Wheel & Brake studs

[David.H]

I find that I have some 7" brake drums without locating studs (but with correct sized stud holes). Is it a problem to use them???

[Ian M]

I don't know, but would suggest not. If the wheel nuts were to become partially undone, the wheel might part company with the car more readily.

These are probably from very late Ruby models. Somewhere here, I've got a 17" wheel that lacks the holes for the locating lugs and which is presumably intended for use with the drums you describe.

[dickie65]

Never use the keyhole wheel without the locating peg on the drum.
The peg locates the wheel and takes the drive and braking. The nut only holds it on.
The peg is riveted on, The late Ruby early Big Seven Wheels have a plain hole suitable for your drum.
I have seen the keyhole wheel re drilled for the peg less drum.
You might be able to add a peg to the drum although another second hand drum should be cheap enough.

[Ian Williams]

David by the sound of it you may have Big Seven drums, a photo would confirm, the hole through the centre is larger than a seven drum, big seven hubs have a small shoulder on which the drum locates.

[David.H]

David by the sound of it you may have Big Seven drums, a photo would confirm, the hole through the centre is larger than a seven drum, big seven hubs have a small shoulder on which the drum locates.

Thank you Ian. There are numbers cast on the drum which seem a bit Austin'y! I will check them tomorrow & report further!
David

[Bob Culver]

Provided conical nuts are used, these do not bottom, and the wheel seats fully, would it really be a major sin to fit a keyhole wheel onto a plain drum?
The keyhole arrangemnt is just a patent gimmick to avoid complete removal of wheel nuts. Should the wheel nuts work so loose that the dowells take weight, the wheel is destined to soon depart anyway.

[AustinWood]

Seeing as the conical seats in the wheel centre are very prone to wear, keyhole wheels would very quickly become unsafe without the studs there to take the torque.

[Ian Williams]

Seeing as the conical seats in the wheel centre are very prone to wear, keyhole wheels would very quickly become unsafe without the studs there to take the torque.

Agree 100% Jim

[David.H]

I have the numbers on the drums.
The studded: 1A4116 AF8
Non studded: 1A4116 AF8 BUT with a raised box with the number 1A4653 in it
I am using 1.25" wide shoes with the hydraulics from a Morris Minor
it seems to me that modern cars manage to hold their wheels on without locating pegs, but there has to be a good contact between all the surfaces....bit like the half shafts- the surface area in contact is important I think!

[Dennis Nicholas]

David
You might want to look at the Austin 7 clubs association archives site which has the spares books with pictures and parts numbers for the various years. There is also the cards containing notes on the changes introduced to the 7 over the years.
Include in your viewing the Big 7 spares list.
However when comparing drum part numbers you may be introduced to a little confusion?!?! you will see what I mean. My quick look has.
From my knowledge the drums with locating dowels  were up to around 1937/8. This was a patent so that wheels with slots and dowel locating holes could be removed without fully taking off the 3 nuts by just loosening them then twisting the wheel so the nuts passed through the dowel locating holes.  Later, cast drums reverted to having  no locating dowels and had wheels with no slots and no dowel locating holes, just the normal tapered hoes for the wheel nuts .
Be aware that 38/39 (and late 37?)  hubs for both 7 and Big 7 had larger outer diameter bearings and thus diameter hub central part so the drums had enlarged central holes ......not certain whether any of the later large hole drums had dowels or not.
The front hubs on later 7s were also enlarged to take the larger bearing (the inner one) for ease of continuity/servicing between these later rear ("heavy") axles and front axles. Big 7 and 7 hubs and drums are interchangeable within the above bearing limitations......earlier cast drums can be fitted to large bearing hubs by just opening out the central hole.
Best to only use wheels with no slots on the no dowel drums.
There is someone supplying a better design wheel nut and washer combination.

Dennis