The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts '46 2 Ton - how to pull these darn rear drums

Hi all --

Please pardon a newby to old Chevys; I recently picked up a '46 2Ton 4600 PW stake body. Runs great but won't stop worth a darn. After getting her home, and re-learning how to downshift a vacuum rear on the fly -- literally -- discovered there was almost no hydraulic oil in the master cylinder -- refilled, bled and now much better but it still takes a full pedal stroke and then some to get brakes. Once you do, they're nice and hard and don't leak off. So, I pulled rear tires, spun drum and sure enough no drag at all. Now the trouble started -- how to get these darn Chevy drums off?

I see no retaining bolts at all, but no seam is evident between the drum outer surface and the stud flange either. I took off the bolts retaining the very outer cap but lo and behold that's the axle shaft! It doesen't seem right (at least to us poor folks used to Fords) that one would have to pull the axle shaft in order to service the brakes, but maybe so.

Please have pity on a repentant Ford owner -- how does one properly remove these rear drums and inspect / adjust the rear brakes?

Thanks,

Pete P.
Harborcreek, Penna.

Pete,
I feel for you. I don't know for sure on yours, but on my 37 I have to pull the axleshaft remove the locking nut and washer from the center and pull the drum and hub as one piece. Be careful as you are no doubt aware these assemblies are not light. I wish you luck.

Eric

Hey Pete, I have no idea if this will help you but I had the same problem on my 55 2nd series 2 ton. I backed the shoes away from the drum and it still won't come off. It came off about 1/2 way on the studs. It turned out that 3 of the wheel studs were bent. I straightened them out with a hammer and the drum came right off. Good luck. SEE YA! Mark

Here's a sneaky trick to try if you do have to pull the hubs to get the drums off. Put the wheels back on, and just jack the axle housing up enough to slip a piece of plywood or a steel plate with a little grease on it under the tires. Once the bearing retainer nuts are removed, slide the wheel, tire and drum assembly off the load tube by rocking the wheel assembly side to side a little at a time. It will slip right off when you get the axle tube positioned properly. I changed untold numbers of 18-wheeler axle bearings that way out on the side of the road, when I ran a 24-hour Diesel shop.
Jerry

Pete: Scroll down this the Big Bolt page and look at (rear wheel seal leaking) it might help

Pete, I have a 6100 46' and that what I had to do to get to the brakes. Remove the axle then after that there are 2 castle nuts. And then you can start working the drum lose, be warned the rear drums are heavy. It might be different since yours is lighter but from what I'm reading it looks the same.

Flippy, He probably got the series designation backwards. If it's a 2 ton, instead of saying "4600", i'm sure he meant "6400".

Thanks all. Got 'em off & sure enough one does have to pull the axle shafts. From the looks of the drums all but one hadn't seen the brake shoes in 20+ yrs! Stops much better now.

PS -- I must have typoed on the model. I'm still getting used to Chevy designations but apparently the 2 T stake body is the 6400 not the 4600.

Thanks again,

Pete P.
Harborcreek, Penna.