Drum/hub questions

[Blownflatheaddeuce]

Hey guys, just some questions on hub/drum compatibility as Im going to hyd brakes from mechanical on my Deuce roadster.

I have the original 32 spindles, hubs, 42-48 backing plates, shoes and 46-48 drums (that had the hubs mounted to the outside/wheel side) of the drum. The hubs have been removed when I got the drums.

The question I have is - can I use my 32 hubs with the later drums/backing plates after the normal concessions have been made ie: backing plate hole mods and centering along with the inner bearing spacer ?

If the 32 hubs can work it will not require me to purchase replacement hubs/bearings/seals etc.

Has anyone done this on a Deuce ?

Thanks fellas

[cas3]

32-3-4 have smaller shoes. 35 drum and hub would work, but hard to find good ones. you should be looking for 40 front hubs, as thats the only ones you can buy new drums for

[Branded]

Van Pelts has drums for both style hubs

[Blownflatheaddeuce]

Thanks for the info - has anyone here used their original 32 hubs with the later drums/backing platesin a hyd brake conversion?

[cas3]

the 32-34 shoes are the same diameter, but 1/4" narrower. never heard of it, but if you want to play around and get your wheel cylinders moved out 1/8" so it would center on the shoe, which you would also have to make because the anchor points on the 32 shoe will not match the hydraulic backing plate anchors. then, are the spring holes in the right place, etc. maybe mount wheel cylinders on the 32 backing plate? anything is possible if you want it that bad, then do the engineering to make it work. otherwise, do whats been done for 75 years and get some 40 drums and hubs. or...leave it mechanical, which is not a bad thing imho.

[Mart]

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My 33 has 40 Ford rear brakes but still has the 33 drums. The outer edge of the brake shoes rub the drum. I took a grinder and skimmed a little of the outer edge of the shoe away, and put a slight chamfer on. I can still hear a slight rubbing occasionally but it hasn't bothered me enough to have had another look at it yet.
At least by retaining the 33 drums, the wires fit correctly.

I don't know what the situation would be at the front.

Mart.

[JSeery]

I keep rereading this thread and still not sure I am understanding. It seems to me Blownflatheaddeuce is asking about using "42-48 backing plates, shoes and 46-48 drums" with a 32 spindle and hub. I know on the F1 & F100 type setups the hubs have to match the drums and backing plates. And the hubs (bearings) have to be modified to fit the earlier spindles. Will the 40 hubs fit the 32 spindle without modifying? And are the 40 hubs compatible with the later backing plates & drums? All of my experience is with Bendix brakes!

[cas3]

40 hubs will go on the 32-34 spindles with a spacer on the inside. richard lecy sells the kit, but i think guys use the bottom race of a steering box as well. the op is trying to run his 32 drums with 39 hydraulics is what i get out of it any way

[40cpe]

I read it that he wants to put the '46-'48 drums on his '32 hubs.

[Mart]

We're talking fronts here, right?

32s don't have hubs and drums. they have a one piece hub/drum combo.

So no, you can't just put 40 type drums on 32 hubs.

Whether it would be possible to machine 32 hubs to accept later drums is a different question and one I don't know the answer to.

Mart.

[cas3]

that sounds like an interesting lathe project mart! i'll have to look at some junk 34 hubs. i have the 40 style hub/drum combo on front of my 34 with the lecy bearing spacer, worked fine...sorta. in the beginning i just picked a pair of old drums out of my pile, removed the studs, faced off the hub to true, got new drums assembled all without noticing that the hubs i chose have the press in dust cap, not the more common thread in. not sure what they are off, they certainly had 40 ford drums on them when i started. problem is that press on cap is not as deep as the screw on version and the caps hit the end of the spindle before getting seated. my spindles (34) both have a good 1/4" of thread outside the cotter pin hole, so i could grind off enough to make it work. i next found that that dust cap is some odd size (1 15/16" ) that cant be bought at a parts store. f100 is the same i think, but i saw on a friends model A they make aftermarket dust caps for the A, same size, only deeper for the A spindle. got some from brattens and the crisis is behind me.

[Flathead Fever]

Originally Posted by Blownflatheaddeuce

Thanks for the info - has anyone here used their original 32 hubs with the later drums/backing platesin a hyd brake conversion?

I had to to brake drum junk pile and look. 1932 drums and hubs were cast as one piece, there were no separator hubs, at least there is not on the pair of '32s I have. The drums are also too narrow to use the wider hydraulic shoes. The only mechanical brake drums that will work with hydraulic brakes are the 1935 rears. They are neat because they have the wire wheel hub support built right into them.


You will need an adapter kit for the hydraulic brakes to '32-'34 spindles. There are two versions. The original style looks like a piston ring and a valve insert. That's because that is exactly what they are. I broke a piston ring just sticking it into the backing plate because it was a snug fit. I guess I should have gaped the piston ring like i was sticking it in a cylinder. M/T brakes has a better setup. If your going to run wire wheels you will need another set of raptors also to support the wire wheel's hub on a hydraulic brake drum. They have those too.

The backing plate holes are 3/8" on the hydraulic brake and the ''32 used 5/16" bolts. There is not enough "meat" on the spindle to drill them out to 3/8". People do it but I don't like it. Its paper thin at the out edge of the hole. You would need to reduce the size of the backing plate holes by either using a special shoulder bolt, weld on some thick hardened 5/16" washers or weld up the holes and re-drill them to 5/16".

If you use the '39 to '48 spindles it will eliminate the need for the adapters and the backing plate hole size problem is solved. But then you loose the drag link arm on the original '32 spindle. Then you need to install the "hoop" style drag link attachment in place of the top backing plate bolts.

Another option is to get the reproduction Lincoln front brakes. You can order them with 5/16" holes so that solves one problem. That's what I did. Not the cheapest route to go. MT Car Products website.

http://www.mtcarproducts.com/productsgrid.html

Here are my thoughts on which spindles to use. If your updating the brakes on an original '32, I'd stay with the original spindles. If your building a 1940s style '32-'34 fenderless hot rod with hydraulic brakes. Look at the photos from that era and you will see almost all the '32s had their original spindles with the built in drag link arm, adopted to hydraulic brakes. I collect early hot rod photos, I have hundreds of them. If your building a 1950s style hot rod then you use the '39-'48 spindles with the bolt on drag link arm. I like the look of the round '39 to '42 spindles best instead of the '46 to '48 square spindles. I figure you have a round backing plate and a round wheel, might as well stay with the theme and go with the round spindle. They look a lot better than the square ones.

[BoxCar Tom]

Related question, Is it difficult to remove 39/40 rear hubs from the drums? Hole saw the studs and press out the hubs? Are they worth the trouble?

[Charlie Stephens]

Originally Posted by BoxCar Tom

Related question, Is it difficult to remove 39/40 rear hubs from the drums? Hole saw the studs and press out the hubs? Are they worth the trouble?

If you are going to sell them don't spend the time. If I was looking to buy I would not buy ones that someone of unknown skill had removed. If you are going to install new hubs have the same shop handle everything.

Charlie Stephens