Hi I have the early rear rim with the flat face bolts to hold the brake drum/sprocket on. As the three pins are slightly worn I am concerned with the drum working loose, due to the movement in the worn drive pin holes. As I could only get the tapered bolts I machined down the taper thus leaving enough thred on the inside of the brake drum to fit lock nuts. I have to check on clearance for the nuts with the brake assembly.So I was thinking of drilling through one corner of the nuts and using tie wire as a safety factor.The thought of one coming loose is not nice. Has any one tried this or have a better idea ?

email (option): michael@nammech.com.au

Lock nuts will probably not work as there isn't enough room inside the drum for them. They will rubb the brake shoe springs, even when the bolts enter the drum to far they will be in the way of the springs. That was at least what happened when I fitted longer bolts. I had quite a few NOS flat bolts and sold many, I might have one more set if you are interested. When these bolts have been removed you have to tighten them after every trip you make for a while until they are tight and then they stay in place. I don't really think they unscrew but they just work away the metal when the contact between bolt and drum isn't 100%. I never remove them when I have to work on the bike, I just remove the complete wheel.

Henk

email (option): ahum@quicknet.nl

Me too! I put them in with Loctite and never undo them unless I have to. Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Me too...Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

O/K so I have over thought something again.
I think I will just tighten the bolts and Keep checking them till the drum is bedded into the hub, then loctite the little suckers.

Thanks for your responses I spend more time on this site than on the bike

HENK I will take you up on that offer and a LED tail light bulb

Mick

email (option): michael@nammech.com.au

While we are on this subject, how many different types of bolts can one run into in terms of width, flat, beveled? I have at least three different sizes that I can recall. Some were even made like the Norton long extended types. Field mods for sure.

email (option): unpob@yahoo.com

I only know of two hub types..the early one for use with the 'flat' bolts and the later one with tapered seatings for the 'tapered' bolts.
Based on that there should only be two types of bolts..at least in terms of the 'working' parts of the bolt (the thread, taper [or not] and the head size.)
There is only one tool for removing and replacing the bolts so head size was the same for both types.
There might have been some variation over time in the overall thickness of the heads and possibly the length of the hexagonal section, but essentialy the bolts remained unaltered as far as I am aware...Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

To add insult to injury you need a 3 layer Thackeray washer as well under these flat bolts. Impossible to find those. I did however find 2 layer washers some years ago and they will doo fine. I think DraganFly have a replacement 2 layer Thackeray washer but it doesn't take heavy tightening loads very well.

Regards,
Leon

email (option): leonhop3@planet.nl