The Ford Barn

Jim M · 05-06-2015, 10:35 AM

Thanks Tom - good point. I will order the centering tool today and report back soon. Thanks again for all your advice and council.

Jim M · 05-06-2015, 10:37 AM

Forgot to ask - what is the best way to see if the drums are out of round and by how much. Should I take them to a parts store that turns them down??

Jim M · 05-06-2015, 10:59 AM

Having trouble with post - oops just found out need to go to page 2....dah

Tom Wesenberg · 05-06-2015, 11:52 AM

Unless you see a flat spot on the drop, where it fell off a jack or the wheel fell off while driving down the road, I would just assume the drums are round. My 29 Tudor have a very bad pulse in the brake pedal, so I knew one of the drums was bad. As soon as I saw the flat spot on the edge of the rolled lip, I knew that was the problem drum. I swapped it with a good drum and all was well.

Look at the rolled lip right where it leaves the braking surface. If it's a nice smooth transition, then you can bet the drum has never been turned. If it has a line from being cut, that will be easy to see, and the sharper the transition, the more has been cut from the drum.

Jim M · 05-06-2015, 01:37 PM

Will do!

mhsprecher · 05-06-2015, 02:20 PM

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I have used the Les Andrews, notched board approach on two cars. My town sedan with cast iron drums stops on a dime now. My roadster, with steel drums, stops much better since I adjusted them using that method, but nothing like the sedan. I am going to get some cast iron drums. In reading the service bulletins, Les's method is very similar to what the Ford Service Bulletins suggest, so I think that is a pretty good method to use. All that said, there can be many factors contributing, as previous comments have shared.

05-06-2015, 10:35 AM	#21
Jim M Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Sebastian, FL Posts: 479	Re: Brake drums. Thanks Tom - good point. I will order the centering tool today and report back soon. Thanks again for all your advice and council.

05-06-2015, 10:37 AM	#22
Jim M Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Sebastian, FL Posts: 479	Re: Brake drums. Forgot to ask - what is the best way to see if the drums are out of round and by how much. Should I take them to a parts store that turns them down??

05-06-2015, 10:59 AM	#23
Jim M Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Sebastian, FL Posts: 479	Re: Brake drums. Having trouble with post - oops just found out need to go to page 2....dah

05-06-2015, 11:52 AM	#24
Tom Wesenberg Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mpls, MN Posts: 27,582	Re: Brake drums. Unless you see a flat spot on the drop, where it fell off a jack or the wheel fell off while driving down the road, I would just assume the drums are round. My 29 Tudor have a very bad pulse in the brake pedal, so I knew one of the drums was bad. As soon as I saw the flat spot on the edge of the rolled lip, I knew that was the problem drum. I swapped it with a good drum and all was well. Look at the rolled lip right where it leaves the braking surface. If it's a nice smooth transition, then you can bet the drum has never been turned. If it has a line from being cut, that will be easy to see, and the sharper the transition, the more has been cut from the drum.

05-06-2015, 01:37 PM	#25
Jim M Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Sebastian, FL Posts: 479	Re: Brake drums. Will do!

05-06-2015, 02:20 PM	#26
mhsprecher Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Takoma Park, MD Posts: 2,817	Re: Brake drums. Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) I have used the Les Andrews, notched board approach on two cars. My town sedan with cast iron drums stops on a dime now. My roadster, with steel drums, stops much better since I adjusted them using that method, but nothing like the sedan. I am going to get some cast iron drums. In reading the service bulletins, Les's method is very similar to what the Ford Service Bulletins suggest, so I think that is a pretty good method to use. All that said, there can be many factors contributing, as previous comments have shared.