Stupid Wheel Question

[Bingster]

On my '47 Desoto, I took the front wheels and brake parts apart a couple of years ago and do have everything labeled.

I need to move the car and am putting on the front wheels just for the move.

I'm looking at all the parts and my reference books, and it appears that the brake plate that holds all the brake parts goes on first, followed by the drum and then the rims.

Well, I have one very large bolt and another slightly shorter one for each wheel. The are the bolts with the arrows.

I assume these hold the brake platform plate to the spindle.

Then the drum goes on over that. But I cannot find any bolts for the drums.

So do the lug nuts hold the whole thing together?

[Young Ed]

The front drums are held on by the bearing nut after the inner and outer bearings are installed.

[Bingster]

Gotcha! Thanks.

[Rusty O'Toole]

You need to clean the bearings, pack them with fresh grease, wipe the hub and races clean. Install the inner bearing and grease seal. Put the hub on the car, install the outer bearing, the washer with the tab on it, then the big nut. Tighten the nut snug then give the hub a spin. Back off the nut and tighten it barely tight and put in the cotter pin. The reason to spin the hub is so excess grease can squish out of the bearing. The bearing needs to be adjusted just right, not too tight and not too loose.

Finally put the grease cap on.

Do this correctly and you can tow the car from coast to coast if you want to. But on final assembly you should replace the grease seal with a new one, clean the hub thoroughly and put a big gob of grease in the hub.

[Bingster]

Thanks for the details. I'll follow it to a tee. Take care.