Brake drum stuck

[Dan-MI]

I'm trying to replace the brakes on my GT and can't get the driver side drum off. I loosened both adjuster bolts and loosend up the parking brake. I've tried rubber mallets, I've tried prying it, I've tried penetrating oil. It will wiggle slightly and that's all. You can see the center wiggle a bit, it wiggles around all 4 wheel studs. The wheel spins freely. Any ideas on what to try next? I don't really want to bust it by using brut force.

[BQS4]

If you have a tool rental center nearby, see if they have a huge 2 jaw gear puller. It'll pop it off in seconds. Once off, take a DREMEL tool or a file and gently take just enough off, the center of the drum, that the drum slips on and off easily

[ungermm]

The problem might be that you have a drum that has a lot of wear between the shoes and the brake lining and has resulted in a raised edge (the area on the edge of the drum that isn't worn down) which the shoes aren't getting past. This could also mean that the drum is worn out (past the wear limit) and you'll need a new one. I've always been able to get them off by wiggling, pulling, pounding, wedging, and persistence.

Jerry

[opeletti75]

use a heavy sledge hammer or a small sledge hammer they are very tough i have banged them very hard and never had one break

[blancojp]

Originally Posted by Dan-MI I'm trying to replace the brakes on my GT and can't get the driver side drum off. I loosened both adjuster bolts and loosend up the parking brake. I've tried rubber mallets, I've tried prying it, I've tried penetrating oil. It will wiggle slightly and that's all. You can see the center wiggle a bit, it wiggles around all 4 wheel studs. The wheel spins freely. Any ideas on what to try next? I don't really want to bust it by using brut force.

Most of the time the center, as it protrudes through the drum, gets rusted with time and does not allow the drum to slide out. I would take a wire brush and clean the center out and then put some WD-40, should solve the problem.

[kwilford]

The best solution is a proper brake drum puller (like the 2 jaw gear puller mentioned above). Juan is correct that the root cause is often the drum centre has rusted to the axle hub. One trick I have tried that always works for me is to use two large pry bars or screwdrivers. Pry between the edge of the drum and the backing plate at as close to 90 degrees as you can, and when you have a fair bit of "pry", slip one pry bar out, and the drum will "snap" back. That often is enough to bounce the drum free after a couple of tries.

HTH

[tomking]

Originally Posted by opeletti75 use a heavy sledge hammer or a small sledge hammer they are very tough i have banged them very hard and never had one break

Well if you want to break it do just that. I have had them break; they are cast iron.

[badmaxdog]

Originally Posted by tomking Well if you want to break it do just that. I have had them break; they are cast iron.

I also had them break, so don't hit them that hard. In the past I have grabbed the outer lip of the drum and pulled it towards me. (Or pull it toward you to slip pry bars in it as stated in a previous post) This will usually break the springs holding the shoes in and the drums will come off. Also as stated in a previous post, once they are off grind the inner grove so its smooth and it will come off the next time. The spring kits are very inexpensive and probably need changed anyways.

[opellane]

Originally Posted by BQS4 If you have a tool rental center nearby, see if they have a huge 2 jaw gear puller. It'll pop it off in seconds. Once off, take a DREMEL tool or a file and gently take just enough off, the center of the drum, that the drum slips on and off easily

As stated Use the Puller, I have a 3 Jaw Pulley Puller used for HVAC Blower Sheaves. It works like a charm. Set it up on the drum and a few turns and you hear a pop, and off it comes with no damage to the drum. Hammer will just get you mad and you will crack the drum. You probably can rent a puller at your local Rent-All dealer for the day, for a few dollars. I think this is the best way

[dcm013]

Dan, I had the same problem with my GT when I got it. Drum was stuck at the center hub due to rust. After pulling and banging with a hammer (chipped the OD), I just used a propane torch to gently heat up the drum around the center and it came right off. Be sure to open up the hole a bit before re-installing.

Don

[Crazy Harry]

Originally Posted by Dan-MI You can see the center wiggle a bit, it wiggles around all 4 wheel studs. The wheel spins freely. Any ideas on what to try next? I don't really want to bust it by using brut force.

