Can't get the drum off?

[cj112674]

I've been trying to pull off the rear break drum off my old Lemans to make a brake drum forge but the **** is stuck on! The car set outside in Vadila Virgina for 26 flippin years!! So it does move, but obviously not enough. The interior is stripped and there is no pressure in the brakes lines to possibly realease the brakes, if that was the issue. So, now what? Ive beat it, beat it, and beat it, and the old girl won't budge..Any ideas? Heat it to trie to expand it? Will cast expand, it is cast iron correct?

[arftist]

With worn brake drums, the brake shoes have created a groove in the drum. The shoes now rest in the groove. To remove, you must back the adjuster off. The adjuster is acessed through a port in the inside lower center of the brake backing disc. There is or should be a small rubber plug. You must remove this. Then, reach inside with a fair sized flat blade screw driver. Hold the blade horizontal, engage the adjusting wheel, and cause it to move. You will have to spin it quite a bit. You will know the correct direction to move it based on whether the drum gets tighter or looser, trial and error.

[cj112674]

I can't get to the adjuster. It's on the backing plate but I have to slide the drum off some to be able to get to it. The piece of xxxx is stuck in the grooves like you said. I might have to try another wheel or just go to the bone yard already..grrrr

[pkrankow]

Use a tiny screwdriver, or a rod bent into an L, then flattened slightly. You will been a loop for a handle. There should be a window or vertical slot specific to access the adjuster in the bottom half of the back plate, near the 6:00 position.

I have never messed with a GM that I couldn't get the adjuster loose on, but My dad is the retired mechanic, and I just go what I need for myself or close friends. If you don't care about the shoes or drum, then start driving on the rim of the drum after loosening the adjuster as much as possible. The springs holding the shoes on WILL let go eventually, but it ain't gonna be pretty.

You really need to loosen or dislodge the adjuster, or release the pins that hold the shoes. Dig out your repair manual, or buy a new one and look it up. You will be buying a new spring kit when you reassemble, so cutting the retaining pins is OK, as long as you KNOW WHAT YOU ARE CUTTING. They look like nail heads on the backside, and there is a retaining cap and spring holding the shoe in on the inside. The cap is a 1/4 turn affair, but turning the nail head end may do nothing because the spring and such will let it move. Grinding the head off carefully after wedging some thin scrap, or a flat head screwdriver bit,in would be your best bet as I doubt a set of side cutters can get under far enough even with the spring letting a lot of slack.

If you don't understand or have a book take some pictures of the backside and post them.

Heating is going to get you nowhere.

Phil

[Rich Hale]

If I havev this right you want the drum for a forge?
..if not pay no attention to this.
The adjuster may be the key here..if I am right above you can take a side grinder and a cut off wheel and open a hole around that slot that may have a rubber plug and see wot is inside with a light. if the year of the car is one that has self adjusting brakes it will have a small lever that goes upwards from the adjuster and advances the adjuster when you back up and stop. You need to push this out of the contact with the adjuster then if the adjuster is not rusted solid you may turn it with a screw driveer used as a lever. I would not cut the retaining pins at all. when you (I hope get the drum off) will see why. the pins hold the shoes against the inside of the backing plate. If you remove them the shoes will try and come outward as you pull on the drum and wedge it solidly. I you want you may try and loosen or remove the hydraulic line to make sure there is no residual pressure pushing the shoes outward. Look real closely at the end of the axle where the drum fits tight around its hub in the middle..If there is a layer of rust or if the end of the hub is bent over it will not let the drum off. Most of the time some careful work with a good file will take care of that. The outside of the drum is cast, the metal part that you put the wheel against is steel plate. they are bonded around the outer edge of the steel piece. If useing this for a forge you may also be able to cut an access hole with a side grinder in that steel piece so you can work from the outside on that adjuster. You can weld a patch over that hole for a forge.

