28th Aug 2008, 23:00
The lugs for the Cranbrook are actually bolts not nuts. And are both left and right threaded.
1st Sep 2008, 19:02
"28th Aug 2008, 23:00.
The lugs for the Cranbrook are actually bolts not nuts. And are both left and right threaded."
Yes, that is what is already being discussed. Thanks.
2nd Sep 2008, 07:17
The point was, they are bolts, not studs that could be exchanged for right hand thread ones. And left hand thread lug bolts will indeed be difficult to find. Motormite stopped making them several years ago due to lack of demand. Your best hope would be to place a "wanted" ad on mopar websites if you have not been able to find any advertised for sale. You might also luck out and find a salvage yard that still has 1950's era cars in it. There are still a few out there.
13th Sep 2008, 19:02
Hello, thanks for the advice on where to get the lug bolts for the '53 Plymouth. It's great that people are still willing to help others out. This is an awesome web site.
What we ended up doing was having the opposing bolts made at a machine shop. I live in California so the backwoods junkyard thing is kinda not really an option. We do have some junkyards around, but as far as '50s era cars, I don't know of any.
What I need now are front turn signal / running light lenses.
Thanks again for all the help. Eric.
14th Jun 2010, 17:58
My 1950 Plymouth Special Deluxe needs a tune up. Where can I find detailed instructions, parts, etc? I want to do it myself. This is my first solo tune up.
1st Feb 2011, 12:16
My dad would always make before and after pictures, and then compare them to see if everything looked like it was put back in the right order. It should be easy enough to do with today's digital cameras.
Just a thought and maybe this suggestion will help someone.
A great day to all.
Sandra.
10th Dec 2011, 23:33
Plymouth was named after the Mayflower when it landed on "PLYMOUTH ROCK"; that's why the hood emblem is the Mayflower.
27th Feb 2012, 16:56
How do you get the brake drums off a 1953 Plymouth Cranbrook? We have tried a hub puller, and everything in-between, and nothing will loosen it. The front brakes were easy, but the back brakes will not come loose. Everything is off, but it feels like there is something still holding them in place. Thanks for any help!
9th Mar 2012, 16:33
I have a repair manual that covers my 1954 Plymouth Savoy, but also shows tune up specifications for the older ones. Procedures for replacing the points, condenser, rotor button and distributor cap are the same; I purchased all of these at my local NAPA parts store, but most of the parts places have them.
I strongly recommend that you pull the distributor and replace the points, condenser and rotor button with it out of the car. If you don't, you will have a hard time tightening the small screw that holds the condenser to the points (it's very tight quarters) and it's easy to get the screw in cross-threaded and strip the hole (bad news). It's a piece of cake doing it with the distributor removed, but don't remove the distributor until you have marked its placement to include the distributor and rotor button position.
I can copy and email you any specs you need to do this or any other type job if you need it. My email is moonlyn@gmail.com
Or you can find a manual for the car at some out of town parts stores, or get one thru the Internet.
9th Mar 2012, 16:45
Please, if you find out how to pull the rear hubs off your Plymouth, let me know. I have the same problem, have mine jacked up and put a puller on it, put lots of turning torque to the puller, and it hasn't budged. Looked on the back side, but can't see anything holding it on, just don't want it to come off, and the brakes are stuck.
My manual is not very clear; it just says remove the wheel and using a hub puller (pressure type) to remove the hub. You don't want to use a hammer type puller; you might shatter some of the internal parts, and it would not work anyway if the bolt type won't do it. If you find out what's holding it on or figure how to get it off, please let me know at moonlyn@gmail.com
Thanks, Moon Mullins.
12th Apr 2012, 22:58
If your brakes are like my 54 Desoto's brakes (fronts), they are a pain in the butt! If you have double wheel cylinders, top and bottom, the parts are easy to put on, just about the same as any late model car, but no automatic adjuster parts to deal with.
But... if you changed the wheel cylinders, you may have noticed you can move them around some, plus the offset cams to adjust the shoes. The factory made a special tool that hung on the spindle to adjust them right. You can do this with chalk and your drum. Rub chalk on the lining, put your drum on, rotate it to find the high spot. It will take some time!!! If you didn't change the wheel cylinders, it's not bad at all. The back ones are easy to do once you get the drums off. You will need to get a wheel puller to get them off the axle after you get that big nut off! It's not as easy as just popping the drums off! Get a book, get somebody that's done it before! Pay somebody to do it if you're not sure; you can really get in a mess on the front ones!
www.lees1967gtx@att.net
Good luck!!!
12th Apr 2012, 23:05
The old Mopars have a large nut on the rear axle. You need a wheel puller to get the drum off. You might have to heat it also. I can remember my grandfather heating and beating those drums for a long time before they would come off. Then the next car, the drum would come off no sweat, but you still needed the puller, so they don't just slip right off!!!
12th Apr 2012, 23:11
This car may have double wheel cylinders in the front top and bottom. Whole different ball game! Trust me!!!
12th Apr 2012, 23:17
If they are lug nuts, not lug bolts, Dorman Products should have them. Try a good old fashioned parts store, not the newfangled ones! Check with the old guy in the store; he'll fix you up!
12th Apr 2012, 23:21
The studs are crimped in. There's a special tool to cut them out. If you don't, it can make the hole too sloppy to hold a new stud! Careful!!!
12th Apr 2012, 23:32
Try NAPA. They go back to the 30's I think. I got points, condenser, cap etc for my 40 Plymouth pick up a while back. I think they may be the same as what you have? If you ever changed points before, you can do this one! Pretty straightforward and easy to get to. NAPA will have specs, point gap, and timing I think. Plugs are 35; same for years and years.
20th Aug 2008, 13:42
As an alternative, you could press out the left-hand thread studs and replace them with equivalent right-hand thread ones. Not as hard as it sounds.