Technical Thanksgiving Table Discussion Drilling Brake Drums-Oh Oh!

First off, Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

Topic at the table. Drilling out stud holes on brake drums for wheel studs that the knurl shoulder is too tall and won’t allow drum to seat properly.

Would you do it?

Begin

 

I don't see what it could hurt. The drum will still be centered by the middle hole. Will the extra shank interfere with the back of the wheel?

 

Nope

 

Drill 'em if ya got 'em! Happy turkey day to all! Be good to each other, y'all. Look at mom's first. Scary!

 

I literally did this just last week!!!

The hole diameter was also the wrong size for the studs I had been sent so just whizzed a drill all the way through the hub and drum.

I saw no issue and wheel fits fine

 

In keeping with the Holiday’s. Yes, I’ll bust out the Christmas Tree early this year.

 

Not everyone has access to a lathe, or a friend with a lathe, or friends...........

 

I would however. The lathe that I’m getting isn’t home yet. The gentleman I’m buying it from is receiving medical treatments and his wife asked that husband and I wait until further notice due to his weakening.

 

I have places to go. I just hate people over my shoulder. Like when I was messing around with my Son’s bosses lathe. He went off for no reason. No Thanks.

 

That stud looks nasty, get the right ones with a better straight knurl

 

Finding a stud like the original would be best if you can find them
Dan

 

I agree, Happy Thanksgiving!

 

Your welcome to find me longer studs that spec out better.

 

What a great Thanksgiving Day post. A buncha studs talkin about studs!

 

There are lug centric & hub centric wheels , most aftermarket are lug centric . I'm surprised there's not a wheel stud that will work for without modifications ?

 

What car, axle etc are the studs for or what size , thread , shank , length preference
Dan

 

^^^^^ This. Stock rear end.

 

If Artificial Intelligence ever learns how many fingers and thumbs the average person has, it may have a future. Until then, this is a pretty good representation of an alien species trying to blend in.

 

Here ya go
https://www.ebay.com/itm/132788453707

 

You could get creative with a drill press?

 

That’s stock size. 1” of thread only. Next

 

Creative you say!

 

Johnny, you could do it the hard way and tap the holes for 1/2'' studs. Gotta pull the axles to thread them in, though.

 

Not when the stud holes on the axel flange are already over a 1/2” in diameter.

The flange is surprisingly thin is the reason for the problem.

 

A couple of weeks ago, I was removing a rear brake drum from a '48 Ford and found that 3 of the studs were loose in the hub. A previous owner had replaced the original studs with longer ones and ran a drill bit through the drum and hub so that he could remove the drum without removing the hub. I think his measurement was based on "close enough", so the studs he put back in were slightly undersize. He made up for the difference with the help of some J-B Weld. I found some studs that were slightly oversize and used an adjustable reamer to creep up to the right diameter. The shoulders on the new studs were just long enough that the lug nuts wouldn't seat in the holes. My solution was a quarter inch spacer because I had a pair, and I didn't have access to a lathe. Worked well and there's no interference with the fender lip.

The ones I took out. Note the J-B Weld


The ones I put back in. Would have been nicer if the shoulder stopped at the hub, but a quarter inch spacer took care of the problem.

 

How long do you need? , all the long ones look the one you have.
https://www.jegs.com/i/JEGS/555/65101/10002/-1
Jegs has some that are 2-7/8” long for a .562 to .569 hole I don’t if you could or would want to cut to length.
Just curious why do you extra length?
Dan

 

I am an engineer by trade and made sure I got the right sized drill and they certainly weren’t a loose fit haha!!

 

An alternative to "AI" back when illustrators, actually took the time to draw humorous versions, of non typical family's gatherings!
Happy Turkey day to all of you!

 

Had to go with the conical seat Cragars to get an offset that would fit. As well, the bolt portion of the wheel is way thicker than a stock steel wheel. Even using ET style lug nuts (similar to pic) does not have enough reach.