One mystery leads to another.... Advice needed on 11" brake drum conversion!

Jon B
Jon B Administrator

I'd appreciate some suggestions on a braking / bearing problem.

About 4-5 years ago my '37 Terraplane started to swerve to the right whenever I applied the brakes. I proceeded, one by one, to replace the wheel cylinders, hoses and master cylinder. But to little avail. The car still continues to swerve to the right (and now, it even swerves to the left, sometimes!)

I continue to ponder this mystery and devise ever-outlandish theories as to the source of my troubles. My latest theory involves the front wheel bearings. I noticed the other day that -- when the car was up on the lift, there was a small amount of play in the front wheels, on both the vertical and horizontal axes. (Maybe 1/8" total.) Could a slightly wobbly wheel cause a car to dive to one side when the brakes are applied? Or is that a whole 'nuther issue?

Anyway, I decided to replace the front bearings (inner and outer, left and right) and see if that helps.

But that raised another issue: which bearings (and oil seals) should I buy? You see, several years ago a Hudson friend (at my request) replaced the original 1937 10" brake drums, with 11" drums from a newer Hudson, for better stopping. It worked out pretty well, but naturally I neglected to jot down precisely which parts were replaced in this transition, and my Hudson friend is no longer around to remind me. The parts -- especially the bearings -- that are now on the car: are they from a '37, or a Hornet? Shucks, I dunno.

So, if you have ever performed a drum-ectomy on a pre-war Hudson -- and you remember all the parts that you used in the surgery -- please fill me in. In the end I may be headed down a dead-end street. But then again, it never hurts to install new parts once in awhile.

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