Brake Drum Skimming

[rtcosic]

After a break of many decades, I'm back with a drum braked car. At least it's all hydraulic.

The brake drums are in reasonable shape. Very minor pitting, barely discernable scoring or wear lip. I cannot comment on concentricity, but nothing feels wrong through the pedal.

I want the brakes to perform as well as practical given today's driving conditions (and drivers!), so I would like to have them skimmed.

Google only throws up one obvious machine shop:

Brake Disc Skimming | Midland Brakes

www.midlandbrakes.com

They are less than one hour away from me so quite convenient.

Has anyone used them?
Any other recommendations?


What question I should ask them? I have found these comments on various other Forums (Fora for us antediluvian Grammar School boys?)

The drums require meticulous setting with a dial indicator before machining (so 4 jaw chuck?)

10 thou per inch of diameter maximum used to be the rule of thumb, preferably half that for the first skim

Before you ask, yes new drums are available from a single source at c. £300 each.

If they are a good supplier I could have them reline the shoes at the same time I suppose.

I am away for the day, so won't be thanking you for your advice until tomorrow evening.


(A remote servo may be next. I had forgotten just how hard a shove unassisted 11" x 2 1/4" drums need)

 

[RonA]

I’ve seen it done on the car on a mobile rig using the cars own wheel bearings (presumably checked as being in good condition) & the brake drum was reversed to provide access for cutting RonA

 

[zzr1200]

After a break of many decades, I'm back with a drum braked car. At least it's all hydraulic.


I had forgotten just how hard a shove unassisted 11" x 2 1/4" drums need

Land Rover?

Either bolt the drums to an arbour mounting specific for your vehicle/drum or a 4 jaw chuck and dial gauge....

PS. If the drum surface/lip is ok and the brake pedal isn't pulsing (oval drum), why remove material from the braking surface, fit a servo and see how the brakes work...

 

[bricol]

I think my thoughts would be, if nothing is actually wrong, don't fix it.

Regarding effort - I have a couple of cars that have non-assisted brakes, or power steering. The first trips in them after a layup are always an experience - heavy steering, and hard to press brake pedal. My wrists tend to ache for a few days. And then I'm used to them again.

Conversely, if I step into the other half's Fiesta, I tend to force all occupants, including me, to head butt the windscreen, and seem unable to steer a smooth path for some time - not used to the amount of assistance they get - and sometimes, that's after stepping from a big Yank thing - not exactly known for decent driver orientated assistance.

 

[addjunkie]

I think my thoughts would be, if nothing is actually wrong, don't fix it.

Regarding effort - I have a couple of cars that have non-assisted brakes, or power steering. The first trips in them after a layup are always an experience - heavy steering, and hard to press brake pedal. My wrists tend to ache for a few days. And then I'm used to them again.

Im inclined to agree. They will wear smooth the more you drive it. Id only remove the lip if its making it difficult to-get drum on and off. I have the machine todo them myself. And wouldn't bother unless absolutely necessary.

 

[frank horton]

rt cosic,
I use one of these....

it's the dogs when it comes to drum and disc skimming.....be very careful of those using a norm metal lathe.....
first if it goes wrong there's not much spare metal.....the drums ideally should be the same size when finished....
because they get it concentric the prob is the mounting part/plate of the drum....it can induce a wobble.....thats unless the hub is solid cast iron as well....
haven't seen any of those for a long while on cars.....
although Citroen and the like use em on the rear of their transit size vans....
Most of all my work is with pre 1920 vehicles and there is absolutly no room for error at all.....how do u make a new brake drum....hahaha......
which is why I bought the above machine.....
those machines that skim on the car are not for brake drums, only disc's...
I would happily do it for you for free while u wait but I live a long way away now.....unless u came on holiday next year...the machine is still in it's travel crate......
My machine was $4,000 US.....and worth every penny.....prob 150kgs of solid cast iron.....

for u I'd recomend getting any lip turned off and just use em to see what they are like.....
the rears go outta round cos idiots leave the hand brake on for years when stored and the fronts can go the same way due to excessive heat in use.....
good luck....

