New drums for '40 brakes or clean up old ones @ 12.30 already?

[Tim Ayers]

So, looking for input on the new brake drums for '40-style brakes. I have originals that are in nice shape, but are reading 12.30" now. Not sure yet if a clean up cut will take them to the limit of 12.60.

Curious on thoughts on the new drums that available. Part of me is leaning towards going new and being done with it. I understand I'll need to press in the hubs, etc., but anyone have issues using these new drums?

[Mart]

Call me old fashioned, but if I had drums in serviceable condition at 12.030 I'd continue to use them. Just let the shoes bed in to the drums. If you fit new drums, what are the chances of them running perfectly true? You would probably have to get them skimmed too. I'd not go to the trouble of going to new drums with all the kerfuffle of removing the old studs, fitting new studs and skimming the new drums unless there was no doubt that the old drums are beyond serviceable.

It's just my opinion, other people might think differently, but I prefer to keep the old stuff going as long as possible before fitting repro parts.

Mart.

[rotorwrench]

They may not cut totally clean a .060" OS but they would likely be close if there are no deep grooves anywhere. Drums that are oversize can sometimes require thicker shoe linings on the old Lockheed type brakes. My elders used things up before purchasing new but if one drum doesn't make it then it's nice to have all starting out fresh. If you attempt to get the old ones cut, make sure whoever does the job has all the stuff to do them correctly.

[rich b]

New drum problem described in this recent thread.

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=233669

[tubman]

When I was young, we never had drums turned; if they were too far gone, we'd get another one at the junkyard. We always figured that, once the linings "wore in" to the grooves, that was just all the more lining area we had. I never remember having a problem when doing this.

[JSeery]

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Originally Posted by tubman

When I was young, we never had drums turned; if they were too far gone, we'd get another one at the junkyard. We always figured that, once the linings "wore in" to the grooves, that was just all the more lining area we had. I never remember having a problem when doing this.

Sounds familiar!

[cas3]

yep, been there!

[Tim Ayers]

Funny, I think I'm going to follow some of your advise. Clean them up, run them around the block and then assess from there. If they need to be changed, I'll think about new ones then. Sadly, I have about 18 drums. At the rate I'm going, I'll be lucky to get 4-6 good ones out of the lot.

[rich b]

If you are not turning the drums yourself; make it clear with the guy doing the work, that you don't need every line and groove totally cut out of the drum. No use wasting any drum life.

[michael a]

48 ford drums? Not sure about the cars but rock auto has them for half tons vert reasonable

[TomT/Williamsburg]

Tim, I never cut my drums - I let the shoes settle in like has been said. There are only so many original drums left and shoes are readily available ... jmho

[Speedy Canuck]

I didn't see it clearly mentioned, though rotorwrench alluded to it above... Ford spec for turning was 12.060. So if yours are 12.030 and you really want to clean them up, you do have some wiggle room to do so.

Maybe go to 12.045. Get them cleaned up and still leave some life in them.

[Tim Ayers]

Originally Posted by Speedy Canuck

I didn't see it clearly mentioned, though rotorwrench alluded to it above... Ford spec for turning was 12.060. So if yours are 12.030 and you really want to clean them up, you do have some wiggle room to do so.

Maybe go to 12.045. Get them cleaned up and still leave some life in them.

Yep, the 12.060 limit is what had me thinking of needing to clean up drums that are already 12.030.

[Mart]

Originally Posted by michael a

48 ford drums? Not sure about the cars but rock auto has them for half tons vert reasonable

I looked and of course, the trucks were f1s in 1948 so they are a different drum than those used in the 1948 cars.

They are priced right, though, if it is an 11" f1 drum you require.

Mart.

[my4dv8]

Yes but the rock auto F1 front drums are not a replica original . They have a flat wheel face.
We are still trying to find genuine stepped F1 front drums that are new or very serviceable.
So now we have two sets one from Rock Auto and one from Van pelts neither are the stepped type original to F1.

[rotorwrench]

The F1 flat types are for the rear axle only. The fronts are definitely different.

[rich b]

Originally Posted by rotorwrench

The F1 flat types are for the rear axle only. The fronts are definitely different.

Those guys are selling Bronco/F-150 rear drums as replacements for F-1 fronts.

Not original looking; but work fine in normal applications.

[JSeery]

Originally Posted by rich b

Those guys are selling Bronco/F-150 rear drums as replacements for F-1 fronts.

Not original looking; but work fine in normal applications.

That's what I use with my F-1 backing plates and hubs, but not original look for sure.