Why are rear drums taper fit to hubs???

[greg g]

Looking at the studebaker site, regarding brakes. Studie used a similar system as MOPAR requiring a special puller to remove the drum and hub. The link shows them using Chevy drums (Stude trucks are 5 by 5 bolt pattern) . Set up includes machining down the hub to fit the new drum.( in our case we would need a later mopar or ford drum.) Seperating the drum from the hub. Reinstalling the hubs on the axle. You would have the option of putting studs in the hubs while they were off.

The lug nuts then retain the wheel and drum to the hub like modern applications.

This means no more puller to do rear brake work.

Would this work with our vehicles??

https://www.studebakerparts.com/studebakerparts/store/s/html/pages/trkdrum.html

[Andydodge]

I actually used a similar setup on my 40 Dodge sedan for about 30yrs.......here in Oz I used a 1962 Oz Chrysler Royal(same as US 1955/6 Plymouth) diff, I perservered with the original rear brakes for a couple of yrs till about 1977 after putting vented disc brakes on the front in 1975 till I decided to use 1970 Oz Valiant front rotors which I mounted onto the rear tapered axle brake drums' hub.......the hub that holds the brake drum onto the tapered axle is held onto the drum with rivets, I removed the rivets, threw the drum away, which left me with the hub, I then had the hub machined so that it would fit inside the front disc rotor(this was the type that had a separate disc "hat", the bearing hub could be unbolted from the rotor) ......this was held onto the original mopar hub by 2 contersunk allen screws, and the rotor was redrilled to the Dodge bolt pattern then Ford F100(I think) 1/2 inch wheels studs were pressed thru the hub protruding from the rotor, the rotor/hub was then bolted onto the tapered axle and held with the large centre nut as per normal mopar tapered rear axle practice. I then used Oz Ford Falcon rear disc calipers and made a bracket that used 4 of the 5 bolt holes around the rear axle flange to hold the disc caliper on.......because the mopar rear end has a removable Hotchkiss style pumpkin and with the vented rear discs mounted my rear end fooled a lot of people into thinking it was a super hi dollar Ford 9" rear.........lol.....I had it in the car from 1977 thru to 2006 when it spun an axle bearing for the 2nd time and I decided to put a 1991 Oz Falcon disc rear in it, which bolted straight in........but anythings possible......so give it a whirl.......andyd

[BloodyKnuckles]

I say absolutely!

The only thing to consider is the drums need to be "hub centric". they need to be machined true to the hub. Just the lug studs won't center them. I will be doing this to both my Plymouth and DeSoto. I will reuse the stock hub and drum and may machine a ring to make up the difference the drum has to the hub.

Good luck.

BloodyKnuckles

[greg g]

If you are going to keep the same drums, why not just drill out the rivets, tap the holes and use 3 countersunk screws to center the drums and the wheel to lug to hub to clamp it all together. Then when its time for brake work, the three screws will come out (if you use a lot of anti sieze) and the drum will come off. Probly with some encouragement from a BFH.

[Tony WestOZ]

If you are going to keep the same drums, why not just drill out the rivets, tap the holes and use 3 countersunk screws to center the drums and the wheel to lug to hub to clamp it all together. Then when its time for brake work, the three screws will come out (if you use a lot of anti sieze) and the drum will come off. Probly with some encouragement from a BFH.

Back in the mid 70`s I did a similar thing to my (dads actually) Pilothouse truck. Worked well for the next 10 years we owned the truck. Definetly a lot easyer to do brake work with out having to remove the hubs as well.

I also fitted studs as well. This made it easy to fit a set of mag wheels I had for it. No more right-left hand thread bolts to sort out.