New Front Brake Drums

[smithskids]

I have just purchased an axle set of front brake drums with mintex linings and can not get the drums to go on. Upon measuring the new drums they turn out to be 7.950 inches in ternal dia. so I have had to put the old drums back on (they measure 8.010 inches internal dia.) until the shoes wear down a bit. Has any one come across this problem before ?

[mike.perry]

Is there a wear ridge on the old drums?
Why change drums?

[bmcecosse]

Send them back for refund and keep using the old drums! The wear on them is negligible... 5 thou off the surface ?? Good as new!

[smithskids]

No wear ridge chaps, just bits missing from the rim from previous owners using big hammers to get the drums off. I have had the pickup since 1991.The new shoes are ground fit to the new drums so the shoes are only touching at the top and bottom on the old drums as they are bigger dia. They came from the biggest supplier on the south coast and I have always had good service from them in the past so I will email them and ask what the new diameter of the drums is supposed to be. Modern day stuf usually has a max. dia. stamped on them. I supposed the new dia. would be exactly 8 inches.

[bmcecosse]

Indeed it should be - but the tiny 5 thou wear you report on yours is insignificant. The ridges round the outside - it will be fine. The linings will bed in to shape very very quickly.

[smithskids]

Just had a look and tickled up the high spots after 23 miles and they are bedding in ok. I had a look at the rears that came from the same supplier 2 years ago and they have 180mm max wear cast into the face, 7.086 ins. They not half produce a heap of black muck these new type linings. My morris 8 is still on the old asbestos linings I put in 30 years ago, they don't seem to wear as much. Cheers folks.