New rear brake drum problem

[Campy]

I bought a set of new rear brake drums from BFY just over a year ago. I think that they were made in Brazil and are supposed to fit 1964 to 1967 stub axles.
A few days ago, I put a rebuilt freeway flyer transaxle with big stub axles in my bus, slid on the new brake drums, and began tightening the axle nuts until the edge of each drum hit the brake plate. I removed the drums and noticed that the splined hub on the inside was about five-eights of an inch too short to go against the inner spacer on the stub axle, which is why the drum hit the backing plate.
I telephoned BFY and talked to an employee, who said that I would have to have the brake drums shipped there so he could look at them. Because of the cost, it may not be worth it.
Does anyone know what model bus these drums fit? They look just like the 1964-1967 bus drums except for the splined hub being much shorter on the inside.

[krusher]

Cant he see them on a digital pic, or used the part number?

[Campy]

That's a good idea that had crossed my mind. Since the inner hub is over one-half inch shorter than it should be and could be readily seen, I thought that I might send him a picture of a stock drum and one of the piece of crap that they sold me so they could be compared.
I had given him the part numbers on the receipt, 211 501 615E, which he said was the right rear drum for 1964-1967 buses. He said that he had fifteen callers and he didn't have the time to talk to me about it.

[bill may]

the difference is 5/8"???? that is length of outer bearing spacer on a 68 and older beetle------ can you lay a straight edge across outer rim of drum and measure down to inner lip of spline on old drum and new one?
_________________
Admin note: Bill Passed away - July, 2017

1965 panel bus-Kermit
"Camping is cheaper than therapy"
www.sv2s.com
www.steeringboxscrapers.net
SBS #100
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=453617

[Clara]

I got a pair of new 64-67 Brasilian drums in a trade at some point. I put them on my 61 (has big nut trans) and it made the brakes 'pulse'. I put the old German drums back on and the pulse went away. I guess they need turning (???)

But there was no wierd rub.

http://failsure.net/oacdp/5867part/291.png
shows the same p/n for the 64-67 rear brake drum.
_________________
The Obsolete Air-Cooled Documentation Project http://oacdp.org/

[Campy]

The inner side of the hub doesn't reach the spacer in the oil seal when the drum is put on the stub axle. A better way I did it was to lay a straightedge across the inner side of the new Brazilian drum and a stock VW bus drum, then measure the distance from the straightedge down to the edge of the splined hub in each drum: the difference in the distance from the inner side of the hub between the two drums straight up to the straightedge was over one-half inch, with the new Brazilian drum having the greater distance. In other words, the new drum had the inner part of the hub machined down over one-half inch more than the stock drum and it won't reach the spacer on the stub axle. Because there is nothing to stop the drum when it was slid onto the stub axle, the inner edge of the outside of the drum hit the brake plate.
In BFY's catalog it was advertised for 1964-1967 buses. They both are clones of the stock drums except for the apparent mistake made on the inner depth of the splined hub. Just my luck.
Clara, someone had told me, sometime ago, that the new Brazilian brake drums should be machined before they are used because some of them have been "out of round."

[Jerry J]

I went through quite an ordeal with Brasilian brake drum several months back.

I found that the only ones that worked came in a yellow box. I can't recall the manufacturer but I will get that for you if you want. I was able to find only one of those. I found a used OG that was decent and had it turned.

There was one set of Braz. drums that would only go on the splined shaft about an inch and a half. What kind of boneheads sell stuff like that? I also had a set that hit the backing plate. The shop that turned my OG drum said that they could have turned the new drums to shave that extra off. But in your case I would think that a 1/2" would be too much.

I asked the parts guy and he said that they take what they get from the distributor and send back anything that's not right. It's really a very frustrating crap shoot on Braz. rear drums.
_________________
Jerry

'58 Bug
'63 KGhia
'67 Squareback
'67 Standard Bus
'60 Single cab

[Jerry J]

[Campy]

I took the set of turned drums off of my other bus I haven't finished, yet, and put them on my freeway flyer I put in the 1963 bus.
When I put a stock VW 46mm drum next to one of the new Brazilian drums, inside up, the shorter length of the splined hub inside the new drum is readily apparent. I could blow money and have two 9/16th inch thick spacers made to slip over each stub axle and go between the spacer in the bearing seal and the hub, but the drum would have shorter splines on the stub axle. Why would rear brake drums that are clearly unseable not only be in stock at BFY, but sent out to a customer?
I had a lot of trouble with one company, in particular, in southern California, where I had to return parts like Brazilian dog legs that didn't fit, outer rockers that were too short (I kept them), and crossmembers without a hole for the heater pipe. I know that labor costs money but why can't people at mail order companies make sure that the parts they ship out are useable and what you ordered? Now, for certain parts, I've asked about the quality and country of origin of them, then I can decide whether or not I want to buy the parts, and maybe save a big hassle in having them sent back. Employees have never volunteered information to me concerning parts they have in stock that are shit.

[Jerry J]

You've got to know that a large percentage of those parts guys don't know shit. And to top it off when I took the drums back that obviously wouldn't work they just stuck them back on the shelf for the next schmuck.

Oh, and the brand of drum that I found that seemed real decent was "Frum" (funny name ) from Brazil. It comes in a bright yellow box. The casting seemed real decent and they slipped right on the spline like the OG drum did.
_________________
Jerry

'58 Bug
'63 KGhia
'67 Squareback
'67 Standard Bus
'60 Single cab

[Campy]

This may be a dumb question but does anyone know why rear brake drums that won't fit anything were manufactured, in the first place, and sold to companies, then these companies sell them to unsuspecting customers? People get pissed off and it gives the mail order companies bad names and is a hassle for everyone involved. Does any of it make sense? Is there no such thing as quality control, anymore?

[BarryL]

I don't want this to turn into a rant but I totally feel your pain. That kind of stuff makes me livid.

[Campy]

Well, I took one of the new Brazilian brake drums to our local VW garage, today, and the mechanic pulled out two of his used rear drums to compare it to and said it was a "G" brake drum, which is for 1968-1970 buses.
Rather than hassle with sending them back to BFY, I'm going to take a loss and trade them to him for used 1964-1967 brake drums.

[Magsy]

Just received a new set of Frum drums. Got them from Bus Boys who took the time to try an old spline on them to make sure they fit. I had bought some of those ones that would only go on about an inch and no more. Didn't even look like the spline hole was centered. What junk. Thanks for the tip.

[Jerry J]

[SouthwestSplit]

Same problem, won't fit over brake pads. Should I turn 'em or is there something else that I could be missing. Early 1964 bus, think the brakes are '63.