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  View original topic: 1966 Bug, Drum Brakes Locked Up
Aust Sat Aug 23, 2008 11:38 am

Hey Guys,

I have a 1966 Bug, when I bought it, it had 4 lug drums on it. I just put brand new wide 5 drums on the rear. When I first put them on they moved just fine, then I tightened down the castle nut and now the wheels wont budge. Any help on this matter would be awesome. Thanks.

keifernet Sat Aug 23, 2008 12:20 pm

You could have a backing plate and brake shoe size problem. Later 4 lug brakes had wider shoes than 67 and earlier on the rear and there are subtle differences in backing plates/wheel cylinders ect.

Aust Sat Aug 23, 2008 3:50 pm

So should I just buy everything else for a 66 drum setup in the rear, including backing plates and shoes? I just got my bug, so I'm new to what parts are from what year. Is it possible that someone in its history put on later then 66 model brakes?

Russ Wolfe Sat Aug 23, 2008 4:10 pm

If it had 4 lug drums, yes the shoes and backing plates would have been changed too.

bluejacket98 Sun Aug 24, 2008 4:43 am

Most definately, four lug late model brakes, you can not just buy drums and call it a day to swap back to five wide. My PO put 4 lug on for safety reasons, and I had to swap everything from backing plates out to go back to five wide drums.

drscope Sun Aug 24, 2008 9:53 am

See if you can find a set of wide five drums off of a Thing. They should go right onto your 4 lug backing plates and shoes.

keifernet Sun Aug 24, 2008 10:08 am

drscope wrote: See if you can find a set of wide five drums off of a Thing. They should go right onto your 4 lug backing plates and shoes.

Good idea...

That's the easiest solution... but they are not "cheap" either. then sell your other "new" drums to re coup some of the $. And if your brakes are good it saves you the cost of having to buy backing plates, shoes, cylinders etc and the labor swapping it all out.

thinghunter Sun Aug 24, 2008 11:35 am

Back in my younger stupider days I put 4lug drums on my 66 and had to swap out everything. Post some pics of your car.

Aust Mon Aug 25, 2008 3:10 pm

Thanks guys for all the help. I will post some pics of my bug very soon.



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