I'm working on a friend's 40 Ford Coupe. It seriously needs a brake job. The brake drums are nearly paper thin and need to be replaced. What I need to know is, are there drums that are one piece with the hubs or will they all come apart for drum replacement. What I have here sure looks like hub and drum (rear, I haven't looked closely at the front yet) are one piece. I've been a Ford guy forever, but I've never needed to go down this particular road before. Anyway, I'm sure there are lots of folks here that have more knowledge about these than I currently do. Any help or advice would be appreciated.
The 1940 drum is removable. The studs are swedged (spelling?). I remove the studs, then drum then put new drum back. Then reinstall studs. True confessions here I always end up cutting the old studs , drifting whats remaining through, then replacing them. A better mechanic than me probably doesnt need to Do that
You'll need to remove the swedged studs by pressing them out with a well supported backside, or cutting them off, drilling them mostly out to release the pressure, then pressing the remainder out. Then the hub can be pressed through the very tight center hole of the drum, and the drum will probably bend doing this but that's ok since you are going to toss it anyway. Then you can ream the hub holes for some new serrated studs. Read my thread for how to do that. https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...-studs-in-40-ford-hubs.1128114/#post-12806560 I recommend the new drums from Boling Brothers as they are very nice. They will just slip on the 40 hubs now like a modern drum does.
OK, Ive been away from this job for awhile but this is where I am today. First of all at this point I'm working on the rear drum and hub assemblies. I've cut the swedging and removed the wheel studs. The hubs and drums do not separate from each other. They look like they were cast as one piece. There is a number on the face of both rear drums C01A-1115, It looks a bit like a Ford part number. Anyway I'm looking for any input from anyone that might have any information regarding these drum assemblies. I think replacement hubs are available as well as drums, it's just that I've never seen Ford drums I couldn't separate from the hubs.
01A is a 40 Ford part number, and I've never seen a 40 Ford drum that was cast as part of the hub. I recommend you scrape off the shmutz and look again. If you really can't see a parting line, please post a pic as it will be a first for me.
in theory, they are two different metals. cast iron for the drum, cast steel for the hub. cant be one piece, or lets say i've never seen one either
The drums that came on my truck were one piece ( hub and drum cast as one). I don't think they made a lot of these and I don't know what particular vehicle or circumstance they came on.
[QUOTE="Center of the Galaxie, post: 13979164, member: 307789" The hubs and drums do not separate from each other. it's just that I've never seen Ford drums I couldn't separate from the hubs.[/QUOTE] Do they look like these red ones ?
Do they look like these red ones View attachment 5000771 View attachment 5000772 ?[/QUOTE] Ive owned alot of drums and cut up alot of cars and have never seen those rear drums on the left.
I've seen a set of brakes with drums like the red ones. I'm pretty sure those drums are an early aftermarket piece, not Ford manufactured. I doubt they have a Ford part number on them.
Do they look like these red ones View attachment 5000771 View attachment 5000772 ?[/QUOTE] Yes, they look exactly like those red ones (with # C01A-1115 stamped on them)and the fronts look very much like them as well.
Well, if they are too thin you will need to find some others. Sorry I never thought of the old aftermarket drums. Really odd they had the Ford part number on them. Lots of normal 40 hubs around to be had, and many will have bum drums, so you can go back to the top of this thread for info on disassembling.
Well, the front drums are the same. This morning I got another set of 40 front drums and they are the same too.
Maybe the C in front of your part number means Canadian? Any other Canadian 40 owners seen these weird drums before?
Those drums are cool. Just to recap here; youre saying the hub is part of the drum? And theyre probably aftermarket replacements? I just dont understand if it were an aftermarket replacement why a company would go through the effort to produce that instead of just a replacement drum. Its crazy but also I want those haha
I was wondering if maybe the C meant Canada. The set I got this morning for the front are built the same way and as far as I know they are from a Canadian car. Not 100% sure of that though.
They look exactly like the ones on my '40 pickup. It is a Canadian truck so you might have something there. Replacing the drums means replacing the whole works which just adds to the cost. Therefore, I wouldn't recommend them.
Yes I have those on the front of my T. I like the looks. They are one piece hub and drum. 40 only. Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
Crazy man! you could not make the whole thing from cast iron, which is the preferred material for the brake surface, because then the vertical portion would be to weak, maybe crack, and the rear bearing sure cant run in cast iron, so the whole thing must be cast steel ! never seen one here in the states
Most small Ford over here from 32 to 62 were one piece hub drum. These are from a 53-62 Ford. Pretty they are cast iron, don't forget the bearing has an outside steel housing that sits in the casting.
All the US Ford hubs of the era are cast steel. My machinist buddy and I have done quite a bit of whittling on 40 hubs and 48 hubs this past winter, and they machine just like steel. Not powder gritty at all, just nice slivers.
I took a set off a 40 rear this week, drove the studs out of the hub and the drums came off the hubs without a problem. Just dumb luck I reckon..
Got a pair of rear drums here that are similar to the red ones posted by @34 GAZ but they have a 3/8" wide machined seating ring outside the stud circle. These would be Australian or maybe even Canadian as we used to get all our US stuff from Canada. No part numbers though.
I thought I should write a recap of this thread with the final result. Canadian 40 Ford Coupe, seriously worn out brake drums. Drums and hubs were one piece rather than a hub and drum that could be separated. I was able to get new hubs and drums for front and rear. The Boling Brothers hubs and the drums I got were some of the nicest quality aftermarket parts I've used in a long time. It took a while to get the parts and then the time to get back to this project, but the end result is a brake job that will last a very long time and change this car from one that shouldn't be on the road to a safe car to drive.
The Jalopy Journal
