For those who have been asking about this for the Buick drums I just came across this on that auction site. They are in Grand Rapids Mi and the price they had listed was $275 here is the content of their ad --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This is to reline YOUR drums we machine out the old and install a new liner we have been doing these for years but we are still getting calls that people can't find us the price is for one drum if you have more than one just let us know you pay shipping both ways fronts or rears we will do any alummium drum call for other than pontiac 2-3 week delv..Autobohn Engines The Pontiac Guys 616 897 7679
I always ***umed the original drums were cast around the linings, I wonder how they do this. I can't imagine a press fit or even a thermal fit being enough to keep the drum from spinning on the replacement lining.
I have worked in oilfield manufacturing where we put a chrome cylinder liner into a cast iron cylinder block. We put the block in an oven at about 700* and the sleeve in nitrogen at -200* or whatever. It let us drop the sleeve in like sliding it into a hole that was too big and within moments they would equalize and leave a tremendous interference fit that you couldn't press apart with any size press. I am quite sure that they are getting enough interference to make sure the lining never moves. It's also doubtful that the originals were cast in place. That presents too many opportunities for anomolies of wall thickness at final machining, final balance, etc. It would be easier from a manufacturing standpoint to machine the ID of the drum for a precision liner. $275 per drum is kinda stiff. I would expect premium results.
Aluminum expands much more than iron as it heats up, so it would have to be a pretty significant thermal fit. I don't know enough specifics about the engineering in this area to say anything for sure. Anyone know a good reference for this? I actually have an application where I need to do something similar on a project.
I actually researched this for a story a few years ago, and found original GM info that discussed the process. The aluminum drum was put in a centrifuge and spun, and the molten steel liner was poured in. $275 per drum is more than a good set of originals with plenty of meat goes for. And they're not that rare... I've got 5 sets of 45-fin drums on my shelf that I've pulled out of junk yards over the last 6 years, including a set two months ago for $21.40 for the pair. And that doesn't count two drums I killed on the learning curve of how to press the hubs out. -Brad
I need some drums with good outsides, so i can machine around 10" of the centers out, for some quickchange hubs. Do you still have them?? Also can this company reline other bonded brakes?? as in frankland quickchange??
wilson welding here in texas makes new aluminuminum drums (buick) I think he's still around, he makes some bad *** backing plates also
I've been thinking about this. My friend does rust repair over in Stone Mountain. He has a machine that can spray molten steel. It's like a welder hooked up to an air compressor. I was thinking if you chucked the drum in a brake lathe and spun it up while spraying in the steel with this machine you might get enough material to work.
Plasma spray is a rapidly growing industry and I've also been waiting for it's application to trickle down into standard automotive machine shop practice. At some point in our lives it will be the saviour of unusable blocks and cranks and drums and so on. Fingers crossed!
Good to know. I was told the one and only guy that did these had p***ed away a few yrs ago, and no-one wanted to be bothered continuing in his place. This is good info since I have a few Pontiac 8-lugs around here somewhere. Thanks
Good to know this option is still available. I just started investigating relining the "Alfin " drums on the "French ***** ". I'm wondering which of the two methods is the best appication ? The arc metal spray is a recommended process for the drums. Flame spray is not recommended for this type of application . I have been told that the spray metal should be a " Metco Spraysteel LS" coating. This coating is a workhardening machineable carbon steelwith about 75% molybedenum content from memory. It is a little tricky to machine to size and a low turning speed and a carbide tool is necessary to complete . Anyone familiar with this process that can add any additional info ? Anyone in the Chicago area able to AMS with the Metco material ?
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