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Redoing the master and wheel cylinders on my 53 Chev 2ton COE. Three corners out of four went without a hitch, but of course the last won't. It's the driver's side rear and the drum is not cooperating at all. I have removed the three screws and attempted to loosen both star wheels. I say attempted because, for some reason as I adjust in one direction or the other, the shoe seems to get looser, but as I keep going it will tighten up again. Going back to where it seems the most free and banging on it as nicely as I can just doesn't seem to be getting it. I have opened the bleeder on the front cylinder and loosened the line on the back. Still stuck. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Maybe a spring has come loose and something is jamed. Will it turn? If it turns, that's good. Bang all around and from the back and lever between the back plate and drum and all that stuff you have probably tried. You won't break anything expensive. Put some "wedges" at 120 deg apart and bang the hell out of it, while cranking on the wedges. bang on the sides of the drum also. spray WD at the hub and studs. It all cleans off with brake kleen. New shoes are cheap? I use crow bars as wedges. Twist them. I'm in Scottsdale, where are you? WAIT! I just checked your truck out!....... C4 will work.

Yikes!!! That thing is like a mini-monster truck!!! stout, stubby, stump-puller, whatever you want to call it, just call it Sir! Very cool.

We had 2 stuck drums recently on a '39 ton and a half. My mechanic has a hell-acious set of pullers. Used a big set on each wheel - don't remember if it was 2 or 3 jaw. Got the hubs off, slightly bent one of the brake webs in the process, ended up being no big deal though.

Patience is a virtue, if you have the luxury of time. Like baramos says, better living through chemicals. Don't worry about soaking the shoes, as they'll either clean up or you'll replace them. I'd spray liberal amounts of Kroil or penetrating oil all around. Let it soak in for a day, then spray again, wait another day. Then go for the wedges idea. 3 or 4 spread around the edge, tap slowly but firmly on each in turn. If it feels like it's still not giving, leave it under pressure, and come back and tap on each wedge every few hours. It took time to freeze on there, gonna take time to un-freeze.

In the end, there may be no option but to force it. Try everything else, then be brave. Gotta come off if you want it reliable, after-all . . .

My thoughts, anyway.

-Michael

So when you smack it on the face, watch for little clouds of rust to appear. When that happens it is separating from the hub. I would suggest wearing ear protection too. I found out the hard way about that!

I've had the same problem on two different trucks and here's how I got them off. I have a 5 foot long 3" heavy wall pipe that I use as a slide hammer. I lay under the truck with the pipe supported by the leaf springs and hit the lip of the brake drum with the open end of the pipe like a big pile driver hitting it a few times at 3 o'clock and then a few at 9 o'clock. You'd be amazed at how much emergy is excerted with that 40 pound pipe...something will give. Got the job done both times with no broken parts (me or the truck). Mike B :)

Got it! Thanks to all of you for the help. I had brushed the studs and hub and soaked them pretty good with WD40 and P'Blaster before I posted. That was probably a big help. The confidence to go down and whack it good with a hammer was the big one though, and obviously what got it off. I've learned thru experience that some things are OK to whack and some aren't. Of course I learned that by mainly whacking the wrong ones. I went at it today with a short 2x4 on end and a 3 pound sledge. Piece of cake. One of my return springs was broke in two, which is probably what caused the shoes to hang up on the drum, but I got a new set of springs and all is well.

Glad to hear you got it!! BTW that is a really cool truck