The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline Brake drum removal 46 1/2 tom

I am working on a 46 1/2 ton that has been sitting for over 40 years. All 4 wheels are locked up and have been try to get them free with no luck. I was able to get the wheels off and have been soaking everything with PB blaster and have beaten on the drums with a sludge hammer and no luck so far.
On the front is the hub separate from the drum or do they come off together?
I did remove the grease cap, cotter pin and nut still not getting anywhere.
Any tips or suggestions?
I also looked through the Tech Tips and did not find anything.

So far you have done everything right . The front drums come off with the hub . They are held together with your wheel studs. After removal you will be able to change and or turn your drums . If your drum turns it should come off . If it turns but does not come off try to back off your wheel cylinders to allow clearance between the shoe and drum. sSS

They don’t turn at all. Locked up tight

You lining has bonded to the drum. No amount of any penetrant will help. Option 1 is that you can make a sort of planishing hammer by welding a 1" cube of steel (bar stock) to a punch bit for an air chisel. (air hammer) Cut off the punch where the taper begins and weld the bar stock to it. Have someone apply a goodly amount of rotational force by using a prybar between the studs. While under pressure, rap that sucker with that air hammer around the entire circumference, working back and forth across the width as you go. After a full circle, apply rotational force in the opposite direction and repeat. If you like, you can grind the head to fit the grooves of the drum.

Option 2 is to use heat while applying the rotational force. Try to heat it as evenly as possible using a cutting torch. (without hitting the torch lever!) If you've soaked it with penetrants, they will billow and likely catch fire, but keep going. It won't burn long, but I highly recommend wearing a respirator when you do this. Try not to create any hot spots or make it glow red at any point. Do NOT try to quench it or cool it. Sometimes it will come loose after you allow it to come back to room temperature. Usually, the expansion of the drum will break the bond, but sometimes it works better when allowed to come back to ambient temperature.

Last option is to cut the hold-down pins on the backing plate and pry starting from the bottom. Make little wedges to get in your first gap and slowly work upwards, applying more wedges as you go.

All options take a lot of time. There's no quick way.

Before we get too crazy here, have we checked for the drum to hub retaining screws yet??? (or whatever they are called) Your drums may have a countersunk screw (or two) that holds the drum to the hub. They are flush with the flat part of the drum where the lug bolts and generally hidden by dirt, crud and dried grime, etc. so clean off the crud with a wire brush until you find them. We all generally use an impact driver to loosen them. Using a screw driver with vicegrips will only booger them up ...

See them in the picture -- next to lug bolts at the top and bottom? I put mine back in place after I removed the drum so I wouldn't lose them.

Look for yours -- they may be contributing to your issue here.

I would use a hub puller for the front at least and you can also use something like this

Astro Pneumatic Tool 78830 Heavy Duty Hub Drum and Rotor Puller Kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01JBIU7F...FZMYE3ZQNGATS4B?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

To pull it while using heat to help

As pointed out by triplep, the drums are attached to the hub by serrated studs and in addition, they are swedged on. The only way to get the drum off is to remove them as an assembly.

Have you backed off of the adjusting wheel cylinders on the front brakes (also pointed out by triplep)?

I’m linking sections of a 47 Chevrolet Truck Shop Manual which should be similar to yours, so you have an idea of what your dealing with. Also linked the adjustment procedure so you know what needs to be loosened.

http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/shop/1947truck/47ctsm0304.htm

http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/shop/1947truck/47ctsm0514.htm

http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/shop/1947truck/47ctsm0506.htm

Hello? Anyone? retaining screws ... yes or no???

John Milliman looking at your picture your must be a 3/4 or 1 ton? Mine is a 1/2 ton and does not have that style rear axle.
Will my 1/2 ton have those screws?
I will have to take a look but it will be a few days

My ‘46 gifted me a similar challenge. There were no retaining fasteners. As I recall, the hammer method failed here too. We finally had to use a large, three jawed bearing puller.

I should have been more clear . The front drums are held on by the studs and possibly a rivet ore two onto the hub.

Looking at the photos yours appears to be a 1/2 ton as they appear to be 6 lug . The rears do not use the studs to hold it on. They should slide off toward you over the studs. May require a torch to get them to un bond them selves from the axle. Usually only the 3/4 ton tucks have a tapered retaining screw to hold the drums to the axle. The 1/2 tons do not.

I have as a last resort used a torch to go in the adjuster access hole on the backing plate and cut the adjuster shaft. It requires a little experience and caution but can be done. Pretty sure you will need new wheel cylinders anyway by the condition of the other parts.

Good eye -- Yes, mine is a one ton. Of the next body style (Advance Design)

Does yours have the screws? *that's* what *I* was asking, too -- because I don't know, either. Maybe not? I was just trying the get the experts to slow down a moment to answer that before they sent you to start whacking at things with the BFH. Some trucks *do* have these things and it would be best to find out.

JH
In looking at your photos I think I understand that the problem at hand is that the drum/hub assembly is “frozen” to the brake shoes. If that is correct the assembly can be removed using a three jaw puller like the one recently listed for sale here in the SB. It appears it sold quickly.
Here is a photo the seller posted of that puller.