66 Rear Drum Removal...

[66 GWN]

Guys. Have c10 and after a few years working on other stuff I finally got to the rear brakes.

Initially the drums were locked up (left the emergency brakes on) but I liquid torched them and backed off the star adjustment as far as it will go. They now rotate freely but I still can't hammer the drums off.

Am I missing something?

That center hub stays on right?

Arms are getting tired

[Nanook]

Yes center hub stays on....try hitting the outside of the drum with a few gooid wacks...that should loosen it off.

Also make sure the center of the hub (Axle) is free of rust.

[slepysal]

Originally Posted by Nanook

Yes center hub stays on....try hitting the outside of the drum with a few gooid wacks...that should loosen it off.

Also make sure the center of the hub (Axle) is free of rust.

x1
You can try to spraying the center of the drum with wd40 liquid wrench etc .
and let it soak. ( it looks real crusty) then persuade them off with a hammer

[vince1]

I don't know what you mean by liquid torch but I have found more than once that the only way I could get those to pop off was by heating around the bolt circle. Propane burner might be enough or propane and O2.

[Backpayne]

Your brake shoes have worn the drum down to where there is probably a big lip the shoes are stuck on. I used a crow's foot (think that's its name) on lip and hammered the heck out of it (all around the drum). It finally came off.

[Brad54]

The center register on that hub has rust on it that is now an interference fit with the hole in the drum.

As someone else said, WD40 that.

-Brad

[Vinceg]

Does it move at all? If not Acetone and ATF mixed 50/50 is probably the best I've ever used. Way better than anything you will buy in a can. Put it in a spray bottle and spray around the axel hub and wheel studs. Let it soak a bit then persuade with a hammer. If your replacing the drums you can get pretty rough with it without any worries. If it moves a little your probably hung up on the lip discussed above in post #5. Try backing off the adjuster more and go at it with the hammer again. It's a pain but that's about all you can do. Good luck.

[sanford66]

Did mine about 3 weeks ago, yeah they suck. I kept sraying Jax around the center hub and finally got them tapped/pryed off. You just have to be persistent. Joseph

[vince1]

Heat the drum, not the axle hub, off in 5 minutes.

[OsOdeDIABLO]

Having the same issue with my 65 right now. Sucks

[BigDan3131]

WD40 doesn't work, clean it with a grinder that has a wire brush on it to get rid of the scale around the hub. Heat it then hit it round and round with a big hammer [3 to 5 pounder] and then on the lip of the drum as well. As a last resort freeze it with freon and shatter it but only as a last resort and not near the axle flange and even without it wear eye protection.

[Born Lucky]

The above and sometimes BFH is the answer

[OsOdeDIABLO]

finally got mine off. soaked it over night, used a butane torch, heated the drum around the studs while my dad pried on the drum. came off in minutes.

[Paul Y]

Had exactly the same issue two weeks ago.

Ended up with two levers on either side of the drum to " wiggle" it whilst using a rubber mallet to pursuade it loose.

As previously mentioned, the drums are worn and the shoes are catching on the lip.

One of the few occasions where a bigger hammer is the answer...

P.

[patrickk1]

Some newer car drums have two thread bolt holes on them that you can run a 2 bolts through that push against the axle flange. I dont see why you couldn't drill and tap them yourself. Another option that I have seen done (but have yet to do myself) is the put the car on jackstands, put a couple of lugnuts back on the drum but back them off slightly (maybe 1/4 to 1/2"), get into the vehicle and accelerate, then slam on the brakes. Repeat accelerate/slam on brakes depending on how stuck they are. When I saw it done, it took 2 to 3 accelerate/slam on brake cycles before the drums pushed them self off. The lugnuts act as stoppers.

[Cape Codder]

If the shoes are holding it you should be able to at least rock it back and forth a little. It it is stuck to the hub it will not rock. I would start by heating the drum around the hub and hitting the drum between the studs with a 3lb. hammer. do not be afraid to hit it. If it moves all around and still won't come off grind or cut the retainer pins off from the back and the shoes will come off with the drum.

[jdl71]

Originally Posted by Cape Codder

If the shoes are holding it you should be able to at least rock it back and forth a little. It it is stuck to the hub it will not rock. I would start by heating the drum around the hub and hitting the drum between the studs with a 3lb. hammer. do not be afraid to hit it. If it moves all around and still won't come off grind or cut the retainer pins off from the back and the shoes will come off with the drum.

^^^^^This. And a lot of persistence.