Where to get aluminum drums?

[turboost]

I have been to O'Reiley's and Autozone and they both say they don't carry aluminum drums, just cast iron. I would like to get some before Saturday when I go to the track. Is there any stores that carry them or do you have to order them from a "special place".

BTW I have searched the local junkyards for 84-85 S10s, no luck. Thanks for any input

 

[Scott231]

Go on up to the scrap yeard in OKC, and ask for an aluminum drum for an 87 Regal (don't say GN or the price will go up!) They are also used on Camaros, Monte Carlo's..... It is a standard sized brake drum.

 

[turboost]

Do the aluminum drums look silver? How can I distinguish them from other drums? ( I have never seen any before)

 

[UNGN]

Take a magnet with you. Yes, Al drums look silver, but red dirt makes everything look rust colored.

Also, AL dums have a cast iron liner so they may be rust stained. cleaned up they are silver.

 

[GNVAIR]

The way I always distinguished the aluminum from the iron was the fins on the aluminum have no lip. They just hang out into space. The iron ones have a lip right by the backing plate. I have found several sets around here, but everytime I try to snag a set, the shoes are adjusted too tight to get them off.

 

[FlyinGN]

These arn't easy to find.. I called every junkyard in the city and found a yard that had 2 sets! wow, I raced there. and asked for a set. You could not go out in the yard there, they get the parts for you. .. In walks th eguy with a set of steelies.. umm. They are not aluminum I say. 'Yes they are".. ok. Let me see your other set. In he comes again with nother set of steels. Um.. they are not aluminum I say. "yes they are" says he.

I leave..

I go to a u pick it yard in south Jersey and walk around looking at every g body, F body and S truck. Nothing.. Musta looked at 20 cars.. One last car. A 78 Monte.. And th ewheels are still on. Great. I search for a lug wrench and finally find one and get off the rusted on lug nuts.. SUCESS!! Aluminum! I pull the other wheel after much grunting and growning trying to get off the rusty lug nuts.
THEN, after 45 mintutes and using a BIG screwdrive, I had the same problem as lee. The damn shoes were adjusted all the way out and REFUSED to let go of the aluminum drums
Aftr I almost bent the backing plates about a 30 degree angle back trying to get the damn drums off I gave up..
I put the wheels back on to try to hide then from Lee

I then go home and ask the board what I should do and someone suggest JC whitney has a drum puller. They do and I overnight it to me.. The overnite cost was almost as much as the puller. I take off work and go back.. Good, its still here.
I install the puller and the drums come right off. Amazing what the right tools can do
In the whole yard, only one set. The best part of this story is that I only paid $20 a pair A friend turned and sand blasted em for free for me and now im happy. Let me tell ya, these are NOT easy to find..

 

[Scott231]

I drove to the nearest boneyard (in Kansas City) held up my cracked aluminum drum, said "I need another one of these." Guy behind the counter walks in the back room, comes out less than a minute later and says "here you go, these things come off all kinds of Camaros, Montes, etc. We got stacks of brake drums in the back." Physically, the drum was the same size and it had the same "millimeters diam." markings.

Never once did I mention Buick.