Front brake drum question

Bob from Northport

Bob from Northport

Well-known member
I pulled off the front drums from my 54 Monterey. One a lathe, the LF drum is badly warped-about 1/4" moving in and outward. The hub runs smooth on the lathe, which makes me think the drum was pulled off and damaged in its life, or just bad.
Does the drum come off by removing the studs, then swedging new studs onto a new drum?
Anyone know where I can get a new drum for 54??
 
Well, this is the thing. On most FORD of the period, while the hub and drum were separate pieces, they were sold as an assembly (pressed together). The drum is pressed onto the hub and the lug bolt swages holds them together. Today, they are sold separate as they will fit more applications in this way.

Now the correct way to replace a drum on a hub (or more that one lug if damaged/loose) is to press the drum onto the hub. If any of the lug bolt swages are loose (in the hub), consider replacing all of them. They (lug bolts) are also available OS if the swages have eaten out the hub holes.

What you have most likely is a case of a previous owner/mechanic using a BFH.
 
I have *** N.O.S. *** U.S.A. made *** Front Brake Drums and ONLY a couple sets of
*** N.O.S. *** Asbestos *** Brake Shoes —- that I am saving for ONLY the people that are buying a pair of brake drums…

While I still have 100 N.O.S. Hub & Drums, I have none for this application….

Always best to simply call me —- 516 - 485 - 193five —- Craig…..
 
BRAKE DRUM INFO FROM ANOTHER FORUM -

Q - I had some new drums sent to me, correct size, with cast number BD2612 on them. I have used a swedge tool to remove original hubs from old drums. Testing my old hub in the new drum I see the hub is not a tight fit in the center hole in the new drum and has a small gap all around. This should be tight fit correct? because it is important have it exactly centered?

A - The drum opening (hub-centric) should fit tightly against the hub. The lug bolts or wheel lug nuts by themselves will not keep the drum centered on the hub. If the lug nuts are not torqued correctly, if the drum moves it may eat the lug bolt openings.

Finding correct replacement drums is a problem.


Q - I know this is an old post but I would be interested to know how you solved this problem. I bought new front drums for my 57 Skyliner this year and the stud holes were larger than the studs. However the drums are hub centric and the fit is very snug.

A - The drum is held to the hub by the swedges on the lug bolt. If the drum lug bolt holes are too large that drum will most likely slide on brake application (even with wheel torqued properly). It may also cut into the lug bolt threads weakening them.
 
Bob, Can you sort of straighten out the off center using a press? After you get it close, then turn it on your brake lathe?
 
The procedure for replacing a drum or a hub back when I started in the 60's was after you assembled the hub & drum you had to turn it on the brake lathe so they ran true together. Don't know how you can put them together and not end up with a brake vibration without turning it.
 
One a lathe, the LF drum is badly warped-about 1/4" moving in and outward. The hub runs smooth on the lathe, which makes me think the drum was pulled off and damaged in its life, or just bad.
Click to expand...

After pressing (having pressed) the drum to the hub, one would have to verify drum run-out.

Usually, a new drum has to be mic'd or run on a lathe as usually they get warped during handling/shipping. It depends on the quality of the drum and whether it was made from old shot out SHERMAN TANKS the CHI-COMS salvaged after the KOREAN CONFLICT
 
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