Brake Drums or adapters

[Benjamingvsu]

Are brake drums interchangeable between different bolt patterns? Currently I have 5X205 pattern up front, and 4X130 in the rears. Can I get a 5X205 for the back or 4X130 for the front? Trying to buy new rims and seems to match styles I need to match bolt pattern.

If I can't utilize brake drums in the pattern I want ( vehicle may need new brakes anyway) is there;

Any advantage to certain adapters or to going to 4 or 5 lug? I found some wheels I like in 5x205, so could just get the adapters for my existing 4 lug to go out to the 5.

This is a rail that will be set up for offroad, woods running.

[Dark Earth]

These adapters are fine to use.

Some say the four lug drums with adapters are stronger than the five lug drums.
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My Build: '69 Baja - Dark Earth Version

~I'm almost done. I just lack finishing up.~

[Mal evolent]

Thing front brakedrums


Thing Rear brake drum

I would investigate Thing bearing numbers, they may be different from Bugs because these were used on kinkpin cars
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73 Beetle Baja, Ghia front brakes, Type 3 rear brakes, 2220 ( 94 X 80 ), Weber Progressive, Bosch SVDA, '97 Mustang seats

Baja Bugs for Volkswagen Virgins: Index

[dustymojave]

I have 4-lug drums on the back. But I have 5-lug wheels all around. I use those same adapters shown above for 5-lug wheels all around.

I've worked the car quite hard offroad with absolutely zero problems other than when somebody tried to steal my left rear wheel.

You already have the 5-lug front drums. No need to try to adapt the Ball Joint Bug/Thing front drums to get 5-lug. They WOULD work for the rears, but at about $50 for the adapters, vs about $210 for a pair of Thing drums...Your choice.

I suppose it's possible to adapt 4-lug drums to your king pin spindles with the correct bearings. But I don't know of anyone having done so, and don't know which bearings would do the job.
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Richard
Offroading VW based cars since 1965
Tech Inspection 1963 - 2012 SCCA/SCORE/HDRA/MORE/MDR +
Retired from building Bajas, Fiberglass Buggies and Rails in the Mojave Desert. Also Sprints & Midgets, Dry Lakes, Road Race cars. All types New and Vintage
SoCalBajas Member
Kicked Cancer's A$$...1st and 2nd round...Fight ain't over yet.

[oldschool5er]

I have used those same adapters as well with zero problems. I do run pressed in and tacked studs in mine but I doubt it makes much difference and costs more, it just makes it easier for me and my old back to throw a tire on.
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[dustymojave]

BTW...
Rear brake drums are interchangeable to a certain extent. The spline is the same, but the length of the spline varies. Early swing axle has short splines, Bug up through 1967 year model. 1968 Bug swingaxle, Bus, Type 3 swingaxle and IRS, and all IRS Bugs use long splines. Short spline drums can be used on long spline axles if you add a spacer outboard of the drum. Long spline drums can only be used on short spline axles if you machine the outer 13mm or so off the center hub of the drum.

Drums must match backing plates. There IS some interchange, and all backing plates fit all bearing housings, swingaxle or IRS. Shoes and related hardware must match both backing plates and drums. If you have long splines, early wide 5 lug pattern small nut reduction box Bus drums and backing plates can be used.
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Richard
Offroading VW based cars since 1965
Tech Inspection 1963 - 2012 SCCA/SCORE/HDRA/MORE/MDR +
Retired from building Bajas, Fiberglass Buggies and Rails in the Mojave Desert. Also Sprints & Midgets, Dry Lakes, Road Race cars. All types New and Vintage
SoCalBajas Member
Kicked Cancer's A$$...1st and 2nd round...Fight ain't over yet.

[cbeck]

My flaps set me up with some bearings that allow a 4 lug rotor onto my link pin spindles. The rotors came off of my old ball joint spindles.

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My cut in half and rebuild thread
www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=647779

[craigman]

[craigman]

[earthquake]

I made my own out of 1/2 aluminum, of coarse I had access to a water jet machine at the time.

Casey
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74 CLASS 11 LOOK-A-LIKE
69 DUNE BUGGY
79 INTERNATIONAL SCOUT II
05 SCION XB SERIES RELEASE 2[#437]
95 Chevy C3500 dually
98 Ford E150
Link to Kelly J. Nolte 3/20/53 - 11/6/08
https://time-zonelabs.blogspot.com/p/about-kelly.html
DEATH TO CHINGERS!
[From a military recruitment poster in the novel "The Stainless Steel Rat" By Harry Harrison]

[cbeck]

I think they are empi conversion bearings. Got em from archway imports. Sorry, all my reciepts (shoe box full) only have part numbers with no description of the parts.
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My cut in half and rebuild thread
www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=647779

[Benjamingvsu]

Well I got the adapters. 12*1.5 thread, but I can not seem to find a conical lug bolt that is that thread and short enough for the adapters.

[dustymojave]

It's made for stock 5-lug VW lug bolts. They should work fine. Should not be "conical" but ball.

The alternative is reaming out the lug holes and installing lug studs from Sway-A-Way and Empi/Bugpack.
_________________
Richard
Offroading VW based cars since 1965
Tech Inspection 1963 - 2012 SCCA/SCORE/HDRA/MORE/MDR +
Retired from building Bajas, Fiberglass Buggies and Rails in the Mojave Desert. Also Sprints & Midgets, Dry Lakes, Road Race cars. All types New and Vintage
SoCalBajas Member
Kicked Cancer's A$$...1st and 2nd round...Fight ain't over yet.

[Dale M.]