VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1933-1936 1936 brake drums and hubs

I wonder if someone could clarify the difference (if any) in front and rear drums for 1936 Master Sedan (with knee action) and drums/hubs of later years. The part numbers for the drums are listed in my 29-42 parts list as 601985 (front) and 602104 (rear). My front and rear drums look identical, but the front drums accommodate the hubs.

Question 1: The drums (without hubs) are identical, correct?

My parts book says that these numbers that I listed above for the drums are the same for 1936-42. Some newer parts books list only one part number (601985).

Question 2: Are the drums the same for 1936-42?

The part numbers for the front hubs are different for 1936-38 (476507 for 36-38; 599218 for 39-42).

Question 3: What is the difference in the hubs for these years?

The reason this is important is that I may be able to get NOS front drums with hubs installed, but I think they're from 1940. If the hubs won't work on the 36, I assume I can use the drums, and put my old hubs on them.
Thanks a lot.

The front drums are the same for 1936-39 with independent front suspension.These drums have the little access hole for adjusting the brakes from the "outside" as there is not adjustment holes in the backing plates.This hole was eleminated in 1940 and you could easily make one and put a little seal or flapper over the opening.
In the later years they made on drum to cover all theyears.
Other than that the drums are the same as ther rears of those years and all front and rear drums up to 1948.
The front hubs are riveted to the drums but the rivets are not necessary and were eleminated in 1960.

Thanks a lot. Just to confirm, if I get drums with hubs already attached that are NOS from 1940, the hubs should work on my 36 with knee action, correct? That is, the bearings and other parts in the hub are same? Adding the adjusting hole should be simple enough.

Hey Guy's, I have another dumb question but I am going to aks it anyway. I hear people talk about knee action. I don't know what knee action is. Can someone explain it for me? Thanks...Oscar :confused: :confused: :confused:

The hubs are different and fit 1936-38 enclosed knee action cars only.Will be necessary to chop out the rivets and use the 1940 drums only on your original hubs.Not necessary to re-rivet them to your hubs.Makes it easy for future brake inspections as you don't need to mees with the wheel bearings.

Not a problem, as I think I can get four drums without hubs. I'll use my old hubs without riveting as you suggest.

Oscar, the knee-action suspension was an early version of independent front wheel suspension. Somebody with more mechanical knowledge than me can probably describe this better, but it was advertised as a very comfortable ride compared with other designs. A king pin support is attached to the frame. The front wheel and spring housing is mounted on the king pins. The entire housing is somewhat massive, weighing about 70 lbs. It contains a large coil spring and shock absorbers. A radius rod permits the wheel to travel only straight up and down. With the housing,, hinged radius arm and shock absorbers, it does sort of look like a giant knee, bending in one direction only.

All GM cars used the name knee-action for their independent front wheel suspensions that they first used in 1934.Chevrolet and Pontiac had the enclosed spring swing arm type.Pontiac used that style thru 1936 and Chevrolet thru 1938.Then they changed to the open spring type.Olds,Buick, LaSalle and Cadillac had the open spring upper and lower arm type.Chevrolet)and the others) continued to use the name up thru 1954.The new ball joint suspension in 1955 was renamed Glide-Ride suspension.

Here's a picture of the knee-action shocks on my 36 Master (STILL under construction). Click on the link for picture: 36 Knee-action shocks

Hello all, reading the above and have a question. Are the front and rear break drums the same on a '36 Standard WITHOUT knee action and if so does the same apply as you can remove the rivets from the hub and use a rear brake drum in th front. Thanks

I believe that the 1936 Standard front drums are different from the rears....reason the center part of the drum sticks out farther on the fronts and the rears are flat in this area.This was also true for the 1937-39 drums for cars with straight front axles.This should easily be seen when comparing.The 1936 Std. drums did not require the adjustment hole as they were adjusted thru the backing plate access holes.
The rivets would not be required as the wheel studs do an adquate job of keeping the drums in place.Years ago it was common practice years ago to bolt the hub and drum together when replacing the drums.You could do this if you wish.
Do not have the drums from your 1936 Standard turned on a drum lathe.They are pressed steel, not cast as the Masters were, and must be ground, not turned for resurfacing.The 1936 Master was the first to have iron braking surface drums.

Let me know what you find -for my future reference.

I just compared, side by side, the front and rear 36 std drums and visually they look the same to me. Chevgene, how is the grinding procedure done?

The parts book shows two different numbers-may be a small detail like the rear hub drain hole the is different.How are they ground???All I know is that when we tried to cut the drums on my '34 years ago the lathe just roughed up the surface.To be honest with you I would hesitate to make the drums any thinner as they heat up fast enough when new.The stamped steel drums were a poor idea.