Morris Minor Owners Club

I've just fitted new rear brake drums and I've found the holes for the retaining screws don't quite line up.
When I fit the screws they are about 1mm proud of the drum face.

I was thinking of either grinding a mm off the face of the screw, or just not fitting them as the wheel nuts should hold the drums on.

my concern with leaving them off is potential oil leak problems when the wheel is removed for servicing.

what do you all think ?

cheers
Moray

as far as I can remember and without getting the manual out there is a retaining screw on the rear hub to hold the half shaft in place to stop it pulling out when you take the drum off,and retaining screws on the drum to hold that inplace when you take the wheel off.which one are you looking at.If its the one on the drum just leave it off.You can leave the hub one off as well since the wheel nuts hold everything together,just have to be carefull when the drum is pulled off that you don't disturb the hualfshaft seal;

Do not omit the screw on the flange into the hub, it is essential to maintain the oil seal. If the holes in the new drum do not line up then the drums are faulty - the hub hasn't changed!. Contact the supplier and ask for some that fit.

As above - the half shaft is held in place by the single screw - so the 'seal' is safe. Just don't bother with the screws, although it is disappointing that the drums have not been properly made - it's hardly worth getting in a tizzy about it.

The point is, these drum screws help centralize the drums to make adjusting the shoes more positive. Leaving them out is not good. Rarely do manufacturers add something that's not needed!

The drums are pretty much centralised on the 4 studs - but you have a point - I wonder if in fact the studs are slightly bent thus throwing the screw holes slightly off pitch ?

Please do inform the supplier! If nobody tells them then whoever made them will probably do an even worse job next time

Out of ~20 Minors I've had, most didn't have the screws. Probably I've had a lot of dogs (ok, there's no probably, but I like to kid myself) and none have ever had a problem caused by the lack of screw.
Out of all of them - only 1 had the bee hive springs fitted....

I don't think any of the Minors I've had or worked on, have had these screws missing.
Most were done up so tight they must have thought they hold the wheels on!

Ray, while I was composing my last post I had in the back of my mind an occasion in the past when someone mentioned it being ok to omit something other than drum screws, your post has brought it all back! It was you, and beehive springs!!!!