Was supposed to pick up my 46 hubs tomorrow from the machine shop, just got a call saying they cut through on the first one before it even fit the buick drum? Bad casting, bad luck or bad machinest? I dont think it could be their fault really if the o.d. is still too big for the drum, but now he doesnt want to even try the other one. I had a tough time finding them to begin with, now I thinking I shoulda went with disk brakes!! Is this common problem, and anybody got another hub?!!!!!!! He's offering to braize it, but I dont think I could trust it. Mike
You can get a set of those Ford hubs made up new to fit those Buick drums from Bob Wilson at Wilson Welding: 972-539-2305.
Now, wait a minute. We all just addressed this topic about a week ago. I was under the [mistaken] impression the hole in a buick drum was too small for a 46-48 Ford hub. I was thinking you'd have to enlarge the hole in the buick drum or turn down the ford hub. I was told the hole in the buick drum is TOO BIG! The remedy was to install a spacer ring on the ford hub so it would center itself in the Buick drum's large center hole. T-man even said he thought he'd be able to help me out with the spacer rings. Now, I'm hearing you hadda turn down your ford hub to fit in the center hole of the Buick drum? That's totally contradictory! Who's right here?
It depends on the hub Rocky. The spacer thing works on TRUCK hubs I know...........let me get Steves artical and my info at work together to compare. T
which side were you turning down? inside of the hub or outside? 48 hub i have you would have to turn down the inside b/c there is a large piece of casting protrudeing out. the outside it fits on the inside face of the drum but is too big. have a picture of the hub after he cut thru it im very curious as well??? Tuck
Thanks, T... I'm using 40 Ford passenger car hubs. They'll mount inside the Buick drums. I apologize for hijacking this post.
hey Rocky, I have a magazine article that shows the whole process, there are several threads on here that show how it is done, The 46 hub is about 1/4 inch too big to fit in the buick hole so it is put in a lathe and turned down. (Also states that 40 hubs can be used if the face is worked). Supposedly an easy thing to do for a machine shop, but I should have known, if its mine, is gonna big the biggest pain possible. Now i've got a junk hub, but it might have been cast too thin anyway? seems like I remember someone having the same problem a while back. I'm pretty disgusted with it at the moment. I looked for those hubs for a while. Thats hotroddin' I guess...
I know that the 45 hole Buick drums have different sized center holes. I have 65 Buick hubs on my car, and the original 60 drum hub hole is larger. There's a good 1/4" or more gap. The 65 drum hole that I pulled off the hub fits tight up against the hub.
Thats what I thought too, work the drums, since its soft aluminum anyway, but for some reason this article, and everything else i've seen says the best way is to machine the hub, rather than the drum, of course I'd probably argue with them now. Ive got a set of 40 hubs, be curious if I might have more luck with them. supposed to be pros and cons with using the 40s though. Ya got me...
Fraz, I bet that is the whole deal. and I havent read or heard about that anywhere in the months Ive been gathering parts.
My understanding is the 40 Hubs have to have a little material taken off the outside circumference for it to fit against the flat part of the inside of the buick drum. And the part about machining the hub-neck down is still up in the air until my Buick drums arrive. Then, I'll have first hand info.
The drum goes on the inside side of the hub on the pair I did. Did they try to machine the so they go on the outside of the hub?
I'd be interested in knowing which drums you are using. I used the 40 (inside the drum hubs) on the 90 fin Buicks as Rocky discribed. I suppose it's possible that 90 fin hole is different from the 45 fin drum. This is a 45 fin drum with the 42-48 hub. (outside the drum) As you can see no machining of the hub was necessary. I don't think the drum hole was enlarged either but I'm not certain. It was several years ago now. Where were they machining on the hub? and why? This cyber hot rodding is tough when you can't see the parts in question. All I can relate to is what I've had in MY fat little fist. Here it is on the car so I know it fits.
I'm going by the shop in a minute to see exactly how much was cut, but the hubs definitely were not gonna fit without turning them down, and he said he still hadn't cut enough for them to mount before he cut through, they werent even close to dropping in the drum hole without machining, and yes, they were to mount on the outside of the 45 fin drum (as apposed to putting the 40 style on the inside). I'm still very confused at the moment, wasn't supposed to be anything complicated. Next time maybe i'll machine the drum instead? anyway I'll see if I can post pics of what the deal is.
This is my first try at a post. Will write an intro later. I machine the hub if a late model small bolt pattern will be used. It leaves good hole distance from edge.I machine the drum if the old Ford pattern will be used. I never cut any of the brake drum surface off. Only the aluminum witch intefears with the backing plate.
the part thats holding up my hub from fitting in my drum is whats been removed on your Hub? I can still see where it used to be the area thats circled. Did you just grind this off then? Its a tab that sticks out about 1/4 thick. I'd take a pic of mine but its in the shop 2 hrs away~ It looked to me like this was the bigest thing in the way of it just slideing on?
Yea, Tuck thats what I told the guy to do anyway. Don't really think he would have cut more than necessary, I'll know in about an hour though. Mike
Yes that is the area that needs machined, only to the dia of the drum to the mounting surface, this is done instead of machining the drum so it will run concentric with the hub. If you just machine the drum to fit it would be riding on the casting and may run out, in relationship to the hub and wobble.
Okay, just got back from the machine shop, and here is the deal, there was a flaw (basically a hole) in the casting that was uncovered when it was turned, right where the flange meats the hub, about 3/8 inch. Its not a crack but a small void where the casting was thin. There is plenty of meat all around, I'm thinking I'll just have the hole welded and it'll be safe, as the rest of the hub has good material left. I'm still going to hunt up a spare though.
Well, Andy welcome aboard. You come in with good info. We can wait for the intro. Not a bad start as opposed to those who just barge in******ing or asking questions about their 89 classic! Still wanna know more about who we're talking to when you get time. The pictures in this post are pretty good at showing what needs to be done. Easier to understand the pics than the words most of the time. I'm wondering about cutting thru the hubs too. First question I have is are they actually the right hubs or are they something that looks similar? Get us a pic so we can see what's up when you go to the shop. Oops, you beat me to it! Glad that's all it was, I'd hunt up a spare too. If there was one void in the casting, there may be more.
Well, that clearsthings upa bit. Good luck with the hub-hole, My 31` and my 37. And, Andy, you sound like you've been through some of this traditional parts matching before.I'm sure you'll be a valuable****et to our board. Whip up an intro when you get time...
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