hub, brake, vibration, swedging?!?!

[Robert Gonzalez]

I have the worst vibration/pulsation when braking. 

To replace the drum,  I pressed the hub out of the drum (but Im an amateur and fear I may have ruined the hub). I bought shoes from an auto parts chains and replaced the bearings and races. 

Anyway, I had a machine shop remove the studs and replace with a hub-less set up because he felt that swedging the old hubs onto on to the new drums was unnecessary.

I had a crazy vibration. They THEN turned the drums and also turned the hub to give me a flat surface. They replaced the studs with studs that don't require swedging. I even replaced the drums AGAIN but I still have terrible vibration. 

My options are: replace the hubs (in case I ruined them), arc new shoes, go power disc. 

Any Ideas?!?!

[Sammy]

Hi Russ, I'm at the same point now with my brake drum nightmare. 
I grinded down the balancing weights just enough so they don't touch the rims anymore.

Just a question about spacers: If I use a spacer 1/16 I think the wheel is not centered 
on wheel hub correctly. 
General, maybe stupid question: Is the weight of the car sitting on the hub or on studs?

[Russ Austin]

Sammy, the lug nuts will center the rim onto the hub.  The rim will be riding on the hub still. 

[Sammy]

So all weight on the hub, I see. 
I think with theses spacers the weight is on the studs. 
What spacers did you use?

[Robert Gonzalez]

The shop closed early and I don't know if they executed the plan, but they wanted to cut the weight off and have me balance the wheel on the car. I just nodded and agreed because my brain is so slow, but the spacer idea is excellent and cutting the weight off is a ridiculous idea.
What kit did you buy that needed a spacer with the original wheels?

[Russ Austin]

I did my brake conversion before there were kits.  Heck, I gave my parts list to MP brakes, and they marketed my idea.  Without the spacer, the caliper will rub the rim.  I wanted to run stock rims, so I went with a spacer.

[Robert Gonzalez]

UPDATE: Well, I got my drums back. The set screws they used were too big and the tire couldn't mount to the hub, so I had to grind off the heads. So I was left with this frankenstein drum and it looks like crap. Well, anyway... its all moot point because I re-checked the thickness and they turned them to the same thickness as my original drums! This time the story changed from "at that diameter you need new drums" to "that diameter isn't that bad because the drums have heat dissipating fins"

What a bunch hacks. 

So in the end, Im running my old drums and Im out $500. I would say that you live and learn, but what exactly did I learn here? ...