Brake drums stuck to the carrier-hub

Hehehe, it was just a trial fit, to make sure everything was copacetic (which it wasn't). I intend to disassemble the entire thing, heck it even has the old bearings in there, without the cage-nut or cotter pins

Update: I got in touch with Steve and he said there should not be a need for shims at all. After he looked at my pictures he said it looks like the rotor is not seated all the way down on the hub. If you look at that picture that Agent Smith...errrr....jeepers posted you can clearly see the shoulders of the wheel studs. According to Steve the rotor needs to be pressed onto those studs. That would explain the gap alright.

Question is, can I "press" the rotors onto the hubs by torquing a set of lug-nuts onto the thing in sequence or should I just take them to a machine shop or hydraulic press?

John Z said:

Interesting that MS did not resond to your questions on his web page.

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He replied via email, but I am also suprised he didn't post on his BBS.

John Z said:

Please continue with the updates.

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Will do, I'll post a more detailed write up once it is done too.

Ok, what's the finished product really look like?

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Pretty much like that last picture, the rotor is an additional 5/32 more inboard I guess

One addtional benefit for me since I have late-model wheels is that it moved the rotor much further out making it look better than it did with the stock rotors. Compare to this older photo:

Edbert, how thick is that adapter bracket?

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The bracket is alot more complex than that, there are all sorts of machining that was done, much different than the factory bracket too. It is far from being a spacer, there are all sorts of dimensions, which one are you asking about? Maybe Mustang Steve would be a better source.

I've no doubt it could be but the "ears" where the caliper mounts are on a different plane than the part that bolts to the spindle. I don't know how thick a peice of "plate" can be obtained but just guessing I'd say it would have to be at least 2 inches thick, so block/billet would probably be better than plate.

Just an update, I've got more info that may help someone here...

I began "pressing" the rotor over the shoulder of the studs by tightening the lugnuts in a star pattern. This was obviously the shadtree method, but it was also obviously working. I was able to completely close the gap but there was an ever so slight "wobble" when I spun the rotor. I figured any wobble large enough to be perceptible to the eye might be catastrophic on the road so I decided to have the other one done by a machine shop, and while they were at it, fix the first.

One or two of the studs had some threads that were gnarled up a tad (how many times do you think the wheels were pulled in 39 years?), and another stud was slightly loose. I figured I'd just replace all ten of them like I chose to do on the rear when I bought new axles. I went down to the local parts store and they had the correct part but they wanted $9.25 each for them, another parts store wanted $12.55 each...!!!!!!!!

I bought a set from NPD for $1.25 each and took them to the machinist for replacement. It cost me $20 for the labor but they found that on the one wheel I used the shadetree method on that I had "wallowed out" the holes in the hub, not badly but just enough where it only took about 25 pounds of pressure to seat the new studs. The only reason I'm posting this story is as a warning that this method might not be the best or safest route, think twice before you try it, YMMV and all other disclaimers apply. These wheels are holding your life, I would not advocate the easy route when it comes to your safety, safety is why I am putting 13" Cobra brakes on her in the first place!

Anyhow, I've been sidelined on my car for some time now, real life has gotten too hectic lately and the heat is about too much to bear for working in the garage. I'll remember that when I am in shorts and a T-shirt in December working on it while some of you have your's winterized

I am hopeful to get the brakes done on the upcoming 3-day weekend and post the write-up I promised to do, plus pictures of the studs/hubs and how the old versus new ones fit on the rotors.

Cheers!