[cj112674]

Yep you are right, it's a slot with the adjuster inside the slot. I got to the adjuster with a piece of 3/16 rolled that I flattned for the keys, but it's froze solid. So, I am taking a step back and ran up and talked to a buddy of mine that owns a shop and he pointed me in the right direction for a drum. Local brake shop had one (imagine that) and I got it for 10 bucks..Money well spent, and timed saved. Well, I shouldn't say money well spent, it wouldn't go for 10 bucks at the scrap yard..lol..But, I've got one now, so I have the starting point.

[Rob Browne]

Now you are on your way we want to see the end product. Will it beat this one?

[cj112674]

Now you are on your way we want to see the end product. Will it beat this one?

Ya, I saw your post, I commented on it.. All I can say is WOW..lol..A bit more than 10 bucks..lol

[Dragons lair]

OH WHA is me can't figure how to remove a brake drum. just cause we are going back in time
don't mean we have to leave common sense behind. A little penetrating oil and tapping with a hammer will remove most drums. Sad to say If ya can't replace brakes and wheel bearings on the road ya may need a new hobby.
Ken.

[Sask Mark]

If the whole thing needs rebuilding, or you don't car about salvaging all the parts you can probably just grind the heads off those retainer pins that go through the holes in the shoes from the back and the springs hook on with the keepers. You should then be able to pry the drum away and I have seen the whole assembly kind of fall apart.

[cj112674]

OH WHA is me can't figure how to remove a brake drum. just cause we are going back in time
don't mean we have to leave common sense behind. A little penetrating oil and tapping with a hammer will remove most drums. Sad to say If ya can't replace brakes and wheel bearings on the road ya may need a new hobby.
Ken.

I won't waste my energy getting **** with you but, I do not know brakes my friend. Never took the time to learn them, last time I checked it was a choice to learn or not to learn something. I've made the choice to not learn brakes, just like I'm sure you've mad a CHOICE not to learn something as well! Easy killer, maybe you need to re-examine how you speak to people, or maybe I'm looking to far into your rude comment. I could careless what you think about me..lol.. I can paint candy or base coat clear coat, or even ghost flame anything under the sun, I am a body guy and a welder, not a brake guy!

[Frosty]

If you can't get the adjuster to back off try popping the shoe retainer clips from the backing plate side even if you need a sharp chisel to do it.

No need to become a brake guy but a trip to the library for a Motors or Chiltens manual will tell you everything you need to know.

Frosty the Lucky.

[cj112674]

I gotta say, I'm sorry for my last post..wow..caught me at a bad time I guess..Thanks Frosty, I might just do that.

[pkrankow]

The library is a great place, it shouldn't matter what GM car from the same basic vintage, they all should have the same arrangements in the brakes.

I didn't think about using a chisel, Frosty, that is a good idea.

Rich has a good idea about cutting the side out of the drum.

As for jaming the shoes after the retaining pins are severed, I expect the shoes to pop free of the wheel cylinder on the first good pull. Then you push the drum back on and the shoes should straighten out, but be in a more closed position than they were allowing the drum to come off. There probably is a 1/4 inch rust ridge in there.

Last question, did the wheel rotate freely before you started this? If the wheel didn't rotate, then there might be other aggravations in there.

Lastly, I agree that knowledge of brakes and wheel bearings would be valuable, but without parts and tools its no good on the roadside anyways. If you wanted to know everything, then you would do nothing because you spend (GASP!) TOO much time learning!

Phil

[Frosty]

I gotta say, I'm sorry for my last post..wow..caught me at a bad time I guess..Thanks Frosty, I might just do that.

Don't sweat it, this is a written media and it's easy to over react or say something in a way that carries a different meaning than intended. We've all said something in a way that was taken wrong or taken something wrong that was said to us, I did exactly that a couple weeks ago on out local club site.

Just don't take it too seriously and if something does get too serious I figure that's what filters are for.

Frosty the Lucky.