suggestions on vendor Rear brake rebuild

[mightymidget]

I have been fortunate enough to find a import shop near my home that actually knew, and has worked on Spridgets.

They will work on my vehicle if I provide parts needed and the car at same time to his shop. I have removed the rear end from my Bugeye, thought that I would take the rear end to shop for rebuild to install new brakes/check bearings instead of car and see how this works out.

Seems that must people upgrade to later rear brakes when converting to front disc on front as I have, I have the later model backing plates. Should i just call Moss and let them order what I need and hope I get everthing, or is there a vendor that sells a kit?

Anything I should be aware of ? Seems I remember something about aftermarket axle bearings not being right orsomething odd??

 

[Trevor Jessie]

I'd call Peter Caldwell. You may or may not get someone as knowledgeable at Moss.

 

[mightymidget]

Peter @World Wide? That would be good since he has already done the complete front suspension.

 

[Trevor Jessie]

Yes, Peter at WorldWide.

 

[nomad]

There are some clearance issues involved with fitting the later back plates to the BE axle. If I remember correctly I had to grind a bit off the brake drums and take some off a internal dust shield.

Kurt.

 

[mightymidget]

There are some clearance issues involved with fitting the later back plates to the BE axle. If I remember correctly I had to grind a bit off the brake drums and take some off a internal dust shield.

Kurt.

Anyone else have an issue fitting backing plate?

 

[Trevor Jessie]

Yes the flange for the backplate is mounted further out. Simplest solution is to turn or grind about .080 off the drums.

 

[Rut]

I mounted my drums backward on the front hub and used an angle grinder. The grinder made the drum spin and I put a little drag on it which gave me a very even surface.
Rut

 

[mightymidget]

Spoke with Peter and as usual he was very helpful, ask him about the issues. For ease of completion I am leaning toward keeping standard backing plate and just building stock.

 

[nomad]

Spoke with Peter and as usual he was very helpful, ask him about the issues. For ease of completion I am leaning toward keeping standard backing plate and just building stock.

Stock is simple and it work's but I think the main reason folks make the swap is that the brake cylinders are different sizes. So to match fronts to rear for braking quality is a good idea.

Kurt.

 

[Gerard]

There are some clearance issues involved with fitting the later back plates to the BE axle. If I remember correctly I had to grind a bit off the brake drums and take some off a internal dust shield.

Kurt.

I've heard this complaint before, but I have personally never encountered it. I did this conversion for the 1st time in around 1969 or '70 with a complete front and rear suspension and brakes off a '68 or '69 Midget that was crashed. I also took the 1275 and gearbox, which is still in service today. I still have all that setup on one car, and my vintage racer has the same setup installed as well, without having to grind the drums. Not sure why it's an issue today unless some specification changed much later in production. I know RB cars went to an 11/16" rear wheel cylinder, so maybe some other minor modifications were made that cause this conflict.

 

[Trevor Jessie]

Gerard, have you measured the axle flanges to hub face for a difference? I have not. I tried mine without grinding the drums. Initially it seemed OK, but once everything was torqued down I had rubbing. I took about .050 off and the problem went away except for hard cornering. I removed another approx. .025 and it seemed to fix the problem. Recently, Joel reported that someone found his rear caliper adapters were off by .080 on a 1/4 elliptical spring axle. So, if all the 1/4 elliptical flanges aren't different from the 1/2 elliptical, then I suspect that a good number are.

 

[Gerard]

Gerard, have you measured the axle flanges to hub face for a difference? I have not. I tried mine without grinding the drums. Initially it seemed OK, but once everything was torqued down I had rubbing. I took about .050 off and the problem went away except for hard cornering. I removed another approx. .025 and it seemed to fix the problem. Recently, Joel reported that someone found his rear caliper adapters were off by .080 on a 1/4 elliptical spring axle. So, if all the 1/4 elliptical flanges aren't different from the 1/2 elliptical, then I suspect that a good number are.

No, never have because I only started hearing of this sometime in the last 5 years or so, and I drove the car from the 1970's on without issue. My vintage racer has this conversion as well, but it has double bearing hubs, which I think changes the geometry slightly. No issue with rubbing drums, but did have an issue with back of wheel studs rubbing rubber boots slightly. I don't recall what I did to fix it, but I think it was just moving a little material from the stud head. iT wasn't much and I think only rubbed on one side.

 

[nomad]

Had the same issue with the stud's and did the same with a grinder.

Kurt

 

[Trevor Jessie]

Maybe something has changed with aftermarket drum castings/machining?

 

[Gerard]

Maybe something has changed with aftermarket drum castings/machining?

That was my thought.