MTFCA Forum

Can I replace the rear drums on my hubs for my wire wheels, my hubs are good but the drums are rusty, I've searched online, in the service manual and front and rear axle book and don't see anything about this, can it be done and how to you do it?
I see there are drums for wire and wood wheels, what's the difference and what are the spare drums I have?
All the studs in my current drums and the spare drums are welded in, is this okay or do they have to be sweged?

Thanks for the help

Bruce

unless you are modifying your car to use the rear drums as service brakes, I would not see a problem with sandblasting things and using as-is. So long as they remain in their original state, that of parking brake, no harm-no foul.

as for welded studs, they wouldn't bother me in the least.

Scott_Conger wrote: ↑

Fri Dec 09, 2022 11:22 am

Bruce

unless you are modifying your car to use the rear drums as service brakes, I would not see a problem with sandblasting things and using as-is. So long as they remain in their original state, that of parking brake, no harm-no foul.

as for welded studs, they wouldn't bother me in the least.

The brake surface can be dressed & squared up via a tool post grinder. If severly pitted, there isnt much point. The drum will still work as a parking brake.

The way your sample drum was welded was no good. The hub needs (originally was) to be securely fastened to the drum. Welding the stud heads is ok, but that function is to keep them from turning only. The swedging is on the outside to the hub. Note your complete unit has tabs in the drum & flats in the stud bolts to keep them from turning. The studs get swedged into the hub holes.

The process is common for model A's. Look there for the procedure. The swedging process requires a beefy press & an A style swedging tool.
I have changed out several bad drums or hubs with good drums or hubs to get one real good usable unit.

I have heard that the repop drums wont run square when assembled. (from a disappointed fellow member) They must run true. So working with original drums would be a priority.
The difference between wood & wire drums is the 5 vs 6 hole pattern. Before I would use new drums, I would modify wood drums.

The hub flange must be true for the drum to run true. I'd want the install the lug bolts the way Ford did it. The lug bolts need to be correctly spaced and pressed straight through a straight flange or uneven strains will be set up in the hub and wheel when the lug nuts are tightened. It would be a good idea to check any drum and hub for eccentricity or other distortion before and after final assembly the parts.

The old ones must be removed correctly also. Not just pressed out. That will make the holes too big, that is why you see them welded back in.
Be sure and get right replacement studs too, not all are created equal.

Some Ford lug bolts were bradded slightly on the wheel side after being pressed into the hub flange. To get them out properly, a tool that is somewhat like a hole saw is put over the lug bolt and the bradded "collar" cut away.

All of them were swedged. Swedge must be cut out or can ruin hub.

Swedged, not bradded. ISC.