Dealer Service Information Bulletin 68-I-69 – Service Procedures – New Type 1968 Tempest and Firebird Front Brake Drums – Limited Production – First Generation Firebird (1967, 1968, 1969)

Bulletin 68-I-69 — Pontiac Motor Division Dealer Service Information Bulletin, Section 5, dated May 13, 1968. Attention: Service Manager.

Subject: Service Procedures — New Type 1968 Tempest and Firebird Front Brake Drums — Limited Production.

Short answer: A new separable front hub-and-drum assembly is being installed on a limited run of 1968 Tempest and Firebird models. Unlike standard units, the drum can be removed separately from the hub; the alignment index mark on the drum web must line up with the hole in the hub on reassembly. Approximately 10,000 sets are being installed at each plant.

Affected Vehicles

Limited-Production New-Type Front Brake Drum — Starting V.I. Numbers
Plant	Vehicle	V.I. Number
Pontiac, Michigan	Tempest	P268122 (8-Cyl.) / P612794 (6-Cyl.)
Lordstown	Firebird	0154610 (8-Cyl.) / 0611614 (6-Cyl.)

Important: Since the new drum can be removed separately, the alignment index on the drum web must line up with the hole in the hub upon reassembly (see Fig. 1).

Brake Drum Turning or Replacement

If it becomes necessary to turn or replace a brake drum of this type, the hub and drum must be properly indexed as described above and turned as an assembly. Install all wheel nuts and torque to 35 lb-ft before machining is performed.

Hub Bolt Replacement

Remove the hub bolt(s) with a press or hammer. These bolts are not peened into the hub. Use care not to damage the wheel mounting surface on the hub flange.
Install new serrated bolt into the hole in the hub. Tap lightly with a hammer to start bolt serrations into the hole, making sure that the bolt is square with the hub flange.
Press bolt into the flange until the head is fully seated against the hub flange (see Fig. 2).

Front Hub Bearing Replacement

The procedure for replacing front bearings and races is the same as that shown in Section 3, page 3-5, of the 1968 Pontiac Service Manual.

Parts Information

New-Type Front Hub and Drum Service Parts
Description	Part No.	Group No.
Drum	3853799 [M-CX]	5.809
Hub Assembly	3887867 [Z-CX]	6.307
Front Hub Bolt	3851677 [Z-CX]	5.812

Note: Part numbers for front wheel bearings, races, and inner seals remain the same as they appear in the Parts Catalog.

This is a transcription of the original dealer bulletin for easier reading and search. The complete original scan is shown below, including the figures.

Reference:

1968 Pontiac Service Manual Section 3 Page 3-5

Content last modified: June 13, 2026 at 10:06 am

Categories: Dealer Technical Bulletins, Dealer Technical Bulletins - Section 05 - Brakes, Wheels, Brakes, and Axle - All, Wheels, Brakes, and Axle - Brakes

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