redrilling drums

[enjenjo]

I have a pair of Ford drums I have to redrill for a Chevy bolt pattern. It would be easy if you could just transfer the bolt pattern from a chevy axle, but the hub pilot is a different size. So what I did was make a spacer to center the Ford drum on a Chevy axle. the chevy drum pilot is 2.75", the Ford drum pilot hole is 2.875" The difference is .125. Devised by two it is .0625. I took a piece of exhaust tube.062 thick, sliced off a piece 1/2" long, and cut 3/8" out of one side. With it squeezed down a bit, I had to tap the drum over it with a mallet. Nice tight fit. A transfer punch took care of marking the holes. Then just drill them out.

[phat46]

Frank, are those drums going back on a Ford axle, or are you adapting them to a Chevy? The reason i ask is that I have Ford 5.5 drums and axles on the back of my truck and I have a hard time finding wheels I like in that pattern. If yours are going back on Ford axles I assume your drill the axle to match?

[enjenjo]

Yes, they are going back on Ford axles, but these axles are made by Moser with a Chevy bolt pattern. I have marked axles the same way, using an old rotor with the right bolt pattern, and the center bored to fit the drum pilot. Ford axles are tough, because the clearance hole for the backing plate bolts, make it hard to locate a second pattern.