Machine Shop Ruined My Buick Drums

[donsrods]

Eh, they haven't covered that one yet. Been dealing with ex-lovers who won't return the big screen TV, and dog bite cases.

Don

 

[Andy]

I am new here but one thing I know a lot about is machining the Buick drums. The whole thing the machinist was trying to do was wrong. You do NOT!!! remove any of the lining. The only thing that is correct to remove is the aluminum. If you remove lining the shoe will over hang the drum by a half inch. I have done countless sets of the drums and never a complaint. They usually don't need much or any turning as I have a tooling set up that is dialed in. I have seen many write ups on how to machine the drums but most if not all will result in rurned drums. As a retired engineer, I laid it all out and checked all dimensions for fit and fuction. The drums sometimes get corrosion between the iron liner and the aluminum. It can warp the drum so there is excessive runout. I had one that was 1/8 TIR. I scraped it. Another thing to consider is if the drum will be used with the big or little pattern. I machine the hub when using the small pattern and machine the drum when using the big pattern. It is to provide edge distance for the studs.

 

[oldschoolobee]

I think ya oughta chuck up the "machinist", and true up his bung....******* hacker....that stuff is like unobtanium.... Hope REAL shop can iron this out for ya.

 

[donsrods]

I agree with Andy. I have a set on my T and a set on my Son's '29, and we didn't turn down the lip on either one. There is enough clearance. Maybe some need turned but I can't imagine it would be more that a few thousandths.

Mine have stock '46-48 hubs and Dan used Wilson Welding hubs, both cleared fine.

Don

 

[Gastrick]

I'm using Wilson hubs and Wilson 39 Lincoln style backing plates with 2" shoes. I think that if I can find another decent pair of drums, I'm going to assemble the whole thing first and see what lind of clearance I have. Eric at Riley Automotive told me that the drums need to be machined when using these backing plates.

 

[garvinzoom]

Did you get anything resolved today? Give someone a lesson in the fun game of dodge the buick rotor? LOL

Hope you had some luck!!

 

[Gastrick]

Did you get anything resolved today? Give someone a lesson in the fun game of dodge the buick rotor? LOL

Hope you had some luck!!

Okay. Here's the update. My dad took the drums back to the machine shop today and talked to the machinist. My dad explained to the machinist that the drums were no longer manufacyured and were difficult to find and expensive etc. The machinist said that he realized that he did a poor job, giving various excuses, but didn't realize that he had ruined the drums and he felt bad about it. He (the machinist) said that he wanted to make it right. He said that he would straighten out the shoddy machine work on the the aluminum and would install new steel brake linings in the drums for no charge. He ordered the steel lining material on the spot and said that he would accept no additional money for making the drums right and installing new linings.

Sooooooooo. We'll see if the repair is any better than the initial job. I don't have much to lose at this point. He also stated that he would make the liners the origional width when he installs them. I'll let you guys know how this turns out. In the mean time, I'm shopping for some more drums. Even if somehow the current pair of drums turn out good, I want to have some spares on hand.

 

[garvinzoom]

Happy to hear he is trying to make it right. Should have never let work like that leave his shop though, not good buisness sense at all.

 

[RUSTY50F1]

That sounds GOOD; It's nice when someone stands behind their BAD work.LOL You might come out even better than you thought.

 

[Andy]

I am sorry for your trouble. I would not trust the machinest to put new linings in the drums. They were cast in place and I think there are ridges that lock them from turning. The aluminum will get hot and try to expand away from the liner thus loosening it. The liners were iron and I don't know if steel would be a good idea. Nobody makes steel brake drums. I would try to get some money out of him and find some new drums.

 

[joehalford01]

hopefully he does it right, i don't know enough about drums to give you any advice. Let us know how it turns out.

 

[Unkl Ian]

I wouldn't know where to "order new lining material",if it's even possible.

 

[dunnit]

drums....

you could always turn the inside ...and run them as rear covers..... brandon

 

[pablo]

Hey gas, those are savable, I know a guy that had almost the same thing happen to him, guy tried to use a brake drum machine to take the lip off and took too much material off. He took his drums to a VERY skilled welder who added the correct amount of material and then he took those drums to another machine shop who used the right tools to take them back down, word of caution, he had to do one drum twice because the aluminum had some impurities in it and when they went to mahine down the weld a portion flaked off. the guy at the weld shop told him that it was a possabilty going into it. in the end my buddy took the first machine shop to court and sued for the 300 bucks in labor it took to make the drums right.

Good luck

Pablo

 

[Willowbilly3]

I see them on ebay all the time. make them buy you a new set and refund the $$

 

[bobscogin]

He said that he would straighten out the shoddy machine work on the the aluminum and would install new steel brake linings in the drums for no charge. He ordered the steel lining material on the spot and said that he would accept no additional money for making the drums right and installing new linings.

Is that even possible? Seems to me the aluminum would be cast around the iron lining, making it non-replaceable. How else would the lining be retained in the cast aluminum?

Bob

 

[Gastrick]

Is that even possible? Seems to me the aluminum would be cast around the iron lining, making it non-replaceable. How else would the lining be retained in the cast aluminum?

Bob

Bob, I read on a Buick site that on the early drums, the aluminum was cast around the iron liner like Andy previously stated. According to the information that I read, on the later drums, the liner was installed through a heat/cool press fit process. I don't know if that is correct information or not. There is a Buick restoration business that does offer this service so I suppose it is possible.

 

[Gastrick]

you could always turn the inside ...and run them as rear covers..... brandon

That is exactly what I was thinking I could do with them.

 

[Carlos Murphy]

BBB

I would have demanded my money back AND $500.00 for the drums, if he says no to the $500.00, demand he find you another set of drums. If no satisfaction is obtained by you, report him to the Better Business Bureau then take him to small claims court.

 

[Willowbilly3]

I would have demanded my money back AND $500.00 for the drums, if he says no to the $500.00, demand he find you another set of drums. If no satisfaction is obtained by you, report him to the Better Business Bureau then take him to small claims court.

Dude, this thread is a year and a half old.