I am going to have the drums on my '59 F250 drilled for venting, as I am told this will vastly improve the stopping ability of my truck.  I don't want to add front discs as my bolt pattern would then be mixed(5 lug front/8 lug rear).  I am also told that after doing this that I may not need to add a power booster as I had intended.
Does anyone know of a source in the Bay Area(California)who can drill the drums?  Also looking for someone to rebuild a Hydrovac or Midland remote mount brake booster? (Not sure which rebuildable core I can come up with if needed)  If I can't find a nearby source I will have the drums done by C.H.Topping in Longbeach
Has anyone done this brake drilling,and were you impressed with the results?Anyone had experience with C.H.T.?

The only possible reason that I can see for drilling brake drums, would be to help with cooling. I have my doubts that it would help much and I certainly don't see how it will improve braking.

Glen Henderson



Freedom is not Free

Letohatchee, AL

I have read an article on drilling brake drums in Custom Rodder a while back, and acording to the article it actually does help braking. Besides the cooling affect it has on the drums, it allows built up gasses crated by the pads to escape from the drum. They say that the gasses from melting particulate on the pads actually creates a type of air pocket between the pad and the drum. You are actually compressing this before you make contact with the drum. Not sure if this is a bunch of crap, but the writer swears it made a huge improvement on his ealy 50's Dodge, braking ability.

Rob

I love the smell of burning rubber in the morning!

I was told that the race car drivers in the 50s drilled or cut slots in the drums to cool the brakes and it worked. Somehow some managed to fit finned drums on the back from the other brand X maker and that helped to cool the fords too.Can't remember if it was olds or pontiac??????

-Gary Burnette-

Those were Buick drums.58 for sure and maybe 59-60

 

Paul,

Boonville,MO