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| | | Forums66 Topics128,184 Posts1,057,195 Members48,465 | | Most Online14,466 Apr 26th, 2026 | | AD Chevy Trucks Over 6,000 pictures Brad Allen has an awesome collection of Chevrolet factory pictures that he has set up from film strips. Check them out!
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on the Internet for over 30 years! and not clogged down with Ads! Again, thanks! | | | | Joined: Oct 2001 Posts: 578 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Oct 2001 Posts: 578 | How do I get the gol danged brikabrak brake drums off the front of my 59 Fleet? The manual says, "remove brake drums". I've been whanging and banging for an hour now. What is the trick? When I took the back ones off, I just removed the wheel, rang the drums a couple of times with a two pound sledge, and they slipped right off. Help me, Obiwan!
"Happiness equals reality minus expectations" - Tom Magliozzi
| | | | | Joined: Apr 2004 Posts: 219 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Apr 2004 Posts: 219 | Jim Bow, You probably need to run the adjusters back in.
JS | | | | | Joined: Oct 2001 Posts: 578 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Oct 2001 Posts: 578 | The wheel spins real easily. Do I need to de-adjust?
"Happiness equals reality minus expectations" - Tom Magliozzi
| | | | | Joined: Jul 2006 Posts: 29 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Jul 2006 Posts: 29 | If the shoes have been on there a while the drum will have a lip where the shoes don't wear the drum. The drum won't go past that lip. Does the drum rock at all or move any? If it does then the backing off the adjuster should do the trick. And still may.
My two cents....Wade | | | | | Joined: Jun 2004 Posts: 8,597 Riding in the Passing Lane | | Riding in the Passing Lane Joined: Jun 2004 Posts: 8,597 | Are you trying to remove the whole hub or the drum by itself? Often the front drums are riveted or have screws holding them to the hub. It is nessesary to remove the hub. They say money can't buy happiness. It can buy old Chevy trucks though. Same thing. 1972 Chevy c10 Cheyenne SuperIn the Gallery Forum | | | | | Joined: Oct 2001 Posts: 578 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Oct 2001 Posts: 578 | Thanks Ret there are two big rivet heads staring at me. Is there any way to check pad thickness without taking off the drum?
"Happiness equals reality minus expectations" - Tom Magliozzi
| | | | | Joined: Feb 2006 Posts: 549 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Feb 2006 Posts: 549 | Originally posted by Jim Bow: Thanks Ret there are two big rivet heads staring at me. Is there any way to check pad thickness without taking off the drum? Originally posted by Piewagn: Jim Bow, You probably need to run the adjusters back in.
JS what he said would be my bet, back 'em off, take the hubs off, then check 'em....... | | | | | Joined: Oct 2001 Posts: 578 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Oct 2001 Posts: 578 | Well, I win the dumb bum award (dumb *** gets censored.)
I fiddled with the adjustors and fiddled and fiddled. My brakes were so far out of adjustment I'm lucky they were contacting the drums at all!!!
darn amateur mechanic.
I adjusted them all up nice and snug and backed them out a little bit. The brake pedal is so high you'd think I dropped a Viagra into the reservoir.
"Happiness equals reality minus expectations" - Tom Magliozzi
| | | | | Joined: Jul 2004 Posts: 5,708 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jul 2004 Posts: 5,708 | Jim Bow,
Did you ever get the drums off to inspect them?
Stuart | | | | | Joined: Mar 2007 Posts: 863 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Mar 2007 Posts: 863 | aren't the drums permenantly attatched to the ft hubs? remove the ft wheel bearings to remove drum/hub assy.  | | | | | Joined: Oct 2001 Posts: 578 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Oct 2001 Posts: 578 | Haven't pulled them off yet. I think you all pointed me in the right direction though. I have to remove the hubs to get the drums off. I was working on them because of a noise. I thought it was metal on metal. After I adjusted, no more noise. PO had new shoes put in 6 mo before I bought the truck, and it's only been about 7K miles since then, so I never looked at them before. I had the rears off because I had to replace the axle bearings. Everything seems to be A.O.K. right now.
"Happiness equals reality minus expectations" - Tom Magliozzi
| | | | | Joined: Jun 2004 Posts: 8,597 Riding in the Passing Lane | | Riding in the Passing Lane Joined: Jun 2004 Posts: 8,597 | I love your expressions Jim. The Viagra brakes! When the brakes are right on these things there is pactically no movement in the pedal. You just apply pressure. They say money can't buy happiness. It can buy old Chevy trucks though. Same thing. 1972 Chevy c10 Cheyenne SuperIn the Gallery Forum | | | | | Joined: Jan 2007 Posts: 118 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Jan 2007 Posts: 118 | I had the same problem on my 60. The manual said to grind off the rivets to remove the drum.I did not do this. Pulled the hub assembly. I think next time I'll grind it off. My front left came right off. The right one, even tried :hammering: no luck. Maybe refer to manual. Ken | | |
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