Drilling out axle for 5 lugs

I have a 4 lug car. To do the 5 lug conversion it seems like most people swap everything over to 5 lug.

I was planning on doing this but a friend of mine asked why I don't just drill out the existing drums for 5 lug. I thought about it, and it makes sense, has anybody done this?

I was thinking of popping the axles out and dropping it off at a machine shop to do it, what would be involved? Would they have to fill in the holes where the 4 lugs were and then re-drill or something?

Jason

 

i am a machinist so i drilled mine out for 5 x 4.5 . and yes you need to plug the holes.

 

I have a 5 lug 8", drum to drum, I'll let go for $100, but you would have to come pick up

 

A 5 lug rear end is much stronger than a 4 lug. You'll be better off going with the 5 lug setup. .....but, it is your money. Good Luck Dude

 

What makes it stronger?

 

You still have to convert over to 5-lug brakes unless you also redrill your old drums.

 

Not only do people change over to 5-lug for more wheel choices,but the 5-lug brakes are much bigger than the dinky little 4-lug brakes.If you're gonna drive it you need to be in at least the same neighborhood(let alone ballpark)as the cheapest little econobubble out there today.

 

5 lug vs. 4 lug

In my opinion........The 5 lug axles are made from a stronger alloy. Many other parts like the bearings are more HD

 

why would anyone want to drill out the drums... brand new drums arent that expensive, or you can find the drums on just about any 8" ford rear end and i am sure a junkyard would let them go for $5 a piece, or less

 

the reason i did it, it didnt cost me anything to drill them out and i was allready at work, so thats why i did it.

 

I didn't mean drill out the drum, I meant drill out the flange at the end of the axle for 5 lugs. I would obviously get new drums.

My main point is trying to figure out whether I can just pop the axle out, drop it off at a machine shop, and have them drill it for 5 lugs. Rather than swapping the whole rear.

Jason

 

I don't think you will find 5 lug drums that will work for what you want to do. You need to verify that first.

 

The 5 lug rear ends are 10 3/4" drums, are the 4 lug's the same? You would think they would be smaller??? Although, I could be wrong..... and if they were smaller, wouldn't the backing plates be wrong? I could see if you were a machinist, and could do it yourself and all, but it would be a shame to have the axles done then find out you can't get drums to fit? I've never had a 4 lug car, so I don't know. I think Craig knows!!

 

What size differential do you have,,?

 

I don't know the specific numbers, but the drums on the 4 lug rear out of my '72 were definitely smaller then the '74 5 lug rear I put in it. It was an obvious difference to the naked eye. Not only smaller around, but the drums and brake shoes were more narrow on the 4 lug.

A '71 Comet would have an 8 inch.