Originally Posted by ungermm The problem might be that you have a drum that has a lot of wear between the shoes and the brake lining and has resulted in a raised edge (the area on the edge of the drum that isn't worn down) which the shoes aren't getting past. This could also mean that the drum is worn out (past the wear limit) and you'll need a new one. I've always been able to get them off by wiggling, pulling, pounding, wedging, and persistence. Jerry

The original post says it wiggles around the center. Therefore, unfortunately, I'd have to side with Jerry's theory of "a lot of wear." I've seen this raised lip not letting the shoes clear on other cars with drums. Can the adjuster be loosed even more? Is there a slot in the back where you can stick something in to move the shoes towards the center? Can the holddown clips for the shoes be loosed/cut off from the back, letting the shoes move more with the drum. Just some thoughts to stimulate comments/other suggestions.

Harold.

[Bill Hoffmann]

There are two ways it can be stuck, both mentioned above.

One is a shoe stuck to the drum, which really only happens when the car has been parked for a long time. It is obvious because it won't rotate, and when pulled it springs back. I don't think this is your case.

The more common situation is that the center of the drum is rusted to the axle flange. In this case the drum will rotate but will not budge when you try to take it off. I am assuming this is your problem.

I will not argue with the puller method, because I have never tried it. I will also not argue with applying some heat to the center of the drum where it meets the flange, although I've never tried that, either.

The way that works for me every time is to strike the face of the drum with a large hammer (small sledgehammer). If you're concerned with breaking the drum, grab a log off of your wood pile and use that. The key is where to hit the drum. I have a pile of drums with chipped edges from people trying to drive the drum off the axle by striking the edge from behind. That is how you break things. You want to hit the drum on the outer flat face as if to drive it onto the axle. If it's stubborn, go around in a circle with increasing force and it will pop off. I don't mean abusive force - it's not needed. After that, just wire brush the mating surfaces and apply a light coating of anti-seize around the edge of the axle flange. Remember, the fit here must be tight because that is what centers the drum, not the studs.

-Bill

[Bill Hoffmann]

OK, I need to read more thoroughly

If the drum wiggles around the studs, and is free to rotate, then I agree on the wear ridge idea. You will need to take some slack out of the parking brake cable first. This is something you will end up adjusting later anyway, so it's not any more work. You may also need to open the bleeder to relieve brake fluid pressure on the wheel cylinder, and as mentioned also turn the adjusters so you're satisfied that they are in their minimum position. Then it's just a matter of working the shoe off.

Bill

[ungermm]

Originally Posted by Bill Hoffmann If the drum wiggles around the studs, and is free to rotate, then I agree on the wear ridge idea. Bill

Yeah! I was feeling lonely in my theory. If the drum turns and it wiggles around the studs and isn't stuck on the axle hub, then it's probably the shoes sticky to the lip of the drum caused by brake shoe wear.

I like the idea of opening up the fluid bleeder valve to help get the drums off. I really would like to know what worked to get them off and the cause of the problem.

Dan, when you get them off and there is a lip at the edge of the drum and the shoes are scarred in the process of getting them off, then you have your answer. Let us know.

Jerry

[markandson]

It is still possible that hub rust is the problem even though the drum wiggles a little. The fit at the center is very tight and it doesn't take much rust to cause the drum to be stubborn to remove. I broke one drum by hitting it from the back as others have mentioned, this is not a good idea. In my case I made a puller to do the job. If it is the "lip" problem you would be able to move the drum quite a bit and then it would spring back on.

[Dan-MI]

Finally had time to get back to it. I went to the local tool rental to get a gear puller as suggested. They said they had brake drum pullers also. So I got that. At first it seemed to be doing nothing but drilling a bigger hole in the soft metal plug in the center. So I looked around for somthing to put of that. An old suspension mounting bracket from my 72 Mini worked. It was flat and big enough to cover the center. After some major tightening of the puller there was finally a loud twang and she popped off. Now I'm going to try the suggestion above of taking just a hair off the center hole so it isn't so damn tight. Thanks for all the suggestions.

[markandson]

Originally Posted by Dan-MI Finally had time to get back to it. I went to the local tool rental to get a gear puller as suggested. They said they had brake drum pullers also. So I got that. At first it seemed to be doing nothing but drilling a bigger hole in the soft metal plug in the center. So I looked around for somthing to put of that. An old suspension mounting bracket from my 72 Mini worked. It was flat and big enough to cover the center. After some major tightening of the puller there was finally a loud twang and she popped off. Now I'm going to try the suggestion above of taking just a hair off the center hole so it isn't so damn tight. Thanks for all the suggestions.

It should be a "slip fit" so don't take off much, you really just need to clean everything really well with wire wheels/brushes and it should work fine.