E brake on '63 D100 missing

[Volksnut]

I have the 3 speed which should have the drum brake on the trans but someone swapped the trans for a later unit. I was reading you can swap out rear brakes that take cables like a later 80's truck for drums or late 90's Jeep Cherokee for discs. Who's done these swaps with good results. I'm already adding discs to the front.

[PwrWgnDrvr]

U need the lever handle in the cab, the cables, the cable mount brackets on the frame and the later rear axle. Dozens have done it without issues. Easiest to use an axle that was meant for a swept, but others can be used with additional mods. This also provides an axle that has serviceable brakes w/o the hell of the tapered axle.

[Volksnut]

I have the lever handle in the truck, what year rear axle am I looking for that had the ebrake out back? Did it start in '65

[Series1Utiline]

My series1 (early) 65' has the emergency brakes on the rear axle.

[Kaegi]

probably less work to just swap in a correct tranny with the drum set up on it . its a much better system than cables to rear wheels. the rear wheel set up only works in one direction for the most part. tranny brake will actually stop the vehicle in an emergency as well.

[Wildergarten]

tranny brake will actually stop the vehicle in an emergency as well.

Not in my experience but that may depend upon the final drive ratio and vehicle speed and weight as to how effective the trans brake would be. Most of my experiences in such have been with heavier trucks of 2-1/2T+. The trans-mounted e-brake has less exposure to wind to cool a smallertotal swept area with less heat absorption and dissipation. Statically it would be great, but it should be more subject to fade. What I don't like about the wheel e-brake is that it can distort a hot drum out of round.

[PwrWgnDrvr]

First of all, the DRUM tranny e-brake is different than the BAND style tranny e-brake. I have no experience with the drum style, but it would seem it would be more effective than the band style.
In regards to band style tranny brakes vs rear wheel style e-brakes, I have experience with BOTH in total brake system failures on old single pot m/c systems.
In a 2 ton truck towing a forklift I lost brakes once on the freeway and once on a steep grade while backing the trailer into a dirt ranch road in the mountains. In both cases, the tranny brake will only stop the truck from less than 5 mph. Downshifting thru the gears was the only way to slow it enough to bring it to a stop. I was saved on the freeway failure because I had learned to always check the brakes before committing to an exit ramp. When the pedal went to the floor, I kept going to the next exit and first slowed down to a crawl on the shoulder.
In a 65 Ply Fury, descending a steep as hell grade in a neighborhood on a local mountain, doing barely 20 mph, the pedal went to the floor just before a hairpin turn. Straight ahead was a short driveway that ended at a garage door at the front of a home.....BAD option! Hit the pedal style e-brake, the rear wheels locked up and skidded an easy 100' before stopping.....just like the "rear brakes only" on a bicycle. No issue with the drums heating and fading. Rear brakes lock up easy! And no way you can temper the e-brake system to avoid locking them up.

[Kaegi]

I have had to use both types to stop. no ebrake will stop a vehicle from high speed (except 4 wheel drive with driveline brake). getting rear drum ebrake to lock up is a miracle. the driveline brake will heat up quick but ultimately works better in my experience. it will slam you face into the steering wheel if you put the truck in 4 wheel drive!