I have the right side off, but I cannot get the left side drum off to save me I have a 5 pound sledge and I feel like I am going to beat these drums to pieces). I have used a large fork and beat on them from under the truck. I have soaked in WD40, no luck.

Any tips, suggestions? The manual says to release the pad tension to remove but these are spinning free and easy so it is not the shoes that are holding me back.

 

Ok, so I have already cracked the lip edge around this drum, so a new one is needed which is ok with me.

I used a mapp torch to heat up around center of hub with no luck. Am I going to have to sawzall this thing off?


Please help it is getting colder out, and I havent even gone to get new pads and drums.

 

Spray some penetrating fluid around the studs & hub then find a pipe larger than the hub of the axle and pound on that INward a couple of times.
Then have someone pull on the drum while you tap around the axle hub.

 

Yep, soak it down good and pull out while beating the snot out of it (sides). Remeber to go side to side with pulling and hitting so it doesn't get stuck in a twist. Using a bar between the backing plate and the drum won't help much...just end up bending the plate.

 

As they mentioned above, try some PB Blaster, it has unstuck several rear drums for me. Spray it around the center hub and at each stud. Pound on the drum between the studs. You may also try to take some sandpaper and sand on the center hub.

 

Thanks for all the tips. I had to give up for the day. (had to watch the colts/chiefs game )

If I beat between the studs wont I be forcing the drum on? I believe that the studs are free because I tried prying slightly and I could see the drum flex and the studs are free from the drum. It is that main center part.

I am soaking every couple of hours with WD40 (no PB on hand). I am going to try again tomorrow. What a bummer.

I am going to have to reset the brake adjusters etc. I havent done that before, although I watched my bro do it years ago. I have the original shop manuals to help me with that, so if you have any tips on that part, go ahead and throw em in

I know the front brakes inside and out.

 

Over time the brakes can wear a groove in the drums and even though it free spins it does not mean that the brakes are adjusted in far enough to get past the lip, so crank the adjusters in as far as they go. Also you might try and unhook the emergency brake cable as it may be putting pressure on the shoes and not letting them fully disengage.

 

I had this problem with my 74. After I got the drum off it was easy to see the adjuster was broke so even though I thought the shoes were free they weren't. Pounding between the studs will loosen the crude holding your drum on just like pounding on the back does. Just make sure you do it Mil1ions way so you only damage the drum. Its kind of like having a piece of wood half frozen in ice; you naturally whack both sides of the wood to break it free.

 

The other thing because the grooe impression the shos have caused and may serve as a fince for thew shoes to get by to allow the drum to come off....the that area around the hub of axle to the hole of the drum RUSTS together.

Sanding or using a wire wheel before shooting some PF into the crevice usually helps.

I had the same problem with my truck back in November.

I ended up doing what I suggest to you and it worked...Unfortunately I had to replace both drums anyway because they were rotten from rust so bad the very edge lip broke right off from banging.

Always put anti-seize compound around that axle hub flange ....on drum installation.

 

I'm not sure which way you are pounding, but here's more than likely what your problem is...and it usually is.

The drum is being held in the center by the part of the axle that sticks through the drum. I've encountered this numerous times. The main answer is to pound with hammer..(BFH)... on the outside of the diameter of the drum..where the pads press against the drum. Hammer and spin the drum and keep hammering. It will eventually come loose. You can try a little heat on the drum and axle and more hammering. But, that's about the only way you are going to get it off.
I've spent more hours cussing and sweating, doing the rear drum removal thing, than I like to remember.

You might try prying from the opposite side while hammering too. Hammer/pry, turn drum, hammer/pry..etc., ad nauseum. (and sweat)

 

Thanks I dont feel so bad for breaking the lip on mine. SHould I replace both sides? I cant even recall what drums cost. I seem to remember about $20-$30 each. I will definitely put a bead of antiseize around the flange this time.

Going to tackle them tomorrow. Hopefully before the good games starts (Thank goodness for DVR )

 

I bought the mid-grade Raybestos ones.

Up here they run about $50.00

 

raybestos drums? I remember raybestos making shoes and pads but not drums.

Ugh.....

 

SUCCESS!

$119 total expense: 2 new drums, new shoes, new wheel cylinders both sides. Not bad. Feels much better! I had to drill around that old hub to crack away and free it. It appears someone hammered these old ones one or something. The hub center was all gobbed up. I filed it a tad to smooth it but the new one went on very tight, so I hope I do not have to do this again soon. I used some lithium grease on all the innerds (except the brake shoes and drum surface of course).

So now this week I check the front end brakes.

 

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