Thread: Aluminum Buick Brake Drums

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Looking for the maximum diameter that 1958 - 1965 Buick aluminum brake drums can be turned to?
Thanks

I have two drums, I have media blasted both and there is nothing either stamped or cast that indicates a max. dia.

Originally posted by Delaney
I have two drums, I have media blasted both and there is nothing either stamped or cast that indicates a max. dia.

its stamped on most of them. it would look like 13.000 or 14.000 with the big no being the diameter of the drum. measure across the drum and that will be the first no. and then the thousands would be how much you could cut.

Generally speaking, most drums were a certain inch diameter with .060" the max diameter to be added through machining. I have exceeded that spec many times BUT had access to a shoe arcing machine. Arced the shoes to perfectly fit the enlarged drum. Otherwise you have prolonged seating time for the rear shoes due to the enlarged diameter.

Originally posted by sparky2263
Generally speaking, most drums were a certain inch diameter with .060" the max diameter to be added through machining. I have exceeded that spec many times BUT had access to a shoe arcing machine. Arced the shoes to perfectly fit the enlarged drum. Otherwise you have prolonged seating time for the rear shoes due to the enlarged diameter.

in VA. its against the law to turn the drum over the max. for safety reasons. we have to check them on st. insp. and if they have been turned over the max. then we have to reject them.

ps- thats the reason it is stamped on the drum Delaney, so the mechanic will know what it is without pulling a book out everytime.

Originally posted by lt1s10
in VA. its against the law to turn the drum over the max. for safety reasons. we have to check them on st. insp. and if they have been turned over the max. then we have to reject them.

ps- thats the reason it is stamped on the drum Delaney, so the mechanic will know what it is without pulling a book out everytime.

And if they've been media blasted and have no stamping?

I wasn't suggesting doing anything unsafe. Common sense should prevail but, alas, some are just interested in being "right".

quote
"I have exceeded that spec many times" BUT had access to a shoe arcing machine.
I wasn't suggesting doing anything unsafe. Common sense should prevail but, alas, some are just interested in being "right".



the max.cut was put on the brake drum because the manf. said anything over that was unsafe. all safety insp. use these no's, as the cut off point, so personally I wont tell anyone to go over it, so if that's being "right" then I'm glade I'm "right". he can call any brake shop and I'm sure that will tell him what he needs to know.

Originally posted by lt1s10
quote
"I have exceeded that spec many times" BUT had access to a shoe arcing machine.
I wasn't suggesting doing anything unsafe. Common sense should prevail but, alas, some are just interested in being "right".



the max.cut was put on the brake drum because the manf. said anything over that was unsafe. all safety insp. use these no's, as the cut off point, so personally I wont tell anyone to go over it, so if that's being "right" then I'm glade I'm "right". he can call any brake shop and I'm sure that will tell him what he needs to know.

The max diameter was put on there because the lining to drum contact would be minimal once the drum reached a certain diameter, NOT because of some danger of drum breakage (but you probably think setting batteries on the ground will kill them). Arcing the shoe ensures full contact of the friction material.

Somehow when mfgs. started putting max. diameters on drums people started this myth of drum breakage (that was never a problem before).

I'm not real big on old wives tales.

Originally posted by sparky2263
The max diameter was put on there because the lining to drum contact would be minimal once the drum reached a certain diameter, NOT because of some danger of drum breakage (but you probably think setting batteries on the ground will kill them). Arcing the shoe ensures full contact of the friction material.

Somehow when mfgs. started putting max. diameters on drums people started this myth of drum breakage (that was never a problem before).

I'm not real big on old wives tales.

this is what my drum manf. and the st of VA. says and i dont belive its a old wives tales either. i cant belive your telling people on a open forum that dont know any better its ok to go over the max. on these drums. i dont want you working on my brakes.

Any time the brake drums are removed for brake service, the braking surface diameter should be checked with a suitable brake drum micrometer at several points to determine if they are within the safe oversize limit stamped on the brake drum outer surface. If the braking surface diameter exceeds specifications, the drum must be replaced. If the braking surface diameter is within specifications, drums should be cleaned and inspected for cracks, scores, deep grooves, taper, out of round and heat spotting. If drums are cracked or heat spotted, they must be replaced.

Actually sparky, on this one I'll have to agree with LT1. There have been instances where i have had drums that were cracking as they reached the limits of their use. Now consider, each mm of material that you remove is also less with which to dissapate heat. As such, you will also encounter brake fade along with reduced contact. And beside, Drums really arent that expensive. Saftey is worth $100 for a pair to me

Agree totally. As I said, common sense should prevail, not knee jerk reactions.

I wouldn't throw away a set of aluminum drums if I had to exceed the max. spec. by a few thousandths.

Originally posted by sparky2263
Agree totally. As I said, common sense should prevail, not knee jerk reactions.

I wouldn't throw away a set of aluminum drums if I had to exceed the max. spec. by a few thousandths.

quote
first post-The max diameter was put on there because the lining to drum contact would be minimal once the drum reached a certain diameter, NOT because of some danger of drum breakage (but you probably think setting batteries on the ground will kill them). Arcing the shoe ensures full contact of the friction material.
Somehow when mfgs. started putting max. diameters on drums people started this myth of drum breakage (that was never a problem before).
I'm not real big on old wives tales.

second post-I wouldn't throw away a set of aluminum drums if I had to exceed the max. spec. by a few thousandths.

sparkey youve said 2 dif things in the last 3 post. you cant have it both ways. its gone from it dont make no dif. how much you cut, to a few thousandths. which is it? i wouldnt throw a set aluminum drums away thats a few thousandths over either, but thats not what you said the first time. i not gonna advise anybody that ask me on this forum to go over the manf. max. either.and back when you want suppose to sat bat. on cement was the truth, but they have changed the case now where you can. far as sitting on the ground i dont have an opinion, but i cant think of anytime i had a need to store a bat. on the ground. i have no problem with sitting one on the ground for awhile. by the way i was working at ROYAL OLDS AND CADDY in N.C. in 1969 and i was 25 yrs. old then, so it looks like your're on the bottom of that totem pole and leave dennys smile out of it, hes the only one around that smiles all day every day..

I happened to be perusing old posts and noticed the EXTREMELY heavy editing here.

Interesting in the least..............

Originally posted by sparky2263
What kind of inferiority complex drives someone to use the internet to make themselves feel superior?

I stand by ALL my posts.

You need help, sir.

im just telling the truth. i cant belive CHR is letting you use their forum to tell people how to kill themselves either. you are not suppose to cut more than the factory says for safety reasons and that my last post on the subject

Lord have mercy, now someone's gonna kill themselves because of what I posted.

******"Common sense should prevail"***********

But not with some in todays society.