I just ordered the manual for my truck (1970 F100 2wd 302 auto), but while I'm waiting I'd like to get a look at the front drum brake. It seems like the driver's front is seized or something, as the truck pulls HARD to the right when I brake. I pulled the tire, and it looks like the studs are built into the drum. Is this possible? I banged on it some to try to see if maybe it was just on there so long it looks like one piece, but that's how it looks. Do I need to take the dust cap off and unbolt it from the center to get the drum off of there?

 

YES, the drum is one piece with the bearings and all.

 

Thanks. So, if I just take off the dust cap I'll find a nut in there or some obvious way to get the whole thing off?

 

I must respectfully disagree.
If they are drum brakes, then the drum IS separate from the hub. (Disc brakes are another story.) You may eventually need to take the hub off (with the center nut, and remove the bearings) to separate the two, but they are separate.

Make sure the drum can rotate first, though.
Don't forget to back off the shoes inside with the adjuster, because they may be pressed up hard against the drum, and you won't be able to remove it.
If you cannot get the shoes to release and let the drum turn freely, you might also try releasing the pressure in the wheel cylinder by opening the bleeder screw.

Before you remove the entire asembly, try to remove the drum from the hub.
Use some penetrating oil on the studs where they come through the drum, and use it around the center portion. With a ballpeen hammer, tap pretty hard on the drum face and around the circumference to get the lubricant to work its way in. Rotate it while tapping. Don't hit the studs!
You might want to try heating the flat face of the drum with a propane torch as well, after letting the lubricant work in a bit. Don't heat in one spot too long, because you want to heat the steel drum face, and not the hub. You want the steel face to expand faster than the cool hub, thus breaking the seal between the two. Use the ball peen again on the face of the drum, working your way around.

If that doesn't work, pull the hub and drum as an assembly, and remove the hub from the inside.

As for the pulling, you may have a problem with old rubber brake lines. They eventually swell on the inside. When you step on the brakes, you overcome the swelling with the brake pedal pressure, and the fluid flows into the hose, but the swelling keeps it from moving back out. This effectively keeps the shoes braking, making it pull.

For safety's sake, while you are in there, seriously consider
replacing the hoses, and don't forget the flexhose on the rear axle.

Good luck, and keep us posted.

 

for the front brakes you dont need any penatrarting oil on the studs because they are part of the drum. just pull the dust cap off and take off the big nut there and the drum will come off relativley easily if you loosed up the shoes a little. the back is the one where the studs and the center can be corroded to the drum

 

Perhaps I can learn something here. Did Ford make different front drum brakes in 1970 for F-100s?
My '72 has front drum brakes and the drums are separate.
My '66 has front drum brakes (not for much longer!) and the drums and hub are separate.

 

Oh, and by the way, there is no stupid question. That's what this forum is for!
The only really stupid question is the one not asked.

 

they were made both ways some have the drum and hubas one unit and some have the drum seperate all the 4x4's I think were seperate but 2wd can be either way

 

On my '71 the drum houses the bearings as well. However my drums will be gone within the next week or so. Billemc

 

Thanks to everyone for helping out. I guess this one didn't end up too stupid, since there was some debate about the drums themselves. I was pretty sure the studs and drums were one piece, and I'd never seen that before. I'd love to change over to disk, but (I think) I'm selling the truck and am afraid whoever buys it will kill themselves with the brakes the way they are. With no power steering, not only do you have to be careful when it pulls right to hold onto it, but you have to resist overcompensating the other way.

 

A quick note here to clarify the drum question. On a 2 wheel drive front drum, the drum is not supposed to be floating loose on the studs. It is true that the drum and hub are two seperate parts but they are assembled and the drum is attached to hub by the wheel studs. It is possible that the studs have lost their grip on the drum or that it was disassembled and improperly reassembled but the intent of Ford was that it was a unit. Hawkrod

 

I had a problem with the truck pulling to one side when applying the brakes. It turned out that the wheel cylinder on the right side needed to be rebuilt. It was leaking and not applying pressure allowing the left wheel which was working to grab and pull.

 

what exactly are you referring to as the hub? ive done quite a few brakes and all the ones ive done on the front have had the studs on the drum and bearings and races built into the drum, them the drum is held on with one big nut in the center

 

The hub is the part that has the bearing races in it. Brake drums do not have a bearing race in them. Hammer out the wheel studs and you will see the hub comes off of the drum. Almost all brake drums are built this way, even rears for splined or keyed axle vehicles like old Fords, Jeeps, Studebakers, and AMC! There are few if any vehicles with the front hub and drum as one piece they are assembled from two pieces and the wheel studs hold them together on most applications.Hawkrod

 

ok, i have learned something here. i did not realize that the front drums were a two piece assembly.