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flyingtim01 · 12-05-2011, 10:20 AM

I'm with Special-K on this one. My '71 K-20 has an HO52 and 12x2 brakes, and I'm going to hang on to it. The only issue with finding brake parts are getting ahold of drums. Can't seem to locate anything new, or NOS for that matter. However, wheel cylinders, hardware kits and shoes are readily available and reasonable.

The axle itself was used in trucks up to 1.5 ton, if memory serves, the only difference being larger brakes. I also had a '51 Chevy 3800 wrecker with this style rear end in it. I don't recall which denomination it was, but it had 5.14's in it and lasted 50+ years of hard abuse hauling cars and trucks around with no issues or noise.

Seems like for each issue someone comes up with, there is a solution: if you can't find drums, convert it to disc with some Cadillac parts. If you want to upgrade the axles, you can use shafts and side gears (and a locker) from a 14b. Its also a pretty popular axle for the pulling crowd, guys regularly put 500+ hp into those axles in stock configuration with very few failures.

12-05-2011, 10:20 AM	#7
flyingtim01 Registered User Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Clinton, CT Posts: 101	Re: Eaton rear end questions... I'm with Special-K on this one. My '71 K-20 has an HO52 and 12x2 brakes, and I'm going to hang on to it. The only issue with finding brake parts are getting ahold of drums. Can't seem to locate anything new, or NOS for that matter. However, wheel cylinders, hardware kits and shoes are readily available and reasonable. The axle itself was used in trucks up to 1.5 ton, if memory serves, the only difference being larger brakes. I also had a '51 Chevy 3800 wrecker with this style rear end in it. I don't recall which denomination it was, but it had 5.14's in it and lasted 50+ years of hard abuse hauling cars and trucks around with no issues or noise. Seems like for each issue someone comes up with, there is a solution: if you can't find drums, convert it to disc with some Cadillac parts. If you want to upgrade the axles, you can use shafts and side gears (and a locker) from a 14b. Its also a pretty popular axle for the pulling crowd, guys regularly put 500+ hp into those axles in stock configuration with very few failures.