C2 J65 Brakes (for Duke Williams)

[Duke W.]

Re: C2 J65 Brakes (for Duke Williams)

Is there any evidence that your car had J-65?

Duke

[Duke W.]

Re: For What It's Worth...

There are better solutions available due to improvements in materials.

If you want the fade resistance of J-65 without the sensitivity contact:

www.carbotecheng.com

They can install carbon metallic linings on your shoes regardless of whether your car originally had J-65.

J-65 (and it's antecdent RPO 686 on C1s)is an interesting option, but it will not gain or loose you points in judging or gain you any NCRS accolade, and hardly anybody even knows what it is. If the car has ever had major brake work evidence of J-65 may be gone, and without original paperwork, which few pre '67s have there's no surefire way to know if your car had J-65 unless it's a low mileage, unrestored car that never had major brake work and still has the original shoes and drums.

Nevertheless, a few technogeek fossils like Mike and me, who are getting bored reading about bogus big blocks and trying to play serious historian, have an interest in 686/J-65 and are trying to uncover ways to ID it on cars that have been reshoed (maybe front drums with a stamped "X" is the ticket if the car still has the OE drums), and eventually write an article for The Corvette Restorer, so at least something gets documented before we all get senile and can't remember the difference between J-65 and J-56, or is it J-56 and J-65. I forgot.

Duke

[Frank C.]

Re: For What It's Worth...

Duke I was trying help Pete with his reling problem, and in my search was told by an old time friction company in Portland Ore. that it was common for those brakes to go 200K before they wore out. And at the same time the drums were also used up. I believe this to be true because ( as we discussed before ) I put brakes on my '66 Biscayne at over 200k. So I don't think low mileage would be an issue with this...Regards Frank

[Duke W.]

Re: For What It's Worth...

Yes, well over 100K of street miles would be the norm, and if the shoes are worn out, so are the drums.

The problem is the hydraulics. Over the years if the average owner found a problem with the brakes like a low or decreasing pedal, and took it to a brake shop, chances are they would replace everything including the shoes and drums.

If you look at a well run-in J-65 drum they should be heavily scored, which is normal, but a typical brake shop would say "junk- gotta replace".

If anyone out there still has J-65 drums and shoes and you have a brake problem, changes are that replacing or overhauling the hydraulics and a good cleaning of everything else like the backing plate pads and self-adjusters is all you need to make the system work like new.

Duke