The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline brake drum removal

Just picked up a '47 1/2 ton with 3 frozen brake drums. I have tried various ways of removing in the past but wondered what others are doing.

Thanks,

Dave

Dave,

1946-style truck or 1947 Advance-Design truck?

Did you remove the drum attachment screws on the rear drums?

Did you back-off the brake shoes on all wheels so that they do not touch the drum at-all when you rotate the wheels?

Don't forget the fronts have a spindle Nut. I have had this same problem. Banging, pulling, sticking various objects in from the back, levering and so on. You have to figure it's ok to damage all insides because you are replacing it all. The drum has "rusted/corroded" onto the shoes. It will come loose in time... a little at a time. If you can get to just a little of the shoe, bang it inward hard with a blunt chisel or other. Some folks use heat, some folks drill a hole in the drum to poke into. If you do have movement as TC says (either rocking or rotation), then it's more of a gentle attack and the hub may be stuck instead of shoes.

it is a 47 AD.

not familiar with your year, but I've sure beat alot of frozen drums off in my time. I found cutting the little pins that go through the brake shoes and come out backsides of backing plate to help in loosening things up and those are always included in rebuild kits. I have sure wore out some hammers before. And I figure I'm changing teh shoes anyhow, so I use lots and lots of PB Blaster.

I have done pretty much the same. Just was hoping someone else had come up with a new idea.

Thanks

On my 46 3/4 ton I removed the screws then in the 2 other holes I took a tap and threaded those and screwed in all thread and made a cross bar with threaded rod in the middle also and had a home made puller, It was so stuck it stripped the threads so I tack welded the threaded rod to the drum, It was a challenge/fight/battle of will but the drum finally gave in and came off to show me the shoe had rusted to the drum pretty bad, Also one of the rears I disconnected the wheel cylinder line and took out the 2 bolts to let it flex and that helped also.

It's all about attitude and the size of the hammer. Positive mental attitude can go a long way. Be at peace...
If that does not work...go Postal Zombie Apocalypse Rampage on it. Take the family to a safe house first and wear safety goggles.

Family in a safe house...now why did I not think of that? Mine has learned to ignore the sounds from the garage. Just not worth looking into.

Is there a video?

And don't forget to throw your tools carefully, accounting for ricochets.

Had the same problem with the '46 a few years ago. Tried all these tricks mentioned and finally got the drum loose with a three jaw gear puller. It popped off fairly easy with that, but I suspect all the other methods softened it up some. Oh...maybe it was the fuming "magic" words?

I take a 2X4 about 1 foot long and put one edge of it on the inboard lip of the brake drum. I beat it with a 2 or 3 pound long-handled hammer. I rotate the wheel, hitting it in many places in the lip. Make sure the truck is on good jack stands and giver 'er yazda.
Scott

as Carl stated... account for the ricochet when choice words are flying. I have heard that it hurts when a wrench hits my shins. I mean a friends shins.....

Get under the truck with a 1 foot long 2X4. Put one 4" edge of the 2X4 on the inside lip of the drum and give her a few whacks with a 2 pound long-handled metal headed hammer. (no rubber mallet) Rotate the wheel and keep hitting it until it comes.

s

Have you used 3 fairly long pry bars ,one at the 12 o'clock position, one at the 4 and other at 8 position and use your Biggest(BFH) hammer? And a whole lot of colorful words, imagining you are beating on your worst enemy's head? Once you get them to start moving over the ridge that is usually on the lip, they will come off. Releasing the brake shoes from the back side should help IF you have removed the two screws on the face.Do NOT torch them especially if they are 3/4 ton or one ton drums because you just can't find them anymore. Have FUN, Jerry

Tractor supply (if you have one of those) has a nice pry bar package for about $17 or so that has 4 (if I recall) various size pry bars. I have had to really get super rough with old frozen drums before. I've broke this and that trying to get them off. one thing for sure, whatever you can unbolt or loosen from the backing plate will help. I have used 4 pound hammer, 9 pound hammer, etc. It can be like kingpins, pure heck to mess with....

One more good thing to look for. Bent lug bolts. They will jam a brake drum beyond tears. Remember those long acorn style lug nits? Screw one on the lug bolt and use a 4 pound hammer to get straight. Take the nut off and..off comes the drum. Please don't ask how long this idea took to form one fine day.

If you can rotate the wheel, it would only be stuck at hub, that's easy.... or at the lugs as SteveH says. If you can rotate the wheel, just apply 3 120 deg levers, as stated, and medium power, fast tap on hub. If shoes are stuck it's all the blaster ideas above.