Final balanced brake drum having integral squealer band and method for producing same

A method for producing a final balanced brake drum comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a brake drum including a generally cylindrical body provided with an integral raised squealer band, the squealer band having an outwardly facing surface initially machined to a predetermined diameter around its entire circumference, the brake drum having the initially machined squealer band incorporating an unacceptable imbalance;
• (b) determining balancing specifications consisting of the location, length, and depth of a circumferentially extending substantially constant depth cut which extends along a predetermined length of the squealer band and which is necessary to correct the imbalance;
• (c) positioning the brake drum on a cutting machine;
• (d) operating the cutting machine to make the constant depth cut along the squealer band in accordance with the balancing specifications determined in step (b) to thereby produce a final balanced brake drum.