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Re: hood and drums

To: <spridgets@autox.team.net>
Subject: Re: hood and drums
From: "Guy R Day" <grday@btinternet.com>
Date: Tue, 12 Sep 2006 13:03:47 +0100
The retaining set screw in a brake drum really is a redundant item.  In a 
brake designers' head many years ago was the thought that a drum may fall 
off when you remove the road wheel.  We all know it doesn't, in reality we 
all know that at times it is a real pain in the ass to remove both the screw 
and the drum.  However, the sole reason for it being there is to hold the 
drum in place when you remove the road wheel and it serves no other purpose. 
When the wheel is on and torqued up it is doing nothing at all.
The theory is with a new setup and with parts that are corrosion free and 
correctly adjusted with no wear the drum is loose enough to 'fall off' 
(ROTFLMAO!) when the road wheel is removed.  Yeah right!!!   However, 
translate this to a modern disc with wheels retained by wheel bolts rather 
than studs and the freakin' discs, unless they have a retaining screw, are 
forever falling off the hub.  They tend to get jammed in place by the brake 
caliper shoes.  I've had this happen on Rovers, Audis, Vauxhall (GM) and 
others, even when they have a few miles on them.
If you are replacing one make sure the replacement fits, from length (too 
long and it will rust behind the hub and you won't get it out) to the 
correct angle on the head countersink and, as someone else has mentioned, 
get the correct posidrive or phillips head.  There is nothing wrong with the 
correct length of allen bolt (although the head chamfer may not be right.)
High temp grease on the screw when you replace it and just nip it up tight 
enough to hold it, don't even tighten it 'hand gripped on screwdriver 
handle' tight.  Just finger tight is enough.  When your wheels are on it 
can't go anywhere and 12 months down the line at service time you will be 
able to remove it easily.

Guy R Day
A-HJ Sprite Mk IV 




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