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Replacing brake shoes & parts on a Chevy S10 rearend

tfeverfred

Well-Known Member
It seems a lot of folks are using the popular and readily available S10 rear end. For those not familiar with replacing shoes, here's a VERY good video for doing so. I just wish I would have found this years ago.

 
I'm planning to use an S-10 axle, but definitely not keeping the drums. The last one I did, I svvapped the rear discs from an '84 Trans Am, that vvas a direct bolt-on. Then I found larger-diameter rotors and modified the caliper mounting plates, cut and vvelded to move the calipers out. My next go-round vvill use '70s 'vette 12" x 1.25" rotors vvith '76 Eldorado rear calipers. Same idea as the VVS6, but beefier.
A vvord to the vvise, stay avvay from the internal-drum parking brakes, like the Explorers used after '95. Every time I've had them, they've failed. '06 Silverado. '03 Astro. All the same junk. The calipers vvith integral parking brake aren't really any extra hassle, and they've never failed me.
GM testing shovved that rear discs alone, versus drums, on the '82 Camaro, vvas vvorth a 30% reduction in stopping distance from 60 MPH. Plus they usually act as retainers if you break a c-clip axle shaft.
Lastly, discs look better.
 
Well, this post was for guys who are using the drums. So.......yea. Thanks for all that.

IMO...... front and rear discs are over kill on a light weight car.
 
Well, this post was for guys who are using the drums. So.......yea. Thanks for all that.

IMO...... front and rear discs are over kill on a light weight car.
I agree, drums do hold heat and fade if they get to that point, but all things being relative, the weight alleviates much of the braking burden. The vehicles that most of these rearends come out of are at least 50% heavier than the buckets.
 
Easy there, it's not like I thread-jacked your personal build thread. If you just want a loud cruiser that never goes over 35 MPH, then drums are fine. Like front tires that are about 2.75" wide. But if you're going to enjoy the lightness and power of the car by racing down a canyon early on a summer Sunday morning, then as noted, no such thing as too much brakes. Why build a lightweight, overpowered custom car if not to humiliate Ferraris and Porsches? Drums have NO advantages, but to each his own...
 
David Lee, I'm not sure who your comment is directed to, I was agreeing with Fred, not to be in disagreement with you, simply pointing out that rear drums from a 3500 pound truck under a 1800 pound bucket with front discs is quite sufficient for most of the cars being built for their designed purpose. Are disc better? Uh....let me think...of course, but many guys are building on a budget, true hot rodding style with bone yard parts, etc, and don't have the skills, or the need to convert from drum to disc when there are many other issues that their energy and money would be better invested. Most do this HOBBY to have an excuse to get out and hit the car shows, cruises, and perhaps grab some attention along the way. Honestly, most of these cars aren't going to compete with six figure super cars... light to light, maybe, I bet most of these things seldom see 100 mph. It's mostly about expressing personal tastes, skills, and perhaps some Freudian undertones.... big motor, little car.... T-estosterone bucket, lol... I'm not poking at anyone, I'm there too...427 BBC, 4 speed in a bob tail t..lol. Just for fun! I see it sort of like taking a smooth running, mild 500 ci caddie engine out of a 5000 pound land yacht and stuffing it into a 3000 pound nova. Would a blown 454 be faster? Yea, but that cheap built nova will be a hand full and very fun. No arguement, just different perspectives. If we're talking about building the bestest, fastest, baddest, whatever super t with unlimited budget and unrestricted time and parts availability, I very seriously doubt that we would all agree on the same elements....it's just the nature of guys building things. And if we're talking about a canyon carving, supercar eating monster, why are we wasting our energy on a 10 bolt, c clip, lumber cart strait axle? Kumbaya anyone? I look forward to watching your build.
 
Easy there, it's not like I thread-jacked your personal build thread. If you just want a loud cruiser that never goes over 35 MPH, then drums are fine. Like front tires that are about 2.75" wide. But if you're going to enjoy the lightness and power of the car by racing down a canyon early on a summer Sunday morning, then as noted, no such thing as too much brakes. Why build a lightweight, overpowered custom car if not to humiliate Ferraris and Porsches? Drums have NO advantages, but to each his own...

Seriously? Most of what you wrote has to be joke. If this was "canyoncarver.com", I'd agree. But most of us are building cars with suspension technology based on a 100 year design. So, all that "humiliate Ferraris and Porsches" just isn't what these cars are about.
 
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A couple of questions about the S-10 Rearend... What is the width and typically what gear ratio would they be?

Thanks

SM
 
David Lee. That was the guy with the broken "W" key on his keyboard.
The "V" key worked well! That was an old post. 11 years ago.
Just sayin'.
Bill
 

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