Steel wheels

[Rogillio]

2 wheels done. 3 to go.

Tire : $175

Tube: $25

Rim rubber: $25

Powder Coating rims: $75

Labor: ~3 hrs

Total: $300 (I work for beers)

Satisfaction of bringing a 1926 Dodge Brothers Coupe back to life: PRICELESS!!

The rear axle is 180 out!

I took the lugs off the right rear wheel and found they were left handed threads. I checked the left side and sure enough they are RH thread. So the rear axle has been removed and/or replaced and put back on 180 out.

Edited June 13, 2015 by Rogillio (see edit history)

[nearchoclatetown]

RU serious?? Take the brake drums off and swap them.

[Bob Scafani]

Very Funny,  if that were the case,wouldn't you have three gears in reverse and 1 forward.  Actually the right hand threads go on the left side and vice a versa.  I suppose the idea was that as the car rolls forward the lugs would not loosen up.

[Rogillio]

So how does the brake drum come off? Is it just the center nut with the cotter key?

 

The left front has left threaded lugs. Meaning you need to turn the lug clockwise to loosen it. This is opposite the direction of rotation of the wheel. The right front has standard right-handed threads so you remove it CCW. This too is opposite the direction of when rotation. The two back wheels are opposite from the front.

 

I've been thinking about the rotational torque force seen on an a lug that is off-axis. I'm sure back in my engineering prime I could have calculate the torque seen on by off-axis element but the math is beyond me now. The lug nuts have a conical base so they care loaded with the weight of the car. Certainly the pedals of a bicycle need left-handed thread on the left pedal.....but I think the left-handed lug nuts was over-kill.

[Taylormade]

You'll need a puller to get the rear drums off.  Lots of threads on the site about that.  Sometimes it's easy.  Most of the time it's a real pain.  Find the correct puller - it will save you a lot of time and grief.

 

I found this monster in the Buy and Sell section of the forum.  A hundred bucks with shipping.  Worth twice that in minimizing frustration.  If you can find an old one, buy it - the new ones are cheap, made-in-China junk.

 

 

 

 

You can use it as a three, four or five arm puller.  Attach the arms to the studs/bolts on the drum.  Leave the nut loosely on the axle.  Tighten the center screw on the end of the axle.  Give the wishbone at the end of the threaded shaft a couple of good solid hits with a sledgehammer.   At this point the drum may come off.  Probably not.  Give the wishbone another series of blows.  If nothing happens, let it sit for awhile.  If it still hasn't moved, try a few more blows with the hammer.  When the drum does come off it will probably make the sound of a gun going off.  If you don't keep the bolt loose on the end of the axle, the drum may come off the axle and fly across the garage doing much mayhem and damage to both animate and inanimate objects.

 

Patience is the key.  Bang the wishbone, then let it sit.  I had a drum come off in the middle of the might one time and I though someone had fired a shotgun in my garage.  Sometimes you have to use heat, but be careful - you are near seals and bearings.  If your hubs are like those on my 32 DL, the inside of the brake hub fits into the axle seal - you can see that raised area on the inside center of my brake drum..  Heat up the drum and the seal is toast.

 

Have fun!

[Rogillio]

Wow!  Sounds like a challange....for some time in the future. There is so much that needs woking on and fixing this will be way down my priority list. Thanks for the info!

[Rogillio]

Got the last 3 rims back from being powder coated. Got the tires mounted and back on the car. The right wheel has 2 striped lugs. Will need replacement eventually.

So the fuel system is restored and the wheels are done. Will work on the roof as soon as my planer part comes in.