The rest of the reassembly job is, as the book says, the reverse of disassembly, and of course you will be cleaning the brake parts thoroughly in the process. Just a few more pointers to help you along. Be sure that the seal is fully seated to the bottom of the hole, and that the bearing is also fully seated in the housing. Torque specification for the big octagonal hub bearing retaining nut is 140 lb-ft (19.34 kg-m). [Amend that to 140 lb-ft MINIMUM, and see torque notes on next page] With a big torque wrench and the proper socket it's a cinch. With the big socket and a t-bar to turn it, you'd best have arms like Popeye the Sailor Man. Without those kinds of tools it's a lost cause, and you'll never get it tight enough.

Install the bearing spacer ring for the disk wheel car only. Install a new o-ring in the hub, and a new paper gasket, and align all three of the screw holes (only one threaded hole in the wire wheel bearing hub) between the axle flange and the hub when installing the half shaft. Install one flat head screw to hold the halfshaft (or splined hub) flange to the bearing hub. Tighten that screw as well as you can to pull the gasketed joint up tight before installing the brake drum.

On the disc wheel car the brake drum is secured with two flat head screws (picture above). For the wire wheel car the brake drum is secured with four hex nuts and locktabs and does not use the two flat heaad screws (pictures below). When you install the brake drum be sure to align the holes so that the screw holding the axel flange (or splined hub flange) is accessible through the hole in the brake drum. After tightening the screws or nuts that hold the brake drum, insert the screw driver through the hole and retighten the screw inside that is holding the half shaft (or splined hub) flange to the bearing hub. This is important later so the flange seals will not come loose and leak the next time you remove the brake drum.


When you install the steel disk wheel on the car you may align one of the two small holes in the wheel with the open hole in the brake drum. This will allow screwdriver access for adjustment of the brake shoes without removing the wheel. There were originally rubber plugs in these holes in the brake drum. They may be either 1/2 or 3/4 inch diameter, and they are different for disc wheel or wire wheel cars, so there are four different rubber plugs. The rubber plugs are intended to keep brake dust off of the wheels. If you install the rubber plugs the wheel will have to be removed for access to adjust the brake shoes. These plugs are most often missing, perhaps intentionally left out. You may wish to install them for concours show, or to help keep your wheels clean. If you drive a lot you may choose to omit the plugs for easier assess for periodic adjustment of the brake shoes.