So, one of my front drums are done, can't be turned anymore. So This past weekend I got the pleasure of Meeting Wheelz. Got a harmonic balancer from him and he threw in these 1970 GS front drum brakes and spindle. Went home to change out the drums......but The new one were to small. the diameter were smaller it seemed. I couldn't fit it over the brake shoes. so I measured them. almost 1/4 difference. So maybe they didn't it different in 1970 from 71. So I went to the local auto store and got a Drum for a 71 skylark 5.7. And you know what? same exact thing happened. In fact they were the same size as the one I got from Wheelz. did they make different sizes for 71?
If your drums cant be turned anymore, the shoes are probably adjusted too far out. You probably need to adjust the star wheel on the bottom and bring the shoes in. Drums are 9.5" Being your old drums are oversize, your going to have to replace the shoes as well. The old shoes are worn to the oversize drums. Think of a small circle inside a large circle. The shoes wear in the center and not on the ends. So pick up a pair of new ones, they're cheap enough Did you measure the drums your installing with a micrometer?
One thing of interest is that the front drums are wider then the back.So maybe Wheelz gave you a set for the back,not the front.Bruno.
Jason, I didn't measure with a micrometer. I need to get one. but there was a noticeable difference. So the shoes are to far out, I need to decrease the star wheel? And just to clarify, Buick only made one size drums for the front of a Skylark/GS?
Your going to need a "brake spoon" to adjust the shoes after you install the drums. There's a small rectangular opening in the bottom of the backing plate. You spin the tire and adjust the star wheel so that the shoes move to the drums. When you hear the shoes start to drag on the drums, they're adjusted correctly.
Just in case you want a set of the wider drums,I have a set here.By the way,my race car has non power aluminum drums that are of the wide variety,and the car stops as well as discs.And by the way,If I were you,I would not put the wider shoes into the narrower drums,just buy the right shoes for it.Bruno.
People get negative about me running aluminum drums on my car. When I say they stop great I get looks. I always hear about "repeated panic stops", I have never had to do that.
P.J.O’Rourke said ‘drum brakes will stop you from 100 miles per hour ONCE. That should be enough; if you find yourself repeatedly needing to do that, you have a bigger problem than your car’. Patrick
Do yourself a favor, and put a lil neversieze on the starwheel adjuster threads, prior to spinning them in. Jim
