Topic: Rear Brake Drum Hung Up-Can't Remove

[kkupec02]

Anyone have a suggestion on removing a hung up rear brake drum? I removed one side by hand as you should be able to. I can't get the other side off. I have the adjustment knob all the way in. The drum spins freely, but I can't pull it off by hand. Never had it off before. I tried hammering it from behind with a block of wood but no results. Is there such a thing as a drum puller that can be borrowed from the likes of O'Reilly or Auto Zone? Thanks.

[gary c bergman]

mount a spare wheel loosely to the axle, push the wheel to the brake drum, grasp the wheel firmly with your two hands, use the wheel as a puller by pulling quickly on the wheel to free the brake drum

[carlite65]

sounds like it is stuck on the center hub. lube it up & whack it.

[kkupec02]

It seems to be stuck on the brake shoes despite the adjuster being all the way in. The drum is clean and rust free.

[carlite65]

go to the backing plate. grind the heads off the holddowns.

[kkupec02]

Thanks. I'll try that. I now remember that I did have that drum off a month ago and it went back on tight. I tapped it in place with a hammer. Yet wheel spins with no friction on the drum. Maybe warped drum?

[carlite65]

not warped just grooved.

[69GT350H]

Does your rear axle look like this, the center of the drum fits over a raised portion in the center of the axle? Like this right?



I have had a rear drum stuck, the drum rusted to the axle. I sprayed WD40 where the drum and axle meet and around the studs as shown in the photo and let it sit. Then using a 6 LB. Metal Sledge Hammer, start hitting the raised portion of the axle and around the drum to try to break the drum free from the axle. Do not hit the wheel studs unless you have threaded lug nuts over the ends of them. Not hard enough to distort the end of the axle or you will need to grind down the axle to finish sliding the drum off.  In my case, the WD40 and the hits were enough to break the rust seal and I was able to work the drum off the axle.

[OldGuy]

sounds like it is stuck on the center hub. lube it up & whack it.

I'm in agreement with the above assessment. IF you had to tap on the drum to get it to seat, then it is probably stuck on the center axle hub. All the hammering and beating on the drum from the inside lip outward will just tend to worsen the situation. I believe that the lip on the drum is "digging" in to the outer diameter of the hub.

I've had success by evenly heating the outside face of the drum (near the drum/axle hub interface) in a circular motion to expand the drum slightly so that it will slip off of the hub. I've used an oxy/acetylene torch to do the job but I believe that you can get enough heat with a propane torch. I've performed this process several times and each time the drum literally popped free from the hub on its own when it was heated sufficiently.

Once that you have removed the drum, lightly file/sand the sharp edge off of the drum so that it doesn't happen again. If needed, enlarge the inner bore of the drum by a few thousandths to allow the drum to "freely" slip over the hub.

It worked for me.

Frank

[kkupec02]

Problem fixed. Thanks all. You can see my original K&H drums in the pictures. A little silicone spray around the hub/axle with a few light hits from behind with a hammer and block of wood and it popped off. I must have lightly press fit the drum to the hub. I don't feel any burrs with my fingers on either surface, but a little sand paper or machining will be next.

[69GT350H]

Once you put your wheel on and tightened the lug nuts, you pressed the drum tightly onto the axle.

[Bossbill]

I wish you would put some of your car info in your sig.
Why?
The original brake drums on Shelbys are very expensive and equally hard to find.
The backing plates too.
Any amount of beating or grinding would be met with horror on my part unless you realize just how rare these parts are and exercise extreme caution.

Is your car a GT500? That is certainly not a GT350 axle shaft.

[kkupec02]

I changed my profile. It is a GT500 and those are the original labeled K&H drums. They are near perfectly smooth, but I was going to take them to a machine shop to have them re surfaced for greater smoothness. I don't know what the spec limit is on drums. One of my front rotors are below the .780 minimum thickness listed on them and the other is at .814 so I can't resurface them. I will have to buy a 2 part rotor piece from NPD. One rotor is a Century. The other has no labeling.

[Bossbill]

I mean in "Forum Profile => signature" so it shows up like mine-- in your signature.

The reason I mentioned the above is that some of the heavier handed suggestions would not be appropriate for the very hard to find pieces on your rear axle assembly.

Good to see the two square holes in your drum as found only on original 2 1/2" Shelby drums. Unless you have pedal pulse, grooves  or other issues I would only sand the inside of the drums. No sense in removing any material from these.

[kkupec02]

Thanks. They are actually really smooth to the touch with no flash rust, but not perfect. A few little scratches i will call them. I will reinstall them as is with new shoes and maybe springs.