Re: [T3] stripped lug holes - yikes!

[Jeff Vier <jeff.vier@transora.com>]

On Mon, 2002-08-12 at 23:27, Jim Adney wrote:
> > everything went fine, except that when I went to bolt everything back
> > up, I came to the horrid realization that 3 of the 4 lug holes were
> > stripped!
> You mean the new drums were stripped? Are 67 drums one piece or 2?

No, they're the two-piece "system" - the part of the drums sitting
vertically have the 4 lug holes, but they're just smooth, drilled-out
holes.  the drums just "pinch in" by bolting the wheel into the hub
(seems weird to me, and it's a PITA to get the drums to sit still while
slapping the wheel on and getting a bolt in there.

> > I had known one seemed to be giving way, but having only one good lug
> > just floored me.  And had been on the highway the day before!
> I'm gonna assume you have 2 piece drums and the part that is stripped is 
> the hub, not the drum. 

yes, correct.

> > So, anyway, the question is, what can I do?  Can I just Helicoil them? 
> > (I would think not, but, I don't want to presume).  Are replacement hubs
> > expensive, if I have to go that route?
> I think they could be fixed with a Helicoil if you could find someone who had 
> the Helicoil tool in that size. (I wonder if it is the same thread as a spark 
> plug???)  Otherwise, I have a good used hub.

I would be interested in a used hub - alas, I wanted to get it on the
car this weekend, and you're going to Parma :(

I'll call Bill and Steve's, I suppose.  then BFY if they don't have one
(which would surprise me).  Any other suggestions if I dead-end?

> The only other time I have seen someone strip out the hub holes was when 
> they were sold some Brazilian replacement hubs which were cast in one 
> piece. In that case the cast side flange on the replacement was considerably 
> thicker than the OE part, which has a cast-in steel side flange set in the cast 
> iron drum. The thicker flange kept the OE bolts from engaging enough 
> thread, and the hub eventually stripped. If this is your problem, I would 
> recommend that you return the drums with your complaint that they are 
> unsafe, explaining why, and should not be sold unless they have longer lug 
> bolts to sell along with them. Of course this can also get you into trouble, 
> because if the bolts are TOO long they can hit things inside the drum and 
> destroy your brakes.

No, this isn't the problem.  The casting looks really good, actually,
and seems very comparable to the stock piece (either that, or my "stock
piece" isn't stock.  It's too rusty to see the markings (hence the
replacement)).  It is a mexican cast, but it's not too shoddy.  I
suppose since it's the less-used two-piece, the mold isn't worn-out, yet
:)


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