I Give Up!

[Bob Malone #35242]

I've been trying for months to get the right rear brake drum off my '60. I know for a fact that the brake shoes are adjusted all the way in and I've pushed the disconnected parking brake cable in to ensure it's not engaging. I've pryed, hammered from the front, hammered from the back, hammered on the hub, cussed, hammered screwdrivers in the holes on the face of the drum to try and get some separation, soaked the hub in silicone lubricant, soaked it in liquid wrench, heated it with a torch, and have had other people try their luck and nothing.., nada.., nyet.

The drum seems to be cocked on the hub just a little. I can get movement on all but one section of the drum, but that one section seems to be welded to the hub. A friend tried to pry it off with a large screwdriver and broke the tip off between the backing plate and the drum. I'm fairly sure the broken piece is now wedged between the drum and shoe because it drags.

I would think there would be a brake drum puller tool but no one I've asked has ever heard of one. I'm to a point where I don't care if I destroy the drum in the process, I just want it off.
Any suggestions?

[Loren L.]

Re: I Give Up!

Where are you? Probably north of the Mason-Dixon line by the description - or at least the car has been there.......I would try some Liquid Wrench or your rust dissolver of choice and spray liberally in and around each stud....then I would take a maul/hammer and pound INWARD on the drum all around the circle...spray again....let sit overnight....spray again....and then try again with all of the methods that have failed so far....good luck.

[Bob Malone #35242]

Re: I Give Up!

Y'all go watchin what ya say now! The only thing I'm north of is downtown Dallas.

Like I said, I've been trying for months with spraying, letting it sit, hammering some more and so on and so on and so on.

I really am ready to find a way to destroy the drum just to get it off. Funny thing, it's only been about 18 months since it was off when I had a brake job done. I should have done it myself but let a Corvette shop do it while it was in for other stuff.

[Edward L.]

Re: I Give Up!

Bob:

Get an axle puller, remove the four nuts holding the axle, and pull the axle and the drum as a unit. After it's out you should have an easy time removing the drum.

[Andrew Anderson #31916]

Re: I Give Up!

Bob, I live in Houston Texas and have a 60 Top Flight. You can take the 4 nuts off on the back plate and the hub and axel all will come out, leaving the back plate and brake shoes. you can now put the lug nuts on and stand it up and heat it red, put a board across the hub and hit it with a 10 # sledge hammer. be sure and have some one hold the axel.

[Dave Suesz]

Been there, done that...

Loren is right! Prying between the drum and plate will lock it tighter! Us a mallet in the manner he describes, but before I would pull the axle I would soak the problem area with naval jelly.

[Mike M.]

There are such things as drum pullers. *NM*

[Bob Malone #35242]

Re: I Give Up!

Since I'm not at the car right now, am I to understand that there are four nuts on the back plate behind the drum (other than the pivot nut at the top used to hold the brake shoes in place)? If so, I simply remove those four nuts and the whole axle will slide out? Where does the Axel puller come into play? I've never used or seen one.
Thanks to all, I knew there would be knowledge out there.

[Dave Suesz]

Yeah, BUT...

If the center bore is frozen on the axle, the center plate of the drum will distort. I've pulled apart some old rusty junk a time or two.

[Don Shirey]

YES! Eastwood sells them *NM*

[Bob Malone #35242]

Re: There are such things as drum pullers.

Michael, where would one find a drum puller? I've tried rental companies and even asked one brake specialist.

Dave, are you suggesting it will ruin the drum? If so, I don't really care, it already has a small piece broken on the back edge.

I'm still not sure about the axle puller. Will I need that to get the axle out of the housing after I remove the four bolts?

[Tom H.]

Poor man's slide hammer...

Yes, to remove the axle & hub as an assembly first remove the 4 bolts. The bearing is usually somewhat tight in the axle housing, so you then need to pull it out somehow.

The pros use a big slide hammer which is fastened to the wheel studs. A few whacks usually loosens it and the whole thing slides right out.

Another more shade tree method (which I have used) is to get a length of heavy chain, and use a lug nut to fasten the end link to one of the axle studs. Grab the chain about 5 feet away from the axle, give it some slack, and then give it a quick sharp jerk. The momentum of the chain taking up the slack will usually break it free.

[andy#34338]

(Message Deleted by Poster)

Message Deleted by Poster

[Bob Malone #35242]

Re: I Give Up!

Andy,
I didn't hear any drag until my friend broke the screwdriver tip off under the drum. I'm confident that the problem is at the axle hub. The drum is slightly cocked on the hub and won't budge. I've tried beating it back on. No dice, still not movement.

I have the parking brake cable disconnected and the shoes are adjusted all the way in. Actually, the only reason I am trying to get the drum off is to re-do the parking brake cables.

You say I have to disconnect the brake line too just to pull the axle? Why is that?

[Mike M.]

Since the need for drum pullers has been erased...

by discs, you might try the long standing auto repair shops and mechanics.
Sounds like the drum is in a bind, or canted, since you have had it off fairly recently. It doesn't take much.
Good Luck!