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Thanks again, Howard,
I did check my owner's manual and saw the suspension illustration, then found it in my 35-41 parts book. It confirms that the bearing goes in (in my mind) backwards, big end out.

I checked the break shoe inspection hole and there was plenty of clearance for the shoes on both brake assemblies. The shoes are not holding up the mount.

I also wanted to check how far the outer bearing would slide on the knuckle with no drum, which was fine, more than needed.

That left the new seals. On my old drums the seals were virtually flush to the drum hub, whereas the new seals stuck up about an 1/16th - 1/8th". I'm double checking if the seals are right, I do have a tool for installing seals, so I hammered on that. I couldn't get the whole thing really flush, but close. Close enough when bolted up fairly tight, the cotter pin when in.

I'm not sure how free or tight the drum rotation should be, so I made a video. It takes two hands to turn it.

I'm sure everyone is tired of looking at brake photos, but before I attempt to assemble the left side, I thought it would be good to post these in case someone sees something stupid.

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  InspectionShoeClearOnCar.JPG (166.58 KB)


  ShoeClearanceOnBench.JPG (129.94 KB)


  OldPlateandDrumSealFlush.jpg (225.38 KB)


  SealSticksUp.JPG (155.55 KB)


  HammeringSeal.JPG (120.57 KB)


  NationalSeal5827.JPG (148.16 KB)


  HubOnTightPinned.JPG (147.05 KB)

As I recall, the seal should be flush and it should not take that much effort to turn the drum. The drum alone will not spin with one hand but it will be able to be turned.

Like the seals I bought aftermarket for the 47, possibly your replacement seals are slightly thicker than the originals. If you cannot seat them flush I think that may be the issue and you may find they are rubbing against the spindle casting. Do you hear any kind of noise or, if you loosen the nut a turn and allow the wheel to move out again does the wheel become easier? If so I would suspect the seal may be touching. If you remove the drum after turning it several revolutions do you see any rotation marks on the back of the seal or the spindle casting?

Joe, your brake drums may have a slot on the outside. The slot is to insert a feeler gauge to measure the gap between the brake shoes and the drum surface. I forget the clearance, but it may be around .010". Also, I think Ross Miller has a video on doing a major brake adjustment (maybe on YouTube). Using the slot and feeler gauge may also be covered in the shop manual. Getting the esenteric adjusted correctly to center the shoes to the drums is important. Good luck.

Here's Ross' video:

It's what I used when I did my brakes. He made it easy to understand how to adjust the eccentric and correctly seat the shoes with the drums. If the eccentric is off to one side or the other the shoes will be rubbing hard against the drum. Follow his directions and you'll get it done.

With the tire on you should be able to spin the wheel with one hand and hear the shoes slightly kissing the drum as the wheel spins on it's own.

This is all helpful JDub, Howard and Kevin..and Ross.

I'll say first that the drums are on, pretty tight, but no noise, and the brake lines connected. I'm basically done, except for installing the new MC brass block and stoplight switch...and bleeding the brakes. My buddy Chuck McDonald will probably come by to help when those items arrive.

I was asking Jeff to overnight me some thinner seals, but Don Figone, a most knowledgeable Packard guy in Santa Rosa who has had a '40 Darrin since the '60s, (and in taking a picture of it in 1964 at the Hillsborough CA Concours showing only the tail end of the Duchess) among other cars, sent this paragraph from a Packard Service Letter. Rather amazing.

My previous brake system was probably a 120 set up and there perhaps the seals are flush, as my old ones were.

But that's not right for a Super 8, according to this Letter, so I cinched both sides up and I think we're good. The drum doesn't have much of a mechanical advantage, but I can turn it without much effort using 2 hands. Once I put the wheel on, it should turn easily.

Gee, you really do learn something every day.

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  SealServiceLetter.jpg (75.17 KB)

That sounds a bit too tight to me. Typically you tighten the nut so that’s the drum is difficult to turn by hand, then back it off a notch or two. You’ll have to refer to the manual for the exact number.

As for the drum not going on all the way, did you replace the bearings and is it possible that the inner race isn’t pushed all the way in or that it might be the wrong one?

BRAKE DRUMS AND HUBS I think I could turn the nut now to the next hole back and still get the cotter pin in.

Understand I am not expanding the shoes. The adjuster is in all the way. And in a couple photos you can see in the inspection hole that the shoes aren't up against the drum. I won't expand the shoes until I've bled the brakes, and I won't do that until the parts come for the Master Cylinder stoplight switch (the brass connector, bolt, washers and correct stoplight switch).

The left hub turns pretty easy and it's an identical set up to the right hub. So I'll try to go back one hole on the nut and see if I can get the pin in.

You have a point on the inner race. The problem is I'd need another seal to check it. I ordered a back up set of seals and bearings. I might have to use them if these get messed up in actual driving.

STOPLIGHT SWITCH I'll be so happy to bottom out on this issue. So I ordered the stoplight switch, the connector, bolt and washers after talking to Charod at Kanter. He sent an exploded illustration of the master cylinder.

There Should be no leak now and my brake lights should work. Brighter because they are LEDs.

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  BrakeMasterCylinderIllustration.jpg (135.25 KB)

Joe, the way I was taught - and it has served me well - is to adjust the brakes then bleed the system.

More... I believe the reason for this is the risk of pushing the pistons out of the cylinders when the shoes are too far from the drum surface.

Now I don’t have an excuse, JDub, but I just took a shower, put on regular clothes, am feeling like I’ve returned to the land of the living. Tomorrow I can adjust and attempt the rear and hand brake adjust too since parts are delayed until Monday or Tues cuz I didn’t understand about that threaded bolt. See, I’m coming right up on try #4. Taking your advice, but tomorrow.