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Where To Buy Quality Brake Drums

Discussion in 'Early CJ5 and CJ6 Tech' started by Kiowaflier, Jun 11, 2016.

  1. Kiowaflier

    Kiowaflier New Member

    I'm curious if anyone has thoughts on the best new production brake drums out there for early jeeps...in my case, a 1959 CJ5 with 9inch drums. Seems like the only thing I can find is OmixAda, and occasionally Crown. Is one better quality than the other? Are there better alternatives to those two, that are easily available? I'm reading terrible reviews of OmixAda's brake drums, and makes me nervous to spend money on something that will arrive no better than my current (warped) drums.
     
  2. PeteL

    PeteL If it wasn't for physics, and law enforcement... 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Maybe get your drums re-turned?
     
  3. oddfirejeeper

    oddfirejeeper Active Member

    i had gotten mine at napa along with the shoes
     
  4. timgr

    timgr We stand on the shoulders of giants. 2022 Sponsor

    Your local shop or parts store should be able to measure your drums. They can be surfaced up to 60-thou over (typical maximum limit) and still be usable.

    What's the difference between 1959 and 1960 9" drums? RockAuto shows Centric 9" drums for a 1960. It also shows Raybestos. Centric is an ok brand - it's import stuff, but the Centric parts I've used have been fine.

    Of Omix or Crown, I would pick Crown.
     
  5. Glenn

    Glenn Kinda grumpy old man Staff Member

    All of the brake parts I got from Walck's have been fine, but it's been over 10 years since I got them so can only hope he still has good stuff.
     
  6. PeteL

    PeteL If it wasn't for physics, and law enforcement... 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Last edited: Jun 11, 2016
  7. Kiowaflier

    Kiowaflier New Member

    That was my hope, but the brake shop guy felt turning them might not be effective due to overheating damage. I might have it done anyway and see if it works. Probably can't hurt anything.
     
  8. oddfirejeeper

    oddfirejeeper Active Member

    the person turning the drums will find out right away if it's not going well due to the over heating. i used to turn drums and rotors at the auto parts stores i worked at. you still might get away with just turning them down and they will be alright.
     
  9. oddfirejeeper

    oddfirejeeper Active Member

    all your out is the money they may charge you to do so
     
  10. Glenn

    Glenn Kinda grumpy old man Staff Member

    If it was me I'd be buying 2 new drums for the front regardless, and if they are usable put the turned ones on the back.
     
  11. uncamonkey

    uncamonkey Member

    I'm not trying to sell you anything but I imagine that 9" drums are something we stumble across in the garage all of the time and I would think that a member close to you would give you some. A quick count would tell me that I have about 10 drums and I'm holding on to the ones off of the MB. Don't know why as I've had them for about 40 years. :). I haven't had 9" brakes for about 20 years on a Jeep.
     
  12. Alan F

    Alan F Sponsor

    Besides Omix-ADA there were Delco, Ratheon and Centric drums on RockAuto when I bought mine. There were around $20 each. I purchased 4) Centrics and they look acceptable to my eyes.
     
  13. jeep2003

    jeep2003 Well-Known Member

    Youre drums are most likely warped from somebody trying to use a puller or beating on them to get them off. So having them turned is not going to fix that
     
  14. Daryl

    Daryl Sponsor

    Where are you at? I probably have half a dozen axles in the scrap pile with 9" brakes on them.
     
  15. uncamonkey

    uncamonkey Member

    Sort of where I was going without stepping an any moderators toes and hijacking a thread. He can have about anything here except for the disk brakes on the D30 out there. As with anything heavy, shipping could be a deal breaker,. If you show up at my doorstep I would hand them to you gladly. Just helping out a friend that I never met yet.
     
  16. Kiowaflier

    Kiowaflier New Member

    I certainly appreciate the offers. I'm in southeast Alabama...pretty good distance from yall I guess. I'll probably look into those options for new drums, unless anyone closer to me has some they'd like to sell. Many thanks for all the suggestions.
     
  17. uncamonkey

    uncamonkey Member

    Oh, come on, It's only about a two day drive to get here. Find a local Jeep grave yard. My local one has about 3 acres of Jeeps parked out there.