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Technical Can Early Ford Hubs Be Converted to Slip-on Drums?

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by poboyross, Jun 10, 2020.

  1. poboyross
    Joined: Apr 29, 2009
    Posts: 2,142

    poboyross
    Member
    from West TN

    Maybe I'm searching for the wrong terms, but I was curious if 42-48 Ford wheel hubs (front) can be converted to being able to use slip on drums? I know Speedway sells new ones, but saving hundreds of dollars would be preferable. I already know how to do the self-energizing brake conversion, but adding this would be a big deal as well. The front end I just picked up doesn't have wheel studs, so I figured I'd see what was possible. Thanks!
     
  2. brsturges
    Joined: Oct 22, 2008
    Posts: 931

    brsturges
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Miami, FL

    The later hubs mount in the outside of the drums, so those won’t work for you. But 1940 (and I think 41 and 42 as well) hubs can work with slip on drums. You just need to properly remove the swedged studs on the original hubs that secure the original drum to the hub.
     
  3. Automotive Stud
    Joined: Sep 26, 2004
    Posts: 4,304

    Automotive Stud
    Member

    I've never seen it done, but that doesn't mean anything. Seems like it would be easy enough to do, just use the Ford hubs that mount from the inside and open up the hole in the drum a little so it slides over the stud?
     
  4. poboyross
    Joined: Apr 29, 2009
    Posts: 2,142

    poboyross
    Member
    from West TN

    Follow up question for you. Since this front end was modified (someone redrilled the hubs to take THREE STUD WHEELS...what in the world?.....) I'm going to be taking it back. How do I tell if the hubs are 1940 or the 42-48?
     

  5. alchemy
    Joined: Sep 27, 2002
    Posts: 20,407

    alchemy
    Member

    You need 40 Ford style hubs to use the new Boling Brothers drums. Here's my experience in installing new studs in some 40 hubs. https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...-studs-in-40-ford-hubs.1128114/#post-12806560

    The 42-48 hubs are meant to have the drums mounted to the rear of them and won't work with those new drums. You can tell the difference because the 40 hubs have a smooth front face, and the 42-48 have smooth front and back.

    But, the 42-48 hubs are what's needed to mount some Buick drums, so they have good value there.
     
  6. poboyross
    Joined: Apr 29, 2009
    Posts: 2,142

    poboyross
    Member
    from West TN


    Ok, thanks for the info...much needed! I'll probably find an F1 setup and ditch these for whatever I can get for them. The Buick drums are $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ and I'm doing a budget build, so style points aren't on the radar for me. I've seen some full F1 front brake setups going for around $150, so that's definitely the cheaper route. Maybe I can get a few bucks off of these backing plates/hubs to ameliorate the cost of the F1's.
     
  7. el Scotto
    Joined: Mar 3, 2004
    Posts: 4,698

    el Scotto
    Member
    from Tracy, CA

    I used 53-56 F100 hubs with slip on Buick finned aluminum drums with 1940s style backing plates. Hubs and drums were redrilled to 5X4.5" bolt pattern. I used a ring to keep the Buick drum hubcentric to the Ford hub.
     
    alchemy likes this.
  8. poboyross
    Joined: Apr 29, 2009
    Posts: 2,142

    poboyross
    Member
    from West TN

  9. My last post on that thread "got it all together and driving, another MAJOR problem is that all 4 brand NEW drums where warped BAD. the machine shop said the had to take off around .025 or .030 on all 4 drums. the upside is even with my teeth chattering the brakes feel 100 times better."


    Well, I bought some different drums from another repo outfit a few years later and they were warped also. Most likely from the same manufacture, hopefully after all this time they got better. Now I would rather go with good used or MAYBE the machined Lincoln drums, I haven't tried the Lincolns but I figure they're machined on the outside and might be straighter.

    Here's a clip of the last set of drums I got.

     
  10. adam401
    Joined: Dec 27, 2007
    Posts: 2,856

    adam401
    Member

    3 lug wheels? Crazy Renault stuff.
     

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