Cracked Brake Drum

[cosmos]

I had my 65 caravel up on the jackstands yesterday and noticed a crack in the hub portion of the hub - drum assembly. Yikes! So now I have questions for those who may have been there:

1. I think I have Kelsey Hayes drums as identified by the look of the brakes. Can I put a Dexter hub on instead, provided I find one with the same bearing IDs and seal ID?

2. What do I do about the brake armature plate? Move it to the new drum?

3. Or does a new drum come thinner with the magnet surface cast into it?

Any thoughts to keep me out of the pitfalls here are greatly appreciated.

Bill
Birmingham, Alabama

[clancy_boy]

Is it the original drum? It may be difficult to match with the older brake assemblies. I put a new axle on just for that reason - lack of spares. Unfortunately, I tossed all the old parts - there may be some here that kept them and can supply you with an old spare. Lots are going through axle replacement and you may get a source. Other than that - you can replace the brake assembly from the backing plate forward but the spindle size may be tough to match - and you would have to do both sides.

How is you axle to begin with?

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by cosmos

I had my 65 caravel up on the jackstands yesterday and noticed a crack in the hub portion of the hub - drum assembly. Yikes! So now I have questions for those who may have been there:

1. I think I have Kelsey Hayes drums as identified by the look of the brakes. Can I put a Dexter hub on instead, provided I find one with the same bearing IDs and seal ID?

2. What do I do about the brake armature plate? Move it to the new drum?

3. Or does a new drum come thinner with the magnet surface cast into it?

Any thoughts to keep me out of the pitfalls here are greatly appreciated.

Bill
Birmingham, Alabama

Finding a replacement hub and drum will be very difficult, since that original size is obsolete.

Also the 1968 and older Caravel axles are famous for fatigue cracking spindels.

We replace about one for the old Caravels, per week for that reason.

The following article will help you should you decide to check out your axle.

Dura Torque Axle

Andy

[cosmos]

I picked up a new Dexter 12x2 6 bolt hubdrum that used the same bearings and seal sizes as the Kelsey Hayes I had on there. My local Airstream dealer told me on the phone " it'll fit ". It did indeed! The Dexter slid on with new bearings and seals, the wheel is centered in the wheel well, and even the magnet rubs correctly. I plan to replace the KH back plates and the other drum with Dexter parts later just to bring everything up to date as my magnets are worn out anyway. The axle on my '65 Caravel doesn't look to be the original. Or maybe it came with an upgraded heavier duty axle. It looks like I still have some good life left in the rubber springs so I'll leave it in place for now. I may do a dye penetrant check just to check for cracks just to be sure.