I was thinking about that, but because it’s cast on the outside I don’t think I can get it square, I don’t have a old spindle to put in the lathe, at work. but I was thinking of getting a 3/4 inch bolt, and nut and washer on the back, tighten up the bearings to get them square in the hub , and chuck. that way it will lock it from spinning also. what do you think?
Really should use an arbor to hold the hub if you face it on your lathe, sorta like this picture a friend had sent me. Otherwise we face hubs on a brake lathe; pretty easy to do; the cones hold it true to the centerline. If the flange was bent from pounding; maybe be worthwhile to have it magged for cracks.
Stick a dial indicator on the flange and see how close it is. A few well aimed whacks with a hammer might do the trick. I would carefully chuck the drums by the center hole and check their brake surface and flange for true.
Oh yeah forgot about the cones and drill chuck! Plus I could use an old bearing race on the back against the the chuck face, and existing race. that ought to square it up. Thanks
Hey dump rat, I think you were right I look at the brake machine surface, and the face and it looks true I haven’t actually used dial indicator, but I swapped drums and swapped hubs from side to side and I think it seated better! Spun a lot truer, and you could see that the cast part of the drum is a little wonky but the machine surfaces are straight. and I ran the hubs without any drums and they look straight so I think it’s just the fins on the drum ate out Wonky little bit as long as the brake area, and the hub face is straight that’s all that really matters right? Although I might send the drum back to speedway if they’ll take it now I got grease all over it
He originally had balance weights on the finned drums as the cast surface didn't often run true o the rest of the drum.
Well my redneck dial indicator says I’m about 2-4 thousands out! Lol! Should I try to send it back to speedway? Or run with it, it’s kind of bothering me.
Update: Good news! Finally got to talk to my dad, and he did a stub and a press fit and then welded it and turned it on the lathe! So were good!
Yeah we got a giant lathe at work with all that stuff! Just a matter of doing it this week probably good because nobody will be there I can sneak in there!
I've been doing a lot of real Buick drum conversions lately, and I have the hubs faced at my local machine shop. They do it on the brake lathe and it costs me $10 per face. Money well spent for a guaranteed smooth ride. The Ford hubs are made of nodular iron. They cut like steel. All the holes we've drilled created nice curlyques instead of powdery chips like cast iron would. I've got no idea if your problem is the hub face or the drum, but since you have the studs out I think you should face the hubs anyway. Remove as many possible places for error as you can.
Thanks! I did it myself at work, I put it in the chuck a million times, and put a straight edge bar across the back side because The lathe is too big and hub was sliding inside of it, but I think it’s pretty damn straight now! don’t wanna take any more off, kind of thin already (It cut like cast)
Man !!! Thin as they are I’d be looking at new hubs for sure. If the surface needs to move in board then cut the bearing and seal deeper
That third picture looks like a pretty heavy cut; did it really take that much to true them up? Sent from my Nokia 2.3 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
The cone is in the bearing race its holding it concentric, the jaws are just holding it from moving, it’s up against the flat bar, and the back of the machined surface of the hub I put pressure on the cone to hold it square to the back. It’s a shit ton better!
Yeah, it was crooked the first time so I had to reposition everything it’s really not that much from what they already were. And it looks like the factory machine lines were still there before I started I don’t think it was turned before. Mostly the very outside of the edge in one spot. As a went in towards the 4 1/2 bolt pattern it was straight. I think that particular set up thinner variety, Has thicker webbing on the back.
Well they are perfectly straight now. Made a temporary spindle-out of a socket, spacer and the factory bearing in the vice. Works great. Just hope the replacement drum is straight as my remaining drum!
The flanges are thin kind of but they got webbing in the back, and aluminum drum is like a quarter inch thick so I’m not too worried plus the Aluminum will take some of the heat, once the wheels are bolted together and everything will be solid!
Welp! Tried both hubs with the remaining good drum on the spindle, with the bearings and nut, and it is darn near perfect now! (Considering its a cast drum!) Hopefully China Billwill send a good one to go with this one! We’ll see! Fingers crossed! Sure a lot straighter than those 40 Ford drums!
Wow! Hard to believe it’s been a year since I brought the Doll’ Home! I think I did quite a bit of work since then! (Thanks to Covid stay at home order in the beginning!) Its hard to see your progress, until you look at all your pics, and posts since then. Especially when the car is in a 1000 pieces! Overall I’m happy with the progression! And thanks to you H.A.M.B...urgers!! For all the input, kudos, and suggestions... (even though I don’t listen to all of them, and still do things “Ricks” way!) oh-well whadda-ya-gonna-do! Heres to a weird year! A may the next one be better! -Peace! Rick
MERRY CHRISTMAS! HAMB...urglers!!! Hope everybody is staying safe, not being too Bummed staying at home missing out on family and such! That’s what FaceTime is for now and all that newfangled technology! Wish y’all well! And get out there and start building hot rods! Because this Covid‘s going to end soon Dag nab it! -Peace Rick!
So my wife told me she wanted a personal card drawn by me. This Christmas Instead of a store-bought card. I haven’t done it in years, ever since I had to start wearing reading glasses. Also my hands are starting to have signs of arthritis now, so it’s a little shaky, but I think it turned out pretty cute!
Great wife, give her a HUG from all of us ..... on 2nd thought, there are only a Million or more of us, so all that hugging could create 3 or 4 kids .... your choice
Forgot to share this! The wifey drew me a picture too! She knows I have been wanting a full detail on the Daily Driver! So sweet she is!
Well I got my second drum and it’s not perfect either, I guess it’s just the way they are being cast and all! As long as the machine faces are flat that’s all it matters I guess? I’m not gonna get hung up on this any longer. It’s time to move on! Everything lines up, everything clears spindles are modified to fit the new backing plates good to go! Time to take it apart and clean up and paint!
The Jalopy Journal
