'63 Riv brake drums

[JanZverina]

I'm in the middle of a deep cleaning and refresh of the entire underside of my Riv and have a few questions (for now) as I proceed:

- Were the finned brake drums originally painted silver or was it some other kind of finish? Mine have the usual rust. 

- If painted, do they require a high-temp paint and do painting them make the drums run hotter?

- Who do folks recommend as a good source for replacement finned drums for a '63?

Thanks as always,

-Jan

 

[RivNut]

There are no finned aluminum replacements.  Your best bet is to have your existing drums relined.  Check the classifieds in the Riview for J&G Brake Relining services.

 

[tenugent]

I dont think the fronts have any replacements,you can have the steel liners turned if there in spec.Mine were out of spec and I had J&G in joliet il. reline mine and had new shoes arced to match drums.They did a great job but (pricey).They have a internet page,just Google to get a idea .TN ROA 12969

[60FlatTop]

I got a preCOVID quote from J&G at about $325 each. I considered having my spares for both the '64 Riviera and the '60 Electra done. They were willing to give a break on four. It wasn't an immediate need, still isn't, but the world went to pieces.

 

Getting your own drums of original quality reconditioned would be the best option I can think of. The price may have gone up a bit but I didn't think it was bad.

[JanZverina]

Well mine, at least looking at the left rear, have 60 fins and they certainly look cast iron to me. So I'm assuming they were replaced at some time during the car's life. 99,221 miles on the odo and that doesn't mean it's not 199,221. So...

- Should they be silver and if so what kind of paint?

- Googling shows 'Buick style' iron finned drums are available if needed at some point - any vendor recommendations?

 

[telriv]

New rear drums are readily available new, although Chinesseium. Same for front drums, BUT they are all cast iron.

Good used rear drums are also available from a variety of sources.

Better off sourcing good used. Rears are easy.

Fronts are much more difficult & pricey.

 

Tom T. 

[RivNut]

Aluminum brake drums had been standard on all full sized Buicks for a number of years.  You don’t have to limit yourself to 1963 drums.  Here’s a picture of a 1965 drum. Notice that the hole in the drum does not touch the hub. That space will allow a 65 and later drum to fit over the larger diameter hub on cars up through 1964.  Remember that what ever you find will need to have 1/2” x 20 LEFT HAND threaded lugs in the hub if you want to keep everything stock on the left side of the car.  The earlier drums have 45 fins, later drums have 90 fins.  Hopefully you realize that brake drums are riveted to the hubs, they just don’t slide off like brake drums on other cars.

 

Edited August 25, 2023 by RivNut (see edit history)

[EmTee]

The front aluminum drums were sprayed black at the factory, however, I think is was mostly a blast across the face and the fins may have had some bare patches.  I do not know about the rear cast iron drums, but suspect they were originally natural (unpainted).  If painted, I'd guess the finish would have been like the front ones.

[1965rivgs]

4 hours ago, EmTee said:

The front aluminum drums were sprayed black at the factory, however, I think is was mostly a blast across the face and the fins may have had some bare patches.  I do not know about the rear cast iron drums, but suspect they were originally natural (unpainted).  If painted, I'd guess the finish would have been like the front ones.

  Only the faces of the drums were painted black and my understanding is, according to the factory assembly manuals,  only with the chrome wheel option.

Tom Mooney

[JanZverina]

  Thanks all, especially EmTee and Tom M., regarding the drum colors. Mine are exactly that - a quick spray of black across the drum face and nothing on the fins. Mine (rear ones, at least) are cast iron and have a 60-fin count. As mentioned, they are not OEM factory, and my '63 came standard with the wheel covers with the all silver tri-shield center emblems.

  So now my remaining unanswered questions are:

  Are the front cast iron drums different from the rear drums? Telriv said "Better off sourcing good used. Rears are easy.

Fronts are much more difficult & pricey." Which makes me think fronts are different, even cast iron ones.

 Where to get good rear used cast iron drums as Telriv suggests, making sure they fit a '63?

 And should I be looking for specific part numbers front and rear to make sure they fit a '63? (BTW my Riv still has reverse thread bolts, both front and rear, on the passenger side.

 Thanks for your collective input!!

-Jan

 

[RivNut]

Big differences. The front drums are 2-1/4” wide the rears are 2” wide. Fronts are aluminum; rears are cast iron. 

