New 1958 Brake Drums

[highcking]

I recently purchased a set of rear drums from Kanter Auto Parts for my '58 Roadmaster. (My originals had been turned paper-thin.) The drums look good and have the right bolt holes, but there is a problem. The drums are about 5/32" deeper than the original measured from inner lip to the outside of the wheel hub opening. What that means is that when the drum is mounted, there is nothing left of the hub on which to mount the wheel. I've emailed Kanter - anyone have any ideas why this could be? It seems odd for a drum to be that far off in this critical dimension.

Bill Shields

Luray, VA

[Bhigdog]

Welcome to the wonderful world of reprojunk. Probably made in China out of mystery metal too.........................Bob

[Guest Classic50s]

sounds like a universal fit all late 50s Buick drum to me. Mabe they were designed more for the 59-62? We all run into that problem from time to time. Might have to find good used ones from a salvage yard.

[NTX5467]

Isn't somebody reproducing these drums, maybe in Australia? Or for the street rod market?

[Guest Classic50s]

I don't believe so. I did find a company online that might be able to put a new steel lining in them but haven't heard anything about them or remember the name

[Smartin]

The rear drums are steel, not aluminum like the fronts.

[Guest Classic50s]

I know. I got curious a few years ago and started hunting around online and found a company that said they could install new steel linings in aluminum drums but can't remember who they were. I think they were in the Ohio or Michigan area.

The rear drums are steel, not aluminum like the fronts.

[Smartin]

JG Brake Drum Relining and Refurbishing

[60FlatTop]

I think those drums are 12" X 2" and pretty common on the rear of GM cars in the '50's, '60's, and '70's. I had to do a brake job on a 1956 Olds and found out the drums on those are a two piece affair that presses together and almost impossible to replace.

I went to my old junkyard that has tons of parts they never sold. Looking through the brake drum racks, I found a nice pair of 5 on 5, 12 X 2's from a later model. They fit right on the car but there was a big flare at the back edge that looked like a dust shield. I dropped them off at a machine shop and they shaved the flare off for 50 bucks. I think the drums were $10 each. I ended up with a pair better than new for well under $100.

A machine shop might be able to trim that thickness down for you safely.

Starting from scratch, I would just focus on rummaging around for some 5 on 5 12X2's in a used parts bin. The quality is not bad on some of the older stuff.

Bernie

[NTX5467]

Smartin, GREAT PICTURE!!!

I looked in rockauto.com and found the size to be 12x2.25 for the brake shoes. LOTS of listings up into the 1980s, I think, for the same part number linings! For the earlier Buicks, same for front and rear. No drums listed, though, just brake shoes. In the world of brake drums, the offset from the axle flange-seating surface to the center of the brake lining contact area can be variable . . . as a 11x2 rear brake shoe for a '77 Monte Carlo is NOT the same brake drum which fits a '77 Buick Regal (with a Buick rear axle), although the size is the same.

Once you get into the "Buyers Guide" section of the brake shoe catalog, you can then look for applications and then for brake drums (hopefully with an accurate pictorial listing!). You might find some which require minimal machining to fit the older car in the process, too.

Brake drums can be like piston rings . . . as long as the size and such is correct, they don't care whose brand of motor they are in. AND there's enough "meat" to absorb and dissipate the heat for the weight of the vehicle they are being used on. GREAT INGENUITY, Bernie!

The reason I seem to recall somebody repopping the Buick finned aluminum drums is for their use by the street rod owners who want a nice looking brake drum for all to see, not hidden by fenders and such. Perhaps it's the place SMartin mentioned?

Just some thoughts,

NTX5467

[Guest Classic50s]

I think thats the place. Great find! Wonder what the cost is to put new lining in the drums? In the future places like this will be critical to ensure the continued use of aluminum drum brakes on our Buicks and hot rods

[Smartin]

I have been quoted $265 each to reline my Buick drums.

[Guest Classic50s]

Owch. That is a little high in my opinion. I would try to find some used ones at a salvage yard first. Keep the old ones for when that one day comes when you do need to put new linings in and you can't find any good used drums.

I have been quoted $265 each to reline my Buick drums.

[60FlatTop]

I inquired about getting the fronts done for my two aluminum drummed cars. They are OK after 50 years, but who wants to have to do them when they get old and are on a fixed income. Some old man health issues have kept this priority low (and too many cars).

Here's the straight scoop:

Hey Bernie, To reline your drum would run $275.00 ea. but if you ship me both pairs at the same time we can reline all four drums for $ 965.00

all drums will come back to you with new races and bearing. If you have extra cores we pay $ 25.00 ea for those drums if you would like to sell them.

Thanks

Don

J&G Brake drum relining

815-276-2578.

On Sat, Jul 28, 2012 at 7:31 AM, Bernie Daily <dailyops@frontiernet.net> wrote:

Hello,

I have a 1960 Buick Electra and a 1964 Buick Riviera. I would like to have a pair of front drums relined for each. I have good cores and a couple of spares. What is a typical cost and turnaround time for this work?

Thank you,

Bernie Daily

[highcking]

Thanks to all who replied. It turns out that the critical dimension is the thickness of the drum flange that mates up to the wheel hub. The original drum is about 1/8" thick, the replacement about 1/4" thick. Good for sturdiness but that extra thickness eats up the portion of the wheel hub needed to mount the wheel. Really no way to machine that safely. These drums may well be a generic fit for other GM cars, but they cannot be used on '58 Buicks.

Bill Shields

[Fr. Buick]

I always thought that the primary thing holding a wheel to a drum or axle was the lug bolts, and not the centering flange on the hub or axle shaft. Having the flange there makes for easier mounting of the wheel, but the lug bolts are what is doing the work, it seems to me. You should be fine with a drum that has a center thicker than stock. The Original Kelsey Hayes wires I have, and the after-market repos that are on my car ('54 Super) have no centering hole to fit onto the flange, and they hold up fine. This discovery is important to me because I am adapting later aluminum drums onto my car, front and rear, which eat up the flange as well. I think you will be fine with what you have. Take the corners easy for the first few miles, just in case...!!