How the heck do you take the brake drum off

[molson1006]

I have been trying to take the brake drum off for the last two days. I have loosen the brakes all the way and have now even knocked the bolts in. I have been banging on it for a while and It is not comming. any thoughts.

 

[flint_knapper]

are you going to put disk brakes on? if you have loosened the star adjuster and beat the crap out of them with a hammer and they still aren't budging. <br>try to pry them from different points with a bar.<br>sounds like they have worn a recess in the drum or <br>there is a broken spring in the way. <br>

 

[75]

buddy, that can be a flat assed night-mare. i never could get mine off so i took off the lock nut assembly from the hub slib off the drum and brake assembly in one piece walked over to the trash can and circular filled the whole mess. but the again i was doin the chevy disc and i didnt need the stuff.

 

[molson1006]

No I am keeping them. How much would that conversion cost me?

 

[MI-Bronco]

Conversion will cost $200 - $800 depending on where you get your parts. But you can get those drums off. They really need to be worked. Use a deadblow hammer and a pry bar. Beat the drums on the side all the way around, use the pry bar all around will banging the axle center (center of drum). You'll need to keep doing this until the drum pops (may take awhile). Walk away from it and come back when it gets frustrating. It will come, but takes some real coaxing...

 

[77bronko]

There are two ways to get them off. The first is get some good penetrating oil and go around all the studs and the center hole. Bang the crap out of it with a big hammer. Then pry around the back side, kind of like wiggling the drum at different points, try not to bend the backing plate to much. It should wiggle off. If that doesn't work I've had luck heating all around the inner area of the drum from the lug bolts in. You need a real torch though. They will eventually come off.

 

[CrazyHorse]

GET A BFH(ACTUALLY I USED A FRAMING HAMMER) HIT TOP OF DRUM ONE GOOD BLOW AND IT SHOULD POP OFF. I MESSED WITH MINE WITH PRY BARS FOR 3 HRS AND FINALLY ONE GOOD BLOW WITH THE BFH CONVINCED IT TO HOP OFF THE LIP!

 

[BD]

I just did took these off my parts EB. I don't think anybody driven it since 86. Those things were on tight. <br><br>What i did was spray some bolt breaker spray on the lugs and on the center circle. After letting the spray work its magic the drums came off. I think the real holdup was the center. <br><br>Hope that helps <br><br>BD<br><br>p.s don't get the spray on your pads.

 

[Varcy]

These can be a super PITA! In my experiences, it's not the brakes catching the drum but the from center hole is too tight around the axle lip it slides over. When this is the case, a drum puller or hammer does little good. Prying on it with a large screw driver will usually just bust the drum edge. I've found the best way is to drive the lugs through(you've already done that) Then put pressure on it with a screwdriver or bar and twist the drum off like it was a giant nut. It takes a few rotations to get over the tight spots, but it usually works. After doing this three times on my 76, I ground the axle lip down a fuzz(cool tech. term), to keep it from sticking the next time.

 

[Jeepster]

might want to take a file around the axle lip to clean it a little.

if your world goes to hell and you think the shoes are holding the damn thing on. I've burned a hole in the face around the spring perch so that I could get some needlenose in there to undo the springs. Ofcourse you roach the drums but there prob roached anyway.

 

[Broncobowsher]

If it is the rear brakes, release the parking brake ;D<br><br>I have done that one before.

 

[Jimmyjames]

OK I had one hell of a time getting my front drums of as well. I am sure this story won't help you, but maybe it will give you a laugh. <br><br>I was (still am) totally clueless about mechanic work, but now I know the only way to learn is to try. "do or do not there is no try" yoda<br><br>Any way I plan on taking off my drums just to put on new shoes. So I get my trusty chilton's out put her up on jack stands and start to take things off. Any way after a while I think that I have everything off that need to be off for the drum to come lose. I have adjusted the star and all that crap. Nothing will move. So I get pry bars, screwdrives, hammers and gennerally beat the crap out of the thing trying to get it off still won't come off. After a coulple of days (not full days, usually just spend a coulpe hours in the evenings untill i get pissed and start throwing wrenches) I come on here and ask how do you get these drums off. And like always everyone gives me good advice about how sometimes they can be very hard to remove, any way I was about to drag the torch over there and start cutting things.<br><br>Until like a bolt of lightning it hit me.<br><br> I HADN'T TAKEN THE DAMN SPINDLE LOCK NUT OFF. <br><br>I felt like such an idoit. But frankly very relived that I didn't have to torch them off. <br><br>BTW once the nut was off 2 days of pounding and PB blaster the drums slid right off. ;D<br><br>Jimmyjames

 

[J-DUB]

[quote author=Broncobowsher link=board=5;threadid=8260;start=0#58575 date=1029956913]<br>If it is the rear brakes, release the parking brake ;D<br><br>I have done that one before.<br>[/quote]<br><br>What's a parking brake, my cables snapped the furst time I went to set it.<br><br>Didn't have any problems at all. all 4 drums came right off.

 

[mgweiss]

An old trick for getting stuck brake drums off, at least the rear ones, is to block the front tires and jack both rear tires up. Remove the lug nuts and rims/tires and start the engine. Put the truck in gear and get the rear drums spinning then slam on the brakes so the drums stop abruptly. This should beak them loose and you'll be able to take them right off.

 

[Broncobowsher]

If you try that I would recomend installing the lugnuts loosly. High RPM flying brake drums are not fun.