[gungeey]

14 hours ago, JanZverina said:

  Thanks all, especially EmTee and Tom M., regarding the drum colors. Mine are exactly that - a quick spray of black across the drum face and nothing on the fins. Mine (rear ones, at least) are cast iron and have a 60-fin count. As mentioned, they are not OEM factory, and my '63 came standard with the wheel covers with the all silver tri-shield center emblems.

  So now my remaining unanswered questions are:

  Are the front cast iron drums different from the rear drums? Telriv said "Better off sourcing good used. Rears are easy.

Fronts are much more difficult & pricey." Which makes me think fronts are different, even cast iron ones.

 Where to get good rear used cast iron drums as Telriv suggests, making sure they fit a '63?

 And should I be looking for specific part numbers front and rear to make sure they fit a '63? (BTW my Riv still has reverse thread bolts, both front and rear, on the passenger side.

 Thanks for your collective input!!

-Jan

 

Jan, To alleviate any confusion: The fronts only are 12" aluminum. The rears 12" cast iron (not al) from the factory. Yours look original/correct to me.. not replacements.

[JanZverina]

Some pix of the front drum now that I'm toiling away in the R/F zip code demucking the various components. Can anyone confirm if this is an aluminum or cast iron drum?

Thanks!

[gungeey]

Those are World famous Buick 12" Aluminum Front drums 🥁 

[RivNut]

If you can’t tell for sure, use a magnet on it.

[JanZverina]

Apparently my magnets don't work because they keep on falling off those front drums! Seriously, that was a  real "duh" moment for me, Ed, when you suggested that! I bought this Riv in late 2013 from the daughter of a very long-time owner (pbly not original owner) in Washington state. It already showed 95,604 on the odo but TMU (true mileage unknown) due to a lack of a complete service history. But I'm glad to know it still has the aluminum drums up front!

[XframeFX]

Question:

Finned Aluminum Brake Drums with Hub from a '62 LeSabre will fit other full size Buicks and 1st Gen. Rivieras to 1965?

 

I'm aware for '65, the hub is different for the smaller centering hole in wheel rims. So, to use these 1962 drums, shearing off those rivets and sliding only the Drum on a '65 will work?

Later drums had more fins?

Thanks.

[RivNut]

Even though the hubs are smaller starting in 1965, the hole in the actual drum is the sane size as the earlier drum. 

[XframeFX]

2 hours ago, RivNut said:

the actual drum is the sane size as the earlier drum.

TX. So, shouldn't have any backing plate problems sliding an older drum with the bigger hole on a 1965 Hub secured by the wheel rim (no rivets)?

 

 

Conversely, an original 1965 front drum has a smaller hole, correct? Meaning, a 1965 drum will not slide onto a 1964 Hub?

 

 

 

Edited Sunday at 03:30 AM by XframeFX (see edit history)

[RivNut]

36 minutes ago, XframeFX said:

TX. So, shouldn't have any backing plate problems sliding an older drum with the bigger hole on a 1965 Hub secured by the wheel rim (no rivets)?

 

 

Conversely, an original 1965 front drum has a smaller hole, correct? Meaning, a 1965 drum will not slide onto a 1964 Hub?

 

 

 

If the rivets are removed, you can fit a 65/66 drum on a 63/64 hub.  Center holes on 45 fin drums have the same diameter.  63/64 drums fit hub centric on the hub. 65/66 drums are centered with the wheel studs.

[60FlatTop]

My experience was with the rear drums on my '64. In the early 1990's I found a very nice pair of rear drums from a '65. Not knowing the center hole difference I glass beaded them, primed, and painted them. Then discovered the hole was too small. I just put the drums in a lathe and skinned out the hole to he proper size.

 

In another instance I had a badly damaged '56 Olds rear drum. They are a two piece assembly. I matched up lining sizes with the available bolt patterns and found a 1968 or so Olds read drum was the same except a perimeter flange interfered with the backing plate. I took that off in a lathe as well. Both were easy modifications and presented no risks.

[XframeFX]

13 hours ago, RivNut said:

Center holes on 45 fin drums have the same diameter.

 

13 hours ago, RivNut said:

65/66 drums are centered with the wheel studs.

This directly answers my question. Thanks Ed.

 

I'm assuming if I see a 1965 Hub/Drum assembly, the drum ID Hole would not touch the Hub OD and rivets to keep it as a unit.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited Sunday at 05:47 PM by XframeFX (see edit history)