The Ford Barn

wrmayne · 07-01-2015, 07:26 PM

Just got my cast iron brake drums back from Mel Gross. They are beautiful. All new lug bolts, perfectly swaged, and drums turned to the hubs. Can't wait too stop on a dime! Thanks Mel

glenn in camino · 07-01-2015, 07:37 PM

I have two sets. One set on my deluxe delivery and the other on my late 31 sport coupe. Love um.

C26Pinelake · 07-01-2015, 08:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wrmayne

Just got my cast iron brake drums back from Mel Gross. They are beautiful. All new lug bolts, perfectly swaged, and drums turned to the hubs. Can't wait too stop on a dime! Thanks Mel

What was the total cost ? Wayne

160B · 07-01-2015, 09:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by C26Pinelake

What was the total cost ? Wayne

Call Randy Gross and get the prices from him, he sells the drums and you can put them on or you can send your hubs and backing plates an he will do the rest.

Randy Gross
Son of Mel & Jackie Gross
904 North 3rd Street
Montebello, CA 90640
(714) 292-8660

bobusnick104 · 07-02-2015, 06:55 AM

Buying cast iron drums was the best money ever spent on my A. After rebuilding everything and getting all the play out of all the linkage and then properly adjusting, they work as well as hydraulic. If I don't like my passenger, I can give them a lump on the forehead!

BudP · 07-02-2015, 08:03 AM

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I am well pleased with the drums I got from Randy. He gives service after the sale also: when the rear shoes seemed tight, he suggested removing a small amount of material from the brake adjusting shafts rather than removing material from the shoes or drum. I kept the correct angle on the shafts but reduced the size to about 2.40+. Both shafts were finished to be equal to each other. Brakes work fine.

ian Simpson · 07-02-2015, 10:28 PM

So far I have only put cast iron drums on the front axle. What I found was that the drums had a fillet or radius between the vertical and horizontal surfaces that interfered with the outside edges of the shoes, whereas the old pressed drums had an almost 90 degree bend here. I arced the shoes, dealt with worn rollers, tracks, etc. but still had problems with adjustments. The cure was to grind a chamfer on the outside edge of each shoe to clear this radius.

I checked the problem by using chalk, not grease. As an aside, when I was building racing motorcycles back in the 1960s, we never even touched the braking material with bare hands, let alone grease!

1929 · 07-03-2015, 06:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wrmayne

Just got my cast iron brake drums back from Mel Gross. They are beautiful. All new lug bolts, perfectly swaged, and drums turned to the hubs. Can't wait too stop on a dime! Thanks Mel

X2, great customer service, I will buy again when needed.

07-01-2015, 07:26 PM	#1
wrmayne Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Posts: 32	Cast Iron Brake Drums Just got my cast iron brake drums back from Mel Gross. They are beautiful. All new lug bolts, perfectly swaged, and drums turned to the hubs. Can't wait too stop on a dime! Thanks Mel

07-01-2015, 07:37 PM	#2
glenn in camino Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Camino, CA. Posts: 3,086	Re: Cast Iron Brake Drums I have two sets. One set on my deluxe delivery and the other on my late 31 sport coupe. Love um.

07-02-2015, 06:55 AM	#5
bobusnick104 Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: SW PA Posts: 87	Re: Cast Iron Brake Drums Buying cast iron drums was the best money ever spent on my A. After rebuilding everything and getting all the play out of all the linkage and then properly adjusting, they work as well as hydraulic. If I don't like my passenger, I can give them a lump on the forehead! __________________ It's only money, we'll make more tomorrow.

07-02-2015, 08:03 AM	#6
BudP Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Oakton, VA Posts: 437	Re: Cast Iron Brake Drums Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) I am well pleased with the drums I got from Randy. He gives service after the sale also: when the rear shoes seemed tight, he suggested removing a small amount of material from the brake adjusting shafts rather than removing material from the shoes or drum. I kept the correct angle on the shafts but reduced the size to about 2.40+. Both shafts were finished to be equal to each other. Brakes work fine.

07-02-2015, 10:28 PM	#7
ian Simpson Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Posts: 709	Re: Cast Iron Brake Drums So far I have only put cast iron drums on the front axle. What I found was that the drums had a fillet or radius between the vertical and horizontal surfaces that interfered with the outside edges of the shoes, whereas the old pressed drums had an almost 90 degree bend here. I arced the shoes, dealt with worn rollers, tracks, etc. but still had problems with adjustments. The cure was to grind a chamfer on the outside edge of each shoe to clear this radius. I checked the problem by using chalk, not grease. As an aside, when I was building racing motorcycles back in the 1960s, we never even touched the braking material with bare hands, let alone grease!