11" brakes in rear/10" in front

On my first test drive I realized I have no real brakes. I noticed that I have 11" drums in the rear and I believe 10" in the front. From what I've seen only about 72 and up had 11" in the rear. Why would there be larger brakes in the rear than the front? I dont know if the PO had done a swap but I kinda doubt it. Also, how the heck do you get the cover off and fill the master cylinder, its under the stupid pedal linkages!?

 

Yeah, larger brakes on the rear makes no sense. When you stop, the weight transfers forward and thus you need more braking force on the front than rear. If you measured and they are what you said, the rears have been swapped - the factory would never do something as dumb as that. Yes, 72 and up used 11" all around, until front disks were introduced.

 

Easy, you remove the round cover in your floor thats over the MC, then remove the MC cover and then spill fluid all over the ground trying to pour it thru the hole. Its really not that bad after you do it a couple of times. Realisticlly if your brakes are in good shape you shouldn't have to look at it more than once a year.

 

what Tim said

x2

 

Are the 11" brakes on a '72 finned?

 

In my small sample, 72-3 was not, but they were by 75. The finned drums are supposed to be a direct replacement for the unfinned drums for that period.

 

I use a tranny funnel to eliminate spillage

 

Man thats got to taste terrrible.:d

 

R) R) Give new meaning to smooooooth!

 

If the rears are, indeed, 11" - I would swap front to rear for a "free" upgrade. I ran 11's on the front of Lulu and 10's on the rear. Stopping power was just fine for 32" tires.

 

You could also hook up a remote fill reservoir (per VernCo). I have one on my Wagon.

 

Yeah, the rear are definitly 11.06" and are finned. I will check the fluid and then go from there. Hopefully it will stop well enough after adding fluid then it is off to inspection. I can just pull the rear brakes off and swap to the front with no problem?

 

Yeah, I think so. AFAIK the front and rear backing plates for the Bendix brakes are the same except for the e-brake lever. The 10" brakes are not Bendix (again AFAIK) so measure and compare first. Also, the wheel cylinders are typically sized (smaller to the rear) to bias the braking force to the front. Once you switch them, you may or may not have the right braking balance depending on the diameter of the cylinders.