Swedging Brake Drums

[Mikeinnj]

Has anyone seen a tutorial or plans on how to build a fixture or a jig to support and hold wheel studs in place during swedging.

The fixture I refer to is used to assure the hub or drum is not damaged in the process by providing support to the assembled parts. I recall seeing one offered on the Barn Swap meet pages a long time ago.

Also,does anyone make a swedging tool that will withstand the force of a 30 ton press and not deform in the process. I understand the ones offered by the parts houses are junk.

[Milton]

http://www.fordgarage.com/pages/swaging.htm

Best I can do at this time.

[Tom Wesenberg]

I'm pretty sure it was Don Turley that made a great looking jig to hold the wheel and anvil while swaging the studs. I don't have a picture though.

[Kevin in NJ]

If I remember correctly the tool that Vince has on his website is the one that Don had made up.

Don had a local machinist make up a copy of an era tool. That included the hardened swedging tool. It was not cheap, just the hardened part was $125. I did a quick check and found that just the materials and sending out to get proper hardening was close to $100. So figured $125 for a copy was not a bad deal. I made my own stand, the base was 1/2" plate and I used a hardened pin I picked up at a local metal dealer for the anvil on the bottom.


You do need every bit of 30 tons to do the job.

I do not believe that Don was having any more tools made up.

[Curt Campbell]

I made a jig also that worked well...copied after the one Kevin was talking about. I took it to a machine shop (most places wouldnt touch it) and used their press. It took 35 TONS....the press had a gauge. I was amazed. Only problem was the swedge tool sold by the vendors didnt hold up...too much pressure. Had to use something else.

Good luck. If I was do to it again, i would order the whole drum and hub already done.

[Bill in SoCal]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

I am looking for a swage cutter. I went to Vince's web page (www.fordgarage.com) he shows a carbide tip hollow end mill tool that he uses cut the swage off the brake stud. I followed the link provided and went through 30 pages of stuff without any luck (unfortunately there was no part number on Vince's page). Can someone help me locate a swage cutter? Bill

[ctlikon0712]

I read where someone used a carbide tipped hole saw from the hardware store....1/2" I think and cut the swage out 80% of the depth before he hit the drums countersink area. Then just used a slight hammer blow to knock the lip off the stud and drive it out with no Ill effects..... Of course this is all from memory.

[spike]

5/8 hole saw is what is needed to cut the swidge in a drill press..done many and it does a nice job.

[Mikeinnj]

Oh well......thanks anyway !

[28ACoupe]

I just welded a piece of steel bar to a piece of 1/4" steel plate and cut it off to just longer than was nessecary to back the stud.

You don't need more than a 20 ton press to do the job and the tool that Bert's has for doing the job works perfectly.

[Rich in Tucson]

The carbide cutting tool mentioned is a 1/2" Stud cutter for brake drums from Goodson, Winona MN (#170243) 1-800-533-8010 but the information necessary to modify it as described for cutting a 45° profile into the stud swedge/drum is curiously lacking.

Whether that is because the promoter of this tool as a means to an end does not know how it was modified or does not wish to share some "proprietary" business information or does not wish to but partially educate those who do not know is unclear.

All I know is that the machine shops here cannot reliably replace Model A studs in old drums or new cast iron drums but it can be accomplished in Phoenix.

[KR500]

I have used a Milwaukee 9/16 holesaw which can be mounted on a Milwaukee arbor that does not have the center drill needed. You can remove only the material you want of the old studs because the 9/16 will only take away the swaged material of the old stud. I believe the drums may already have a 9/16 hole in them to accept the hub bolt shoulder. You can also countersink the drums a bit more and the swaged material of the hub bolt will fill it. I don't understand the many entrees about a press which will deliver a minimum of 30 tons. I have used my Dake 25 ton with no trouble. It will probably deliver more than the rated 25 ton, but at 20 ton the hub bolt is well rolled out and I don't want to crack a cast iron drum which can happen.

[Kurt in NJ]

Without having proper swedging tool I have set studs using old chevy wristpin with one end ground some, only good for 3-5 studs, but very cheap.

With the real tool most of the swedge is done at 20 tons, but movement stopped at 23 tons, so a 20 ton press is borderline

I have modified cutters with a 45 degree outside on my old valve grinder, it has jacobs chuck, it's quite worn out (1925 vintage),has made many special tools and bolt heads for me, it's my 2nd valve facer, the first was made out of a knife sharpener from a can opener.

if you want to save both the drum and hub it is probably better to drill the head of the stud off from inside and pound it out supported over a pipe or socket.

another way to modify cutter without fancy tooling would be to clamp grinder at 45 angle to drill press and slowly advance cutter into grinder ---I have hoseclamped grinder to toolpost of lathe also

Long ago I learned that usually I could screw it up 3 times myself for what it cost me to pay someone else to screw it up.

[Craig Lewis]

Mike I made a backup plate with two junk ring gears from Model A diffs.
The teeth mesh together nicely except you need 2 minutes with a cutting torch to enlarge the centre hole about 1/2 inch.
Wire the gears together through some bolt holes and it becomes one solid chunk that's laid on the press table, next you drop your hub into the centre...studs pointing up...drop on the drum & swedge away.

My swedge tool came from Snyder's about 6 or 7 yrs back and was machined perfect except my brother the engineer/machinist said we should harden and anneal it just in case. He did this with heat & quenched in oil then heated it back up to certain level and let cool naturally (I think it turned blue?)
...do your home work I might be wrong on that annealing colour.....
...anyway the Snyder's tool worked well on my four drums and I honestly can't say if the hardening was needed as it very well could have been done already.
That tool was a bugger to get off after each press, but putting a couple drops of motor oil on the tip first made it easier to remove.
I could post a picture of the ring gears stacked with the centre cut out, but probably no need.
..hope this helps.

[Mikeinnj]

Thanks all for your ideas. I will try Craig Lewis suggestions.

[barkleydave]

Originally Posted by spike

5/8 hole saw is what is needed to cut the swidge in a drill press..done many and it does a nice job.

I know this is an old thread but thought I would mention.

I also used a new 5/8 professional grade bi-metal hole saw in a drill press.
It fits VERY tight over the old stud so work it slowly to get started it will destroy the lug threads but they are soft. It worked perfectly lots of oil drill slow cut swage down saw does not touch the drums and never gets down to the hub no need. Most fell out a couple only took a light tap with a hammer and they dropped out. One saw did 4 drums and still in good shape. Cost is low and if not used often I would spend the 7 bucks for a new saw and do it again. Again no damage to hubs and no hammering to remove from hub. Perfect.

[redmodelt]

If you are going to cut the swidge to replace a stud in the new drums, yes the 45 would be needed. If you are just cutting the swidge out of your old steel drums, then it is not needed. The old steel drums are junk, that is why you are replacing them.

[leo]

I just answered a post before this one and I suggested:
Consider sending your drum/s to Bert's in Colorado. Steve does this all the time and the turnaround is fast. If you have not done this before it requires a talented approach and the correct tools or you will damage the drum. After the job is done the drum needs to be checked to be sure it is still true.

[MAG]

This jig has worked well for several years. Use 1/2" metal hole saw to remove old swedge. Watch depth of cut if you want to re-use the drum.