About the 2 tiny screws holding each rear brake drum to axle shaft / hub (illustration 1), preventing drum from coming together with wheel on removal.
On my car, the hex heads are rounded after probable use of metric tools decades ago (image 2). The 12-point 1/2" socket turns endlessly on it, it would need a 6-point socket that I don't have, I finished it with pliers.
I could find new, quality replacement screws of the correct length and thread. But original hex heads are unusually thin (images 2-3). Will aftermarket screw heads clear the recesses in wheel rims, or should I grind the heads ?
OK, I could try installing a rim, but I don't have a bare wheel rim, and installing/removing wheels with 235 tires on rear of the car is a pain. Furthermore, it willl be hard to check clearance. I suppose I'm not the first one on this forum to deal with this issue. Thank you.
I can't see anything wrong with cutting the head down to match the original bolt.
There would be no worry about decreasing the tensility of the metal due to the heat generated in the trimming process, as they are there simply to stop the drums from falling off when changing a wheel.
These days there would be a lot less changing of wheels due to flat tyres than when these vehicles were brand new.
Bruce >:D
I had to do this with the '57. Fortunately, I have a bench grinder and it took about 3 minutes to halve the bolt head.
So why did they do this for a while then go to just that spring clip washer? I imagined that the spring clip was just to keep the drum from falling off as the axle and chassis went through the assembly line, it really didn't have any use after that. Was that perhaps the same deal with the bolts?
That's one possibility during assembly but the drums were also balanced for the axle. The bolt insures the drum always goes back on in the proper location.
Philippe,
I can buy those screws with thinner heads at my local hardware store and will be in France next week where I could mail them to you. Email me separately at jaysfriedman@yahoo.com
When I was a young guy in the '50s working at an Oldsmobile dealer doing brake jobs, most cars didn't even have these bolts (Olds has the same Bendix brakes). I guess mechanics previous to me threw them away.
I would have to go look again but I was thinking the drum had more than 2 holes, it was just the axle flange that only had 2 holes. Maybe I am just confused by the fact that they are close to the lug holes and thinking there are more than there are. Its also possible that I have a non original drum so maybe they had more holes to fit more cars?
Quote from: Jay Friedman on August 08, 2015, 08:42:13 AMPhilippe,
I can buy those screws with thinner heads at my local hardware store and will be in France next week where I could mail them to you. Email me separately at jaysfriedman@yahoo.com
Thank you Jay, I sent you an email :) .
Quote from: TJ Hopland on August 08, 2015, 08:27:12 AMI imagined that the spring clip was just to keep the drum from falling off as the axle and chassis went through the assembly line, it really didn't have any use after that. Was that perhaps the same deal with the bolts?
Then they probably wouldn't be listed on the Master Parts List - would they ? ???
Quote from: TJ Hopland on August 08, 2015, 08:44:51 AMI was thinking the drum had more than 2 holes, it was just the axle flange that only had 2 holes. Maybe I am just confused by the fact that they are close to the lug holes and thinking there are more than there are. Its also possible that I have a non original drum so maybe they had more holes to fit more cars?
There are definitely 2 holes in the drum and in the axle flange, giving them only one position relatively to each other.