[rememberfireball#22]

I broke a wheel stud off on the right front of my 68 GTO. As I was replacing the stud I heard a pop and the middle of the brake drum broke out. My local parts store said they had one in stock. It looks the same as my broke one, so I tried to use it as it was Saturday morning and I wanted to go to a cruise-in that afternoon. The drum goes on fine and spins easily but when I mount the tire/wheel and tighten the lug nuts , the wheel locks down and will not turn. Althought the drums look the same, there has to be a difference causing this. Some of ya'll have probably run into this before and I would love some advise.

[dataway]

68's used two different type of front drums. A two piece where the hub and drum are separate pieces, and one where the whole unit is one piece.

I'm just wondering if the "middle of the brake drum" you speak of is actually the hub section of a two piece drum. They are often stuck together so well people think they are one piece.

Sounds like when you tighten the wheel down it's distorting the drum for some reason. Did you trying tightening the lugs on just the drum, without the wheel?

Check to make sure the balancing weight on the new drum is not interfering with the back side of the wheel.

Here is a photo of a two piece drum/hub.

[rememberfireball#22]

I'm pretty sure I have a one piece drum. Where the middle broke out it is very zagged all around the crack. I will check the other side after church tomorrow to be sure. I ordered a new drum from Ames, they do not list a two-piece. If by chance I do have a two-piece, can I replace with a one piece? I did put the drum on without the wheel and when I snugged the nuts down she locked up just like before. I think it is jamming the hub against the backing plate when I tighten the lug nuts. Is there a spacer or gasket that goes between the spindle and backing plate?

[dataway]

No spacer or gasket that I have ever seen.

Sounds like you have a one piece, if it's a zig zaggy crack then it's not once piece. Yes they are interchangeable. Numerous 68 will have a one piece on one side and a two piece on the other.

Bear in mind, if your brakes were adjusted for a worn, older drum, and you put on a new drum, you will have to back off the adjustment or it's going to bind.

Tightening the lugs nuts aligns the drum and it's quite possible that the new drum will feel fine on the same shoes until you tighten it down.

These days, also possible you go the wrong drum, but as you mentioned, you compared the two and they seemed the same.

I'd try backing off the shoe adjustment. The clearance between the drum and the backing plate is usually not a problem, can be hard to see because the drum will fit down into the lip/recess around the backing plate.

If backing off the adjustment doesn't work, might be a pain, but think about pulling the other side drum and comparing it to the new one.

Tighten the lug nuts slowly, without the wheel ... until it starts to bind, might help you spot where it's touching.

[rememberfireball#22]

Took the drum off the other side and installed it on the trouble side, no more problem. Without question it is the made in Mexico drum. I'll just wait until the correct drum arrives from Ames. In the meantime, I am also replacing all the side glass and I can be tackling that. I believe the glass is going to be big project!