 

[brightspark]

if they work ok but a bit worn just grind the lip off the edge so the hub fits on over the brake pads easily thats all ive ever done

 

[Ali]

I use Nutexa Frictions on Wirral, they might do it and ship them back to you or you could ship them to me if you like.

Nutexa Frictions Ltd

Nutexa Frictions has a range of catalogues detailing our products and services.

nutexafrictions.co.uk

 

[500e]

Hamlins Engineering
64 Monmouth Street
Bridgwater
Somerset
TA6 5EJ


Tel: + 44 (0) 1278 422452
Fax: + 44 (0) 1278 424036
E-mail: HamlinThos@aol.com
Recommended

 

[reb78]

Hamlins Engineering
64 Monmouth Street
Bridgwater
Somerset
TA6 5EJ


Tel: + 44 (0) 1278 422452
Fax: + 44 (0) 1278 424036
E-mail: HamlinThos@aol.com
Recommended

Heard a few people recommend these guys.

 

[8ob]

I want the brakes to perform as well as practical given today's driving conditions (and drivers!), so I would like to have them skimmed.

Perhaps consider a performance brake lining while you are at it, most drum brakes self servo so adding more bite will add more servo. Just saying

Bob

 

[premmington]

Lathe - four jaw chuck - dial gauge - clean it up! - skim braking face (or buy new!)

 

[AVI_8]

You’d be surprised at just how much of the lip at the edge of the drum can be removed by filing it, back in the day when I was an apprentice ambulance mechanic that’s what we used to do to remove them using quite a thick round file.
I still use a file to this day albeit a flat file to remove the edge lip on brake disks.

 

[brightspark]

You’d be surprised at just how much of the lip at the edge of the drum can be removed by filing it, back in the day when I was an apprentice ambulance mechanic that’s what we used to do to remove them using quite a thick round file.
I still use a file to this day albeit a flat file to remove the edge lip on brake disks.

i just use a 4 inch angle grinder. it doesnt have to be accurate as its not on the part the brake shoe contacts

 

[AVI_8]

i just use a 4 inch angle grinder. it doesnt have to be accurate as its not on the part the brake shoe contacts

Yeh that would work and be a lot less effort

 

[indy4x]

i just use a 4 inch angle grinder. it doesnt have to be accurate as its not on the part the brake shoe contacts

I use a flap disc in my grinder to take the lip off

 

[AVI_8]

Every day is a school day as the old saying goes, by doing it this way you don’t even need to take the disk off to get to the inner edge, I’m clearly an old git!

 

[Trevorleach]

I think from memory if you had a skim you could get thicker linings so you did not run out of brakes as they got close to their wear limit

 

[brightspark]

I think from memory if you had a skim you could get thicker linings so you did not run out of brakes as they got close to their wear limit

no need just run them till you hear metal on metal then you know you have had your moneys worth

 

[rtcosic]

Land Rover?
.....

I just knew someone would take that bait. I therefore hereby unilaterally award myself: One Point.

You should have noted the £300 for each replacement to realise you had been led up the garden path by the coincidence of size.

Alvis TA21.

A very good year too - its DoB is almost exactly one month before mine. 13/11/51 versus 15/12/51

Perhaps consider a performance brake lining while you are at it, most drum brakes self servo so adding more bite will add more servo. Just saying

Bob

That was my plan. The usual twin leading on the front and single leading/trailing on the rear.

Thanks for all the comments. I'll take them all on board. Especially checking to see if they have a @frank horton machine.

Re the wear lip - it's minimal. I only had to back the adjusters off by one click to remove the drums.
It was more the minor rust pitting I was bothered about.

The linings are near the end of life, having about 2mm before rivet contact.

The sun is shining and all the local pubs and cafes are open for lunches and teas so I few gentle potters and I'll see how I feel after getting back into the swing of proper cars.
Relining is needed soon though.