When removing all the brake drums on my 51 , I found the shoes to be real dirty and with some grease. Linings are close to new in thickness so I want to use them. What can I wash them with to clean up the linings ? Thanks.

Try lightly sanding them. If too much grease, clean with spray brake cleaner first then a light sanding.

Wear a dust mask!!!

I am in no way reccomending this as a solution but it worked for me twice. I soaked the brake linings in HEET set them on the cement driveway and lit them of with a fireplace match. The grease just bubbled up and went away. The shoes were riveted not bonded. The trick came to me by way of a mechainic who used it frequently to clean up shoes after a seal leak repair of a wheel cylinder repair. If you were to use it the result in on your back not mine.

I did about the same as glyn on the brakes of our 54. I purghased SUPER CONCENTRATE UNIVERSAL MULTI-PURPOSE DEGREASER from Tractor Supply. I used it straight. The brakes came out looking like new. I use the same reduced with water to clean my garage floor.

Don't forget the drums too. I used a degreaser on them and finished with several sprays with brake cleaner. This applies to new drums especially.