aobrien

Hi Guys,

I'm rebuilding the drum brakes on the '58 and in the process of cleaning the hub I found this gap (that the pick is stuck into) which was filled with what appeared to be 60 year old grease/muck.

Seriously, there was so much gunk in there that I thought it was a solid surface and when I started cleaning the edge it crumbled away and I was afraid that I damaged some sort of seal. There is a sample of it on the paper towel.

The gap is obviously *not* a bearing surface, but there was sooo much gunk in there that it almost looked like it was intentionally packed.

What is the purpose of this gap?

Is it supposed to be packed with grease?



Thanks.
Aaron.

GTOguy

My '61 has metal and felt dust seals that go over that area. They tap in place.

DZAUTO

NOT TO WORRY!!!!!
That is just a sort of dust shield, and the gunk you cleaned out is just that. Probably accumulated since 1958----------------finish cleaning it out.
Also, there SHOULD be another dust/grease shield (NOT, repeat, NOT a seal) that goes onto the spindle FIRST (up against the backing plate) before the hub-seal-inner bearing is slipped onto the spindle----as below. BUUUUUUUUUT, if it is missing, no big deal.









Notice that this picture shows the hub WITHOUT the shield that's in your picture. It is simply held in place by the heads of the lug bolts.

aobrien

Thanks GTO and DZ!

DZAUTO

Whoops, I failed to mention that if you want to do a REALLY good cleaning under your shield, Simply knock out the wheel studs. Then the shield will come right off and then you can get in there and really clean it good, and paint it inside if you wish.

GTOguy

Yes, that's the piece! No felt, I guess....it's my darn GTO's that have the felt wheel bearing seals..........

Deuve399

Hi Guys
I’m looking at these pictures and still not quite sure where the shield goes.
Does it go between the steering knuckle and the backing plate or does it go on the inside of the backing plate (inside the drum)?
If it goes inside is the bearing supposed to go through the shield? The small bearing shoulder seems not to fit through the center hole in the shield.
Advice and/or pictures would be appreciated 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
/Jan

DZAUTO

AFTER the brakes are fully assembled and installed, THEN the round sheetmetal shield goes on the spindle and then the hub, with bearings and seal go onto the spindle.
By the way, I'm so sorry that Photobucket has hijacked our pictures!!! In the past I stored so many pictures on Photobucket and now I can no longer access them.

Deuve399

Hi DZ-

Thx. For the advice, will get the job started in the Week-end 😁
No worries with the pictures, the overlay disappeared when I downloaded the pics.
/Jan

Todd54

Just a comment out of curiosity; in the original post by aobrien the picture (if you can see past the watermark) shows a drumless hub attached to dust shield with rivets, with all lug bolts out. I have not seen rivets still in the hub apart from the whole drum assembly, and thought it was odd. Perhaps a one off.
**Actually in all likelihood the rivets were ground on the outside and not punched through. Nevermind.