Recently changed my shoes on the front (will eventually switch to rotors but first thing was to get this baby on the road).
since the HUB is pressed into the drum, and there's no way she's coming apart without a lot of heat and pounding, I just pulled the whole thing off by yanking the bearings.
Noticed discolouration on the FL outer bearing so ordered a new one, and also replaced the seal on the rear of the the hub.

Just rebuilt my rodchester2c as well, and went to an HEI distributor, so - so finally got her purring like a kitten.

Went for a road test.


Ran good - but a couple issues

- Tires need to be balanced
- FL wheel had some smell and notices a small amount of blue smoke coming from it.

I pulled the drum off and checked it. Everything looks OK.

- Cylinder is NOT linking - looks OK there.
- Bearing looks OK.
- Rear seal is NOT tight against he rear bearing race though maybe that's the issue?

Thinking may shoes are a bit tight - pulls a bit to left when I brake - so I'll back them off a bit. The wheel seemed a bit warm in comparison to the other side.

I've attached the pics,

Everything looks OK - so did I have the bearing too tight? I basically tightened the nut up until I had no play, then a quarter turn in after - so I don't think so.

Appreciate anybody's thoughts on this.


Regards

 

 

 

It all looks fine to me. Did you change the race along with the bearing? The drum is held on by the wheel studs, I don't see a reason to change it unless there is not enough metal to cut it if you feel a vibration. You may have had some residual grease or contaminant on the shoes, they may have been adjusted too tight, and you may have your bearings adjusted too tight.

 

I would STRONGLY suggest that you get a factory service manual and read it before applying heat and pounding to anything. The drum is retained to the hub with the wheel studs. You have to press the studs out and then the hub and drum come apart easily. You're SUPPOSED to take the drum and hub off the spindle as an assembly to service the brakes, as instructed in the CSM.

 

I read on SKF website - think I was tightening to the hole vs loosen to align with the hole.
Also backed off the brakes in a bit.

Joe - yeah was not going to press it out. No need to muck with it anyways,

I'll take it for another run tomorrow - hopefully we are good to go.

Thanks for replying guys, I just wanted to know if I missed something stupid.

Regards

 

"I read on SKF website - think I was tightening to the hole vs loosen to align with the hole."



I don't understand what you mean, could you explain please.

 

Tightening to align the castle nut with the hole in the spindle for the cotter vs. loosening to get the hole to line up.

 

I'm guessing he meant that he adjusted the wheel bearings then TIGHTENED the spindle nut further until he could get the cotter pin installed. The correct way is to loosen to get the cotter pin installed.

 

Yep, exactly.

Once I get her running solid, I'll be looking at putting on my dashpad finally, and when i do that...

a) I want to add after-market AC. Does anyone have any ideas on who is a good source (up in Canada) ?
b) And once I do the above, I'll switch to an internally regulated higher amp alternator (so I have a FW mounted regulator I can knock out the guts and wire it direct so I don't need to hack the wiring harness - and it just looks stock.
c) and then I need to paint the metal parts (I changed interior from green to black). I heard that using a certain semi-gloss black that's used on 4x4 rollbars provides a nice colour - need to work this out,
c) and, while I was at it, was considering trying to locate a tilt-steering column..

And once that's all done, time for a paint job, and then that's a good time to yank and detail the engine.
And after that, probably switch to front rotors...

Jeez, will this ever stop? hehe

 

Tilt steering columns from 73-77 A bodies are a almost direct bolt in. You need to swap the mounting plates. If your comfortable with steering column work, you can swap ignition lock cylinders to keep the original look, and the original keys. If your donor column has the dimmer on the turn signal switch, make sure to get the jumper harness.

I did this swap probably 25 years ago, I did it on my lunch break when I worked as a tech in a Buick dealership. It’s a easy swap.

 

That makes sense.

 

Joe, and others, the drum is held to the hub by swaged studs. If you try to press the stud out without cutting the swaging you will potentially enlarge the hole in the hub; not a good thing.

 

I know that but 1) no one has the special swage cutter or peening tool J-544-18 to swage the new ones, and 2) I've been pressing them out with brute force for nearly half a century now with no ill effects. The 1962 CSM shows a special cutter. The later CSMs just tell you to drill out the head of the stud and replace them every time.

 

A shame that those tools are no longer available. When I was employed in the retail/wholesale aftermarket industry in the 1960s & 70s they were common place in any auto parts store. I replaced many brake drums and damaged wheel studs using those tools.