Brakes: Brake Surprises - Flanged Hubs and Studebaker Discs

[55s]

I've been doing a few brakes lately. Lines, hoses, wheel cylinders, master cylinder and sometimes shoes if required.

Observations and questions:

68 Cutlass convertible - difficult - brake lines disappear into frame and into very awkward spots.

58 Packard Hawk: Pleasantly surprised! Flanged axles! Done!

63 GT: Another pleasant surprise! Flanged axles! Done!

55 Speedster: It appears one axle is flanged and the other is regular. (Hub is separate from the drum.) Question: Is there any problems with this setup? (Its on the hoist)

65 Cruiser (rusty: parting out) Front disk brakes and flanged axle on back! (I presume this is normal for top line v8. I presume front discs are rare and valuable. What do I need to keep? All appears servicable, but front backing plates are a little rust-eaten. Approximate value?

[studegary]

Are you sure that all of the cars have been converted to flanged axles and just do not have the drum separated from the hub? This has been done by some that like the easy way of not using a hub puller each time.

[55s]

Possible. I didn't really check in detail, although I know my dad had access to lots of flanged axles. I presumed he converted them on the GT and PH.

The Speedster was never really driven by him, so I'm not sure now and the 65 isn't nearby to compare.

What would be the disadvantage of a separated hub and rim if it is rolling smoothly? Is it possible to put in a flanged axle on one side?

[SN-60]

To: 55's,---- The only disadvantage I can think of, (separating the rear drum from it's hub), is that You may detect an imbalance in the rotating assembly through the brake pedal. (MAY detect)

[StudeRich]

Another way to say what SN-60 is saying: is that Studebaker drums CENTER on the 5 studs which are supposed to be swagged to the Hub, any other incorrect method can cause it to be out of round.

You determine a Tapered axle from a "Flanged" axle by checking for a axle NUT on a Tapered axle or just a blank center on a "Flanged" axle.

It is not possible to have both Factory Types on one housing.

[Skybolt]

I did do a conversion of sorts like was mentioned, meaning the drum off the hub. I made sure I didn't damage the drum by removing the swaging before removing the studs. I uses Volvo studs and it worked well. If I was to do it again I would drill a small hole through the drum into the hub in a safe area and tap it for a machine screw. This would allow proper locating of the drum later. I had no troubled but will be putting a new flanges axle under it so I won't have to think about them again. Good to see those old flanges axles didn't get thrown out like so many I've heard of in the past.