<VV> Rusted Brake Drum

[Bill Meglen]

Tony,

Wow great idea on the "nails". new to me!...could have used it my  
1937 Ford (front). I suppose if the wheel cylinder is frozen jamming  
the wheel cylinder out, shoes against drum, then removing the wheel  
cylinder by driving it out from behind with drum & shoes might help  
some?

Bill

On Jul 13, 2007, at 5:31 PM, Tony Underwood wrote:

> At 12:46 PM 7/13/2007, D. Barry Ellison wrote:
>> I pulled a LM car from the woods (after cutting down trees around  
>> it) - trying to save as much as I can for rebuilding.  Brake drums  
>> are rusted tight.  I was able to get one off and loose but of  
>> course, I broke the rim pounding on it.  I was able to put the lug  
>> nuts on and with a pipe wedged between the lug nuts, I turned the  
>> axle.  That broke the rust enough for me to get it off.
>
>
>
>
>
> Has anyone mentioned backing off on the adjustment star wheel to  
> loosen the shoes?   If necessary, and if things are so stuck up  
> that this won't help...  as in the rust is so bad the star wheel  
> won't turn or the shoes won't release, grab the dremel tool (or a  
> sharp chisel),  reach around behind the backing plates and cut the  
> heads off the "nails" holding the shoes against the backing plate,  
> and then after backing off the star wheel IF possible as much as  
> practical, beat the Hell out of the drum with a large rubber mallet  
> to help loosen things up.   Then simply pull the drum, shoes and  
> all, off the axle.  With any luck, just loosening the star wheel  
> and then beating with the rubber mallet will loosen stuff up so  
> that the drum simply falls off.
>
> If it stays stuck, you haven't beaten with the mallet enough.   Do  
> NOT USE A STEEL HAMMER.   It's not necessary.
>
>
> I've always gotten them apart this way, without tearing up studs,  
> axles, or drums.   On the rears, you have to watch out for the e- 
> brake cable etc. when you yank shoes and all with the drums, since  
> it's gonna hold onto the linkage on its trailing shoe in all  
> likelihood.   On the fronts, it's obvious.   Take the castle nut  
> off the outer wheel bearing and remove the works.     The stuck  
> shoes, once those nails are cut, *Will* come off the backing plate,  
> shedding the brake hardware as they go, with no damage to anything  
> of consequence other than *maybe* the springs, which are likely  
> trash to begin with.   Leave the wheel on the axle/drum to give you  
> something to yank on.    (no smart remarks)
>
>
> I've done this dozens of times...  seems like any time I dig  
> something out of the fields or the swamps at Richard Durham's  
> place, everything is stuck.
>
>
>
> tony..    _______________________________________________
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