Can anyone shed some light on getting new 46-48 ford front drums!! I'm in Australia and am building a '35 slantback Tudor with juice brakes. I have a set of 46-48 drums/hubs but the drums are worn too much to save I think!! It seems nobody sells new replacements for these anymore?? They are the hub on the outside type with a 4" hole in the center. Has anybody machined the hole in early hub inside types and used them?? Or does anybody have any idea on the differences between the two types?? Besides the hole size....
I think if you just ask here in the wanted adds you can find some real Henry ones that can be resurfaced. If you can always stick with real ford parts. I think you can use earlier drums on your later backing plates. One thing for sure is to make sure your brake shop cuts the drums and shoes to the same radius. Arch the shoes to the same arch as the drums. If not you will have pedal floating. Good luck.
I can't recall which is which but the hub inside/outside Thing I want to say is a year division thing. Like the outside hubs are 46 and the insides are the later years. That could make your hunt easier because you'll have a test cheer year range to search for. That being said speed way carries new drums but I can't recall if they are for the inside or outside hubs
http://www.speedwaymotors.com/12-x-2-Brake-Drum-for-Bendix-Style-1937-48-Ford-Brakes,5847.html Looks like they are for hubs that are on the inside not the outside. You make be looking for a drum/hub not just a drum
Yeah it's a bit unclear but I think you need the new hub to suit the new drum. Maybe try contacting Early Ford Store, they send USPS to Aus or are close to LA port and are smaller hands on that will have a big chance of being able to tell you what's what. They may have some originals if the repros don't fit the stock hubs. http://lbcunited.com/earlyford2/
Best bet would be to find a set of decent used front hub/drums (either style), like from a street rodder that is switching to discs. Second choice would be locate a set of inside flange hub/drums with worn out drums and fit them with a set of new US made drums and studs; good; but expensive choice. To offset your cost, you could also sell your outside flange hubs to someone that is going to use Buick drums. Could vary due to your location; but probably not so much.
I just went through this same thing. I have several hubs/drums with the flanges outside, but the drums have been turned lots of times and I didn't want to turn them again. I looked for new drums, but all the suppliers are out of them and don't know when they'll be getting any more. (If you have good inside-type hubs, those drums are available new.) From what I have been able to learn, the inside hub type were used on '40-'41's, and some '42's. The outside hub type were used on some '42's through '48's (cars). I finally ended up buying a pair of good used inside hub fronts to match the inside hub rears I had. I put a Wanted ad in the Classifieds here, and a fellow in Wyoming had a nice pair. I had them turned, and they're like new.
mt products makes the best drums. finned like the lincolns, very well made. 135 ea, plus shipping, and you must use different studs, they sell too. no drums made for the later, outside hubs
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