Turning Model A Rear Brake Drums

[Smitty]

Anyone know what type of brake lathe can be utilized for turning rear brake drums? In other words what machine will fit the small diameter of the rear hub.


Thanks, Steve

[Bob C]

You need to find someone that has a brake lathe with an 11/16" arbor, most
have a 1" arbor. A shop that works on old VW's can turn the Ford drums.


Bob

[WHN]

We took them (steel) to a truck brake shop. They also serviced tractors.

They just said that they would be ready in two hours. No questions asked. Enjoy.

[Kurt in NJ]

The old Barrett brake doktor drum lathe has adapter that fits the hub with wheel bearings and seal Installed

[Dodge]

Yes the picture above has the correct adapter. I have one for my AMMCO lathe.
It shouldn't be hard to find a brake shop to do it.

[Charlie Stephens]

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Be sure to look for a shop that can turn the drums AND arc the shoes.

Charlie Stephens

[Tom Endy]

Be careful! Be sure you understand exactly what the shop is going to do. Some of these modern commercial shops will try to jury-rig the rear drums with their tapered cones and will end up ruining the drum. Make sure the shop has the tapered shaft as used on the VW bugs.


Tom Endy

[daveymc29]

I have been warned that it is illegal to arc the shoes to fit the drums in California. Does anyone know it that is true or not? Most shops say "NO," without an explanation. At least the few I have asked. It used to be that anytime we had new shoes they added a couple of bucks and matched them to whatever drums you brought in. Some did it for free if you bought the shoes and had the drums turned.

[Patrick L.]

If you can't find anyone to grind the shoes, then a piece of sand paper can be put in the drum and carefully scrub the shoes against it.

[Charlie Stephens]

Originally Posted by daveymc29

I have been warned that it is illegal to arc the shoes to fit the drums in California. Does anyone know it that is true or not? Most shops say "NO," without an explanation. At least the few I have asked. It used to be that anytime we had new shoes they added a couple of bucks and matched them to whatever drums you brought in. Some did it for free if you bought the shoes and had the drums turned.

My understanding is that it is illegal to use the arcing machine unless it has been modified to not allow any dust to escape. Of course the modifications had to be be inspected and the machine certified. Most shops scrapped their machines rather than spend the money to modify them. With the increasing use of disc brakes there just wasn't enough demand. The last time I needed shoes arced I went back to the place I purchased them and had them send them back to the company that had relined them. Their use was high enough that they had their machine modified. Try asking at the local Model A and Early V8 Ford clubs to see if they know of anyone.

Charlie Stephens

[Penthode]

Many many years ago, as an impoverished student, my process for arching the shoes was to put the shoe to the drum, eye it and try and poke .005" shim along the entire shoe contact. If there were any gaps I would carefully shave (file) the shoe until it fit.

It seemed to work. Also putting a bevel on the leading and lagging shoe ends was purported to eliminate squeaky brakes.

Of coarse there is the dust concern which in my past far-flung youth I had no clue about. I am grateful I am still here to tell the tale!

Apart from the dust which may be tampered by using water to dampen it, what are the group's thoughts?

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by Tom Endy

Be careful! Make sure the shop has the tapered shaft as used on the VW bugs.


Tom Endy

Interesting Tom, does the VW and the early Ford axles share he same taper angle?

[Kurt in NJ]

The VW is a constant diameter spline,

[Keith True]

The VW axle is not tapered,but it is smaller than a lot of the arbors on drum lathes.General rule of thumb was if it could do a VW drum it could do the A's.That's not always true either,I had a drum lathe that could do the VW but was still too big for the A.Steve,I have the Brake Dokter sitting here if you want to get them exact.A couple of the guys around you have used it in the past.

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by Keith True

….I have the Brake Dokter sitting here if you want to get them exact. A couple of the guys around you have used it in the past.

Keith, my Drum Doktor brake lathe was not tapered although the shaft would allow an A hub to slide over it. I had a larger mandrel shaft that I turned a taper on in my lathe to hold 'A' rear hubs/drums. So how are you centering the small end of the hub onto the shaft?

[Kurt in NJ]

The brake doktor has the adapter that fits in the wheel bearing, no need to even remove the seal for the inside, and small cone that fits into the outer taper---- it has been a repeatable setup to within.002 on my machine

[Keith True]

I'm sorry,I was offering the Brake Dokter shoe sander to Steve,as he is not too far from me.The old brake lathe I used to have had long thin tapered cones for the VW's.You had to be real careful on the outside hole when using it on an A,as it didn't take much of a burr to throw things off.The bigger cones would fit,but they had a shallow angle,and were not trustworthy to hold things in place.I think I may have used a tapered sleeve from a clutch alignment tool to center the outside hole.

[Ruth]

Is it even advisable to turn Model A brake drums? It states in the Service Bulletins "Under no circumstances must attempts be made to turn down brake drums on A cars and AA trucks."

[ryanheacox]

That statement is for the original steel drums

[jw hash]

Ruth and ryanheacox are both correct. years ago a close friend owned a front end shop. I took some original brake drums to him to get turned. he told me then that it was illegal to turn the steel drums.