Time for new shocks. Look at these!

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

Nasty-LSX

TogetherforeverCovid19
Joined
Nov 22, 2014
Posts
1,398
Reaction score
1,743
Location
HOUSTON TX
First Name
Mi Hung Lo
Truck Year
85/86/87
Truck Model
c10/k10/k20
Engine Size
LSX
Not sure I’ve ever seen a warped rotor. Do you think it’s out of round? If not, hit those mfers with a flapper wheel or wire wheel. Scuff real good and see how awesome your new brakes are!
Not warped LOL. They could use a light skim cut. But still fine. I cant find No One In Houston who still cuts drums.
Most place will only turn rotors and the car drums (smaller). Mine are still good enough to reuse. I just wanted new
ones while I was at it. But all the negative reviews on replacement drums is crazy. I may upgrade to rear disk brakes
if they are available on the next go round.
 

Turbo4whl

Supporting Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Oct 30, 2019
Posts
3,168
Reaction score
7,378
Location
Downingtown, PA
First Name
Wayne
Truck Year
1974
Truck Model
Jimmy
Engine Size
350
Not warped LOL. They could use a light skim cut. But still fine. I cant find No One In Houston who still cuts drums.
Most place will only turn rotors and the car drums (smaller). Mine are still good enough to reuse. I just wanted new
ones while I was at it. But all the negative reviews on replacement drums is crazy. I may upgrade to rear disk brakes
if they are available on the next go round.
Your plan for the drums is good. Keep looking you'll find somebody to cut them. Forget the disc conversion.
 

AuroraGirl

Full Access Member
Joined
Sep 8, 2019
Posts
9,702
Reaction score
6,893
Location
Northern Wisconsin
First Name
Taylor
Truck Year
1978, 1980
Truck Model
K10, K25
Engine Size
400(?), 350
Not warped LOL. They could use a light skim cut. But still fine. I cant find No One In Houston who still cuts drums.
Most place will only turn rotors and the car drums (smaller). Mine are still good enough to reuse. I just wanted new
ones while I was at it. But all the negative reviews on replacement drums is crazy. I may upgrade to rear disk brakes
if they are available on the next go round.
show us what the wear on the inside of the drum is, i would base turning it on how its condition is thus far, because perfectly working drum brakes that dont have issues and are properly done and never seize etc would basically never really need one till the drum was done

But a low enough mileage even if it wasnt ideal conditions may be in the same situation. Might just take it to a machine shop and pay them probably more for their time but they have the equipment.

Ive seen the rotors after oreillies was done with them for some car or small truck before. def not trusting them with anything lol. The metal faces literally were no longer shiny as in there was no reflection. I dont know what kind of improper or broken tooling or bad operation does that but it was at least.. consistent.. to the point that it may still work for the guy but hes gonna get none of the benefits of runout/disk variation being brought in or anything, but maybe itll just start a now very catchy behavior who knows lol
 

Grit dog

Full Access Member
Joined
May 18, 2020
Posts
7,150
Reaction score
12,640
Location
Auburn, Washington
First Name
Todd
Truck Year
1986, 1977
Truck Model
K20, C10
Engine Size
454, 350
Not warped LOL. They could use a light skim cut. But still fine. I cant find No One In Houston who still cuts drums.
Most place will only turn rotors and the car drums (smaller). Mine are still good enough to reuse. I just wanted new
ones while I was at it. But all the negative reviews on replacement drums is crazy. I may upgrade to rear disk brakes
if they are available on the next go round.
I meant drum… lol. Oops.
Yeah idk. My K20 had new drums on it when I bought it.
Got any old Napas with machine shops still? Or talk to a driveline / spring shop that does a lot of truck work. They may know someone.
 

Grit dog

Full Access Member
Joined
May 18, 2020
Posts
7,150
Reaction score
12,640
Location
Auburn, Washington
First Name
Todd
Truck Year
1986, 1977
Truck Model
K20, C10
Engine Size
454, 350
show us what the wear on the inside of the drum is, i would base turning it on how its condition is thus far, because perfectly working drum brakes that dont have issues and are properly done and never seize etc would basically never really need one till the drum was done

But a low enough mileage even if it wasnt ideal conditions may be in the same situation. Might just take it to a machine shop and pay them probably more for their time but they have the equipment.

Ive seen the rotors after oreillies was done with them for some car or small truck before. def not trusting them with anything lol. The metal faces literally were no longer shiny as in there was no reflection. I dont know what kind of improper or broken tooling or bad operation does that but it was at least.. consistent.. to the point that it may still work for the guy but hes gonna get none of the benefits of runout/disk variation being brought in or anything, but maybe itll just start a now very catchy behavior who knows lol
They’re not supposed to be shiny after being turned.
 

Nasty-LSX

TogetherforeverCovid19
Joined
Nov 22, 2014
Posts
1,398
Reaction score
1,743
Location
HOUSTON TX
First Name
Mi Hung Lo
Truck Year
85/86/87
Truck Model
c10/k10/k20
Engine Size
LSX
Your plan for the drums is good. Keep looking you'll find somebody to cut them. Forget the disc conversion.
Turbo4whl, Are the drums better then the disc? I would think so since they are HUGE. I said Disk's because the whole kit cost as much as a complete drum rebuild. Shoes alone are $113.00 :oops:
 

Nasty-LSX

TogetherforeverCovid19
Joined
Nov 22, 2014
Posts
1,398
Reaction score
1,743
Location
HOUSTON TX
First Name
Mi Hung Lo
Truck Year
85/86/87
Truck Model
c10/k10/k20
Engine Size
LSX
show us what the wear on the inside of the drum is, i would base turning it on how its condition is thus far, because perfectly working drum brakes that dont have issues and are properly done and never seize etc would basically never really need one till the drum was done

But a low enough mileage even if it wasnt ideal conditions may be in the same situation. Might just take it to a machine shop and pay them probably more for their time but they have the equipment.

