Drums wont come off.
Posting Guru
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 1,119
Likes: 1
From: Hartland, WI
When I need to take off drums at work, I'll usually spray around the center with PB blaster, then go to town with my 40oz Antivibe hammer. A sharp blow between the studs, rotate it, another blow, repeat. You most likely have a rust ridge built up on the very outer edge of the inside of the drum, where the shoes don't make contact. Tauruses are notorious for this problem, no way around it. You can also try walking it off with two prybars, however some experience is needed to avoid breaking the hold down hardware. It's pretty hard to hurt a drum, so don't be afraid to hit it. Once off, take it in to be machined; it will be round, the hard spots will be gone, and the rust ridge will be gone.
Lead Driver
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 6,812
Likes: 706
From: Tobyhanma, PA
Is there a special tool to remove drums? I assume you could use a large puller, but never knew drums had their own tool.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 959
Likes: 8
From: Imperial, MO
Yep, there are several out there. The one I posted is OTC-6980.
Tuned
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 266
Likes: 0
On topic. I hve used a small pry bar to put a light load against teh back of the drum then banged around the outer edge of the drum with a mallet and they usually come off. I know its a dumb question, but did you release the parking brake?
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 6,473
Likes: 4
From: Lafayette, IN
If it's the ridge on the drum that's preventing it from coming off, then you haven't backed off the star adjuster enough--when that drum and shoes were new, they were put together with that same star adjuster. Sometimes it takes quite a while to back it off far enough.
But, if it's just frozen to the plate on the end of the axle, then it's BFH time.
Jason
But, if it's just frozen to the plate on the end of the axle, then it's BFH time.
Jason
Junior User
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 50
Likes: 0
50/50 mix of acetone and ATF sprayed around center of drum and around each stud. Get a really powerful air hammer with a hammer bit and go to work on it in between each stud-WARNING use ear protection, the massive vibration will work the oil mix into the rust. May have to try more than once but it will work.
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Lead Driver
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 6,812
Likes: 706
From: Tobyhanma, PA
easy way to tell if brakes are still catching or not is to see if you can spin the drum (like the tire is spinning), if so then pound away as we mentioned, but if its stuck tight then you know to back the brakes off more.
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