How to determine brake/drum size? Rear brakes

[Jorge6.5]

I recently noticed a leaking wheel cylinder on the rear brakes, the rear brakes also squeak every so often.

I went to buy some brake parts at the local napa, there were a couple of options on the size of rear brake drums. I was unsure on the size of my rear brakes so I held off on buying the parts.

What's the best way to determine the drum size? Where do I measure?

My truck has the 14 bolt full floater with drum brakes and is 8600gvwr

Thanks

 

[handcannon]

I have a 94 with the 8600 GVWR. It has the 2 1/2 X 13" rear brakes. Most likely yours is the same.

Do you know if the hub has to be removed before the drum can be removed, as in the drum sets on the inside of the hub flange instead of the outside of the flange? This is the way mine is.

As far as measuring, the most accurate way is with the drum/hub removed from the axle. Measure across the diameter of the inside of the drum and the depth of the swept surface of the drum.

Don

 

[WarWagon]

Unless you use a drum puller figure on replacing the 'wheel seals' and just pull the hub with the drum. You can beat the hub out of the drum later if needed. There is no way to tell what width shoes you have without measuring. Buy a spare wheel cylinder if the parts store is far as well as both sizes of shoes. Return the wrong ones. A $9 part is likely to be defective out of the box and with fuel costs...

You should turn the old drums.

 

[Jorge6.5]

Sounds like a good job for my mechanic lol

The truck needs an ailment and tie rod and ball joint anyway. Guess ill get er all done at the same time, since winter is right around the corner