Ive seen the rotors after oreillies was done with them for some car or small truck before. def not trusting them with anything lol. The metal faces literally were no longer shiny as in there was no reflection. I dont know what kind of improper or broken tooling or bad operation does that but it was at least.. consistent.. to the point that it may still work for the guy but hes gonna get none of the benefits of runout/disk variation being brought in or anything, but maybe itll just start a now very catchy behavior who knows lol
So true :cheers: To late on a pic of the drums, I already used a sander on them, clean them up and reinstalled.
They were good cause the guy at the brake shop said both drums had plenty of meat on them!
 

Ricko1966

Full Access Member
Joined
Apr 11, 2017
Posts
5,641
Reaction score
9,262
Location
kansas
First Name
Rick
Truck Year
1975
Truck Model
c20
Engine Size
350
Turbo4whl, Are the drums better then the disc? I would think so since they are HUGE. I said Disk's because the whole kit cost as much as a complete drum rebuild. Shoes alone are $113.00 :oops:
Drums actually have more braking capability by diameter partially due to how much friction surface you have on a brake shoe,and they are self energizing for more braking force. Downside is harder to maintain,much harder to replace correctly, these days( no one has tools to rearch shoes to match drums anymore) if you turn a drum, lets use an exaggerated example a 10 inch drum turned to 11 inches now you put 10 inch shoes in it and only a small portion of the shoe contacts the drum because the drum is the wrong size.You used to rearch the shoes to match the drum,no one does that now,no one even knows to now. Other problem with drums is fade.You can vent drums to help but no one ever does. Drums done properly,work very well.
 
Last edited:

Nasty-LSX

TogetherforeverCovid19
Joined
Nov 22, 2014
Posts
1,398
Reaction score
1,743
Location
HOUSTON TX
First Name
Mi Hung Lo
Truck Year
85/86/87
Truck Model
c10/k10/k20
Engine Size
LSX
Drums actually have more braking capability by diameter partially due to how much friction surface you have on a brake shoe,and they self energizing for more braking force. Downside is harder to maintain,much harder to replace correctly, these days( no one has tools to rearch shies to match drums anymore) if you turn a drum lets use an exaggerated example a 10 inch drum turned to 11 inches now you put 10 inc shoes in it and only a small portion of the shoe contacts the drum because the drum is the wrong size.You used to rearch the shoes to match the drum,noone does now,no one even knows to now. Other problem with drums is fade.You can vent drums to help but no one ever does. Drums done properly,work very well.
Well said! :cheers:
 

Ricko1966

Full Access Member
Joined
Apr 11, 2017
Posts
5,641
Reaction score
9,262
Location
kansas
First Name
Rick
Truck Year
1975
Truck Model
c20
Engine Size
350
If you decide to keep your drums(I Would) there is usually a leading and a trailing shoe( big shoe+ little shoe) always pay attention when you take it apart. It is almost always BOB big on back. But if you get it wrong you get goofy brake problems.
 
Last edited:

Turbo4whl

Supporting Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Oct 30, 2019
Posts
3,168
Reaction score
7,378
Location
Downingtown, PA
First Name
Wayne
Truck Year
1974
Truck Model
Jimmy
Engine Size
350
Turbo4whl, Are the drums better then the disc? I would think so since they are HUGE. I said Disk's because the whole kit cost as much as a complete drum rebuild. Shoes alone are $113.00 :oops:
Rick explained a lot. Many times people make the change for the reasons Rick discussed. They don't understand the drum braking system. Many kits do not have provisions for the E-brake/parking brake. Most all medium duty and heavy duty trucks have drum brakes. They all can stop.

Most likely you can make your drum brakes perform better than any aftermarket kits, or cobbled together conversions. Oh and yes, if you pay enough money you would have a good rear disc system. This requires someone who builds brake systems for a living (race car engineer?)
 

Nasty-LSX

TogetherforeverCovid19
Joined
Nov 22, 2014
Posts
1,398
Reaction score
1,743
Location
HOUSTON TX
First Name
Mi Hung Lo
Truck Year
85/86/87
Truck Model
c10/k10/k20
Engine Size
LSX
If you decide to keep your drums[I Would] there is usually a leading and a trailing shoe( big shoe+ little shoe) always pay attention when you take it apart. It is almost always BOB big on back. But if you get it wrong you get goofy brake problems.
yes sir, I put big on rear and skinny towards the front on both sides:gr_grin: it's AMAZING how this truck stops on a dime now.
 

AuroraGirl

Full Access Member
Joined
Sep 8, 2019
Posts
9,702
Reaction score
6,893
Location
Northern Wisconsin
First Name
Taylor
Truck Year
1978, 1980
Truck Model
K10, K25
Engine Size
400(?), 350
If you decide to keep your drums(I Would) there is usually a leading and a trailing shoe( big shoe+ little shoe) always pay attention when you take it apart. It is almost always BOB big on back. But if you get it wrong you get goofy brake problems.
Or, romantically, big spoon little spoon. Till the springs piss you off, then its a lot more like hate-f'ing

I mean, thats one persepctive.

The GM drum brake is infinitely superior to the unchanged since bednix invented the design in the like 50s that Ford was using till the late 90s...

Then the brakes started to awfully resemble gm drum brakes. Wonder if they just started sourcing from the now spun off GM susbsidiaries in the time.. or if a patent expired.. lol
 

Forum statistics

Threads
44,473
Posts
958,748
Members
36,874
Latest member
18ozcanofdrpepper
Top