts. Good news is I have a full floating axle lined up to use my mistakes on.
Thanks again...

QuigRig · 04-21-2018, 10:34 AM

I might as well throw this out there. Going to order new parts and I am wondering if there is a preferred brand? The 3" mistakes were Raybestos and they seemed a good quality. All thoughts are appreciated.

carringb · 04-21-2018, 10:43 AM

Raybestos is fine. Basically OEM quality. Are they bonded, or riveted shoes?

I had trouble with riveted shoes cracking at the rivets, and that would cause the lining to start coming off. I had way better luck with bonded shoes.

TomsBeast · 04-21-2018, 11:50 AM

I've been through something similar on my '96 E350. There are two different width shoes and drums, and it turns out two different drum offsets for the same shoe width, for the Dana 60 full float axle. Duallay or non-dually, different widths, different diameters, full float, semi-full float, more options than Baskin Robbins 31 flavors ice cream

I wound up having to ship a wrong pair of those heavy-ass drums back to Rock Auto, lost about 75% on the deal. Then payed 30% more to source them locally. I see you are on an island, so I can imagine you have even worse logistics problems. Keep after it, you'll get it.

QuigRig · 04-21-2018, 12:42 PM

The ones that let go were bonded. The wrong replacements are riveted.

Getting anything on an island is a pain in the a** I got the last drums and shoes from Amazon but painted them in caliper epoxy before realizing that they were the wrong size. Seeing them sitting in the shop will motivate me more to switch to a floater.

I will try again though... Its just money. LOL