Okay, this company wasn't all that bad after all. Two years ago I had a brake job done, where everything was changed out on the front. With that, they had to replace a few lugs. Guess what? The two lugs that were bad, were the wrong size. They had somehow glued the back, to make them not move. But they finally did move, and that is what caused the problem. That tells me the brake people had the same problem this company had. Which was they couldn't find the correct size with the reversed lugs. Rather than changing it over to the regular lugs at that time, they just cemented these others in. Now comes the fun part. Going back to the brake company, and telling them they have to fix the back one for free. Or like one guy said, if they don't go for that, I pay for the lugs only. But the work is free. We will see how that works out. Wish me luck.

YIKES!
Tells me you need to find better shops to take your car to!
Are you kidding?! Do not let those idiots touch your car ever again, and if you value your life, find a reputable brake shop in a hurry and have all the rest of their work inspected closely. What else did they screw up and glue back together?

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

I'm going in next week to get tires on my 63.

Besides telling them, I'm going to paint LH LH LH LH LH on the left side drums.

And they'll go.................


What does LH mean????????

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Ed
64 Valiant 225 / 904 / 42:1 manual steering / 9" drum brakes

Tack weld was the magic phrase. That's how someone attached them. This company that does the brakes does not do tack welding. They said they would be sending it out for that, but they don't even do that as a rule. If they had indeed done that, it would have shown on my record a hefty fee, and would have been well documented. My record with them doesn't show that at all. I still trust the brake company. Even the place I had the front end alignment was okay, looking back at it. As they didn't create the problem, but made it right, by changing it out to normal lugs (and not even charging me for it). I have to assume the tack welded lugs might have been there when I bought the car in 2004. The cheap company I used to get rims and tires - never again. I am still waiting on lug nuts for the reverse lugs, on rims ordered on 3/22/2006. I heard for the 100th time last night - tomorrow. But this time it sounds for sure. We will see. Bottom line you all made it easier on me, telling me it is okay to have the normal lugs on there. Thanks.

You are a great deal more trusting than I am, especially given that we're discussing life-safety equipment here.

Think carefully for a moment. Put yourself in the brake company's shoes, as it were. You hacked a customer's car to get it out of the shop because you broke some original parts and couldn't be bothered to fix it right. Would you:

A) Document your unauthorized slapdash hack 'repair' in great detail, so the customer would have some recourse against you when your 'repair' made problems down the line? Maybe charge the customer for the hack job, too?

OR,

B) Say nothing, act casual, deny everything and develop convenient lapses of memory when questioned about it?

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

So whats the /right/ way of getting them out and putting new ones in? I want to put crome lugnuts on my cor0net and if i cant find those in RH/LH thread i ill have to change the studs.

I would have guessed you knocked out the old then used the lugnut backwords to pull the newone in? Right/Wrong?

The right way to do it is to cut the swedge that anchors the stud bolts to the brake drum. Slide the drum off then press the old studs out; turn the hub over and press the new ones in. If you don't at least cut the swedge you run a high risk of permanent damage to the drum.

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David Kight
'62 Valiant Signet, White
'98 Dodge Dakota
'06 Jeep Liberty

Growing older is unavoidable but growing up is strictly optional.

Is there a trick to cutting the swedge off so that you don't harm the studs?

I'm thinking of the case of you just need to replace the drum.

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Ed
64 Valiant 225 / 904 / 42:1 manual steering / 9" drum brakes

There used to be a tool for it but to be honest I haven't messed with that type of drum/hub in about 30 years so I don't know if it's still available. You could probably use a die grinder as well but you would need to be really careful to not damage the stud bolt. Personally, I'm dumping the front drums and going to discs.

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David Kight
'62 Valiant Signet, White
'98 Dodge Dakota
'06 Jeep Liberty

Growing older is unavoidable but growing up is strictly optional.

Left hand lugs are still in use today on almost all big rig tractor and trailers.
There is/was a lot of poor repairs done to my '68 Signet before I bought it 3 years ago. I have had to deal with someones cobbled up 'fixes' on almost everything I have done on it so far. Here is an example...
The left hub had been converted to RH lugs. The OEM studs must have been hammered out, the drums were bent/out of round and 2 of the replacement RH studs were so sloppy in the hub they would spin when trying to remove the wheel. I replaced all 10 studs in both front hubs, 2 of which I had to spot weld on the back, 2 new front drums, F&R brake linings, F&R wheel cyl rebuild kits, 3 brake hoses and a new style plastic-aluminum MC with an AREngineering MC adapter. I'm impressed how well it stops for 9" brakes (I do have car weight down to approx 2700lbs). Bought all my parts except AR adapter and MC from Rock Auto, a link is in Dans post.
I try to do everything myself so I am satisfied with the end result. If it an area or something I'm unfamiliar with, I consult the FSM and learn how to repair it myself. I'd let the shop doing the work, or whatever they call it, on your car how you feel. Then I'd report them to a Business Bureau if you have one.

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Slant Cecil

I can testify to the fact that wheels will loosen on the left side from vibration. My first car, a '41 Chevy, would loosen in a few weeks and had to be constantly checked. You could hear it begin to clunk and then you had to tighten them. I saw lots of wheels with ovaled mounting holes from nuts or bolts loosening. Our neighbors had a '48 Chevy and his wife lost a left front wheel while driving. I always bragged about my Plymouths with LH threads because the wheels never came loose.

Granted, that was a long time ago, and we lived in a rural area with nothing but washboard gravel roads. Even the state highway wasn't paved, so the cars were subjected to a tremendous amount of vibration in normal driving.

I think the move to RH threads was in response to better roads, not a realization that LH threads weren't accomplishing anything.

What was your issue with the J.C. Whitney Springs?
Alot of us have used them and like them (the 5 leaf A body ones)
Slantzilla and I use them on race cars.
They are cheap and seem to be well made. They like them over at
moparts.com as well. Not doubting you, but wondering what problems
you might have had.

I ordered the JCW springs, and they said they were on back order. Finally I get a note saying they were shipped. After way too much time, I called them up, and asked where they were. They said they would be there in a couple of days. A week later I called, and they said they would contact the factory, to see where they are at. I then called back a couple days later, and they said there would be another back order for another month. So I asked them to cancel the order. They said they would. That night I ordered from Espo, who really seemed to know what they were doing. The very next day, I get another email from JCW, saying the springs were shipped again. So I called them, and advised them I had cancelled the order. They told me if I get them, to just not accept the shipping. Which I have done. Now I have to check back with them, to see when I get my money back. And from my buddies, they are saying good luck. And a few days later, I got my Espo springs and bushings. Much better looking springs, with bushings already there on one side.