Odd issue

[spinelll]

This weekend I installed one of my Xmas gifts (Shortened Pitman arm).

Before I started, I just happened to spin the front wheel/tire and noticed a “FFFFT…FFFFT…FFFT.” That is, it seemed like the drum wasn’t true. Fyi, I went to cast iron drums in the front about 2 years ago and they were turned by a high quality, known shop.

I removed the wheel to install the Pitman arm and while the wheel/tire was off, I spun the drum to pin point the bad spot in the drum. Lo and behold, the drum spun freely with no hang ups. I reinstalled the wheel and the issue returned.
I tried the same wheel in different lug positions, same noise.
I tried a different wheel, same noise. Then I tried it with loose lugs and no noise. As I gradually tightened the lugs, the “rubbing” revealed itself more and more.

Ok, I give.

Thanks
Leo

[JDupuis]

Good morning Leo; Personally I wouldn't worry it. That is really not uncommon.
Drive the car for 5-10 miles, then feel the temperatures of the hubs. Is one wheel hub alot hotter than the other? Then decifer is it brake heat? Or bearing heat?
But let's not get too carried away, again I think you're OK. Jeff

[goodoldvic]

Might be the weight of the tire/wheel combo pulling ever so slightly down on the bearing and causing the drum to catch the brake shoe. As noted above it doesn't sound like an issue. Why'd ya take the wheel off to swap out the pitman arm? Good luck

[SeaSlugs]

I agree with the others. If you push up on the wheel when it drags to simulate the road does it drag? (just dont push so hard it knocks the jackstands off...)

You do have the correct wheels for your drums right?

[MikeK]

The drum may not be in complete contact with the hub. One or more of the studs may have been swedged without completely seating the two mating surfaces, or a burr or other crud was left in between. The drum was turned, and then when the lug nuts pull it all together it is out of round.

The hub and drum should have washers and nuts torqued down on all five studs when it is trued, but that is not often done.

[Mitch//pa]

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Mike K is more on the mark here... something is causing the drum to twist or move... i would look into it and not chalk it up to being nothing.
Make sure you dont have any excess paint or powder coating where the wheel contacts the drum or other high spot.. just throwing that out there

[Jacksonlll]

I had the same thing. Look at the face of the wheel that mates with the drum. You will find a small high spot somewhere. Mine was a weld bead from an old repair job. As the lugs are tightened, it deforms the drum enough to cause this.

[5window]

Originally Posted by Mitch//pa

Mike K is more on the mark here... something is causing the drum to twist or move... i would look into it and not chalk it up to being nothing.
Make sure you dont have any excess paint or powder coating where the wheel contacts the drum... just throwing that out there

I,too, like Mike K's answer. Not many irregular noises that up being nothing. Have you tried figuring out where the noise occurs on the rotating hub/wheel? Same place every time? You might also try it with the car on the ground and rolling it while listening-again to pinpoint the point of rotation where the noise occurs-but under a real load? Please keep us posted.

[spinelll]

Originally Posted by goodoldvic

Might be the weight of the tire/wheel combo pulling ever so slightly down on the bearing and causing the drum to catch the brake shoe. As noted above it doesn't sound like an issue. Why'd ya take the wheel off to swap out the pitman arm? Good luck

I took the wheel off 'cause I also removed the drag link to replace the end hardware. It just gave me a little more room to move.

[spinelll]

Originally Posted by 5window

I,too, like Mike K's answer. Not many irregular noises that up being nothing. Have you tried figuring out where the noise occurs on the rotating hub/wheel? Same place every time? You might also try it with the car on the ground and rolling it while listening-again to pinpoint the point of rotation where the noise occurs-but under a real load? Please keep us posted.

Same place every time is a good question. Actually it does occur in the same place on the rim every time, not the same place on the drum. So no matter where I line up the lugs to the rim, it's hits on the same spot on the rim. I know that because (by coincidence?) it's the same spot where a balancing weight is located on the rim. If the weight is positioned at 12:00 it reveals there. If I move the rim to the right one lug, say 2:00, then it hits there. Oh, and the weight is on the outer perimeter of the rim.

[larrys40]

The Model A wheel actually contacts the drum in 3 spots on the hub/drum. A bent wheel/ inner inner wheel hub when tightened could cause the drum to pull not true.
wheel bearings, loose outer race in the drum/hub. Even though you had a new drum installed doesn't mean you can't have any of those problems. It sounds like the backing plate/drum are real close. Make sure your backing plate is tight and not bent as well. It's surprising how many front backing plates aren't tight.

Honestly steel drums flex a lot-- cast iron does as well but not typically as much.
It's not a bad idea especially when turning steel drums to use a "dummy no spoke wheel hub" lug nutted to a drum to ensure it is pulled true as it would be to a wheel on the ground before it's mated on the drum lathe to be turned. again more helpful to steel drums and I understand yours are cast iron

Hopefully you will find the culprint.
Recapping again:

-Loose front wheel bearing?
-Backing plate loose or bent?
-Wheel hub contact or issue to drum?
-outer hub/drum race issue - check for tight or possible looseness in hub

Keep us posted,
Larry Shepard