New drums for my 1931 Plymouth PA
After a long summer of many major mechanical repairs my last project for this year was to address the drums. I searched high and low for replacement drums (11"x1.5") with no luck.
My last option was to make something work as my drums were way beyond spec and not safe to drive with. I found the 1931 Model A drums matched the size but in order to make all this work would need machine work. I removed the hubs from the Plymouth drums, machined the center hole in the Model A drums to match the step in the Plymouth drums, machined new holes for the wheel studs and moved the hubs to the inside of the drum as on the Plymouth they are on the outside of the drum. Brake shoes are relined and all seals are new. I did have to add a small shim behind the backing plate to allow the new drum to make complete contact with the shoe, roughly .010.
This has been far from easy or cheap but the finished results were well worth the hours, dollars, and challenges.
Here are a few pictures for reference:
After a long summer of many major mechanical repairs my last project for this year was to address the drums. I searched high and low for replacement drums (11"x1.5") with no luck.
My last option was to make something work as my drums were way beyond spec and not safe to drive with. I found the 1931 Model A drums matched the size but in order to make all this work would need machine work. I removed the hubs from the Plymouth drums, machined the center hole in the Model A drums to match the step in the Plymouth drums, machined new holes for the wheel studs and moved the hubs to the inside of the drum as on the Plymouth they are on the outside of the drum. Brake shoes are relined and all seals are new. I did have to add a small shim behind the backing plate to allow the new drum to make complete contact with the shoe, roughly .010.
This has been far from easy or cheap but the finished results were well worth the hours, dollars, and challenges.
Here are a few pictures for reference: