stuck drums

[ilh]

ladies and gents,

anyone have any thoughts on removing stuck drums from an 8.8 on a buddy's 91 explorer?
we have reason to believe these drums haven't come off in a very long time and it seems that they aren't coming off the axle flange without a fight. a wrestle with a 3lb hammer, wd40, and plain old pushing&shoving isnt doing it.

hesitant to use heat, but is that our only option?
it's not stuck on the shoes - the wheels will rotate freely.

thanks in advance!
-ian

 

[Four0Sport]

heat, beat, repeat as needed.

honestly though, ive never had trouble getting the drums off. sure they put up a fight sometimes, but after a few good love taps, some pulling and shoving, mine come off.

 

[ilh]

haha! well at least it's an easy procedure to remember

dont worry, i tried all the tricks i knew today. **** and abuse on the outside, hit the drum from behind, whack the axle, tap the studs carefully, etc etc etc...
no luck. i think its just frozen solid to the flange.

i'll keep you posted.

thanks again
ian

 

[shamaal]

Mine too were stuck. Beating them off is the only way I know. And on mine it was pretty brutal, it doesn't appear they can be damaged with a hammer.

I think about inventing a tool but I do not change them often enough to justify it.

 

[corkey]

hit it on one spot on the back of the drum , and than rotate it a bit and hit it again, that will change the place you are hitting it at , kind of rocking it off the flange,, it will come of doing that ,

 

[Blacksheep Josh]

BFH, and lots of pb blaster.

 

[fixxxer]

If they've been on for a while, they wear ridges in the drum and all it takes is turning the self-adjuster so that the shoes retract as far as possible then pull the drum straight off. Sometimes tapping on the drum evenly all of the way around will dislodge enough brake dust to make the job a little easier and a light side to side, top to bottom rocking motion as your pulling straight out.

 

[TB3]

Drums

On the front side. Smack the edge at 3 o'clock, 9 , 12 , 6. Repeat a few times and it should break free of the axle. hope this helps,TB!

 

[techieman33]

backing the pads all the way off is key to getting them off, then just pound on them.

 

[shaggymane]

Is there any wiggle at all? I've found that wire brushing where the axle meets the drum then air hosing the debri away does wonders for getting drums off.

 

[ExploringNC]

If they've been on for a while, they wear ridges in the drum and all it takes is turning the self-adjuster so that the shoes retract as far as possible then pull the drum straight off. Sometimes tapping on the drum evenly all of the way around will dislodge enough brake dust to make the job a little easier and a light side to side, top to bottom rocking motion as your pulling straight out.

x2

Pads wear a groove in the drum so there is a lip that is catching the pad. You can use a case of PB Blaster and it won't make a difference and hammering it will just make alot of noise. Back of the adjuster threw the little hole on the backside then pull out and rotate the drum, kinda like installing a tight belt.

 

[Crunchy]

*cough* free brake inspection *cough*

 

[Maniak]

*cough* free brake inspection *cough*

Ditto.. when I was just learning I used to do that.. back when I'd let the brakes go a long time..

I'd usually tell them "no thanks" to the work, and give the tech $10-$20 depending on how much banging he had to do to get it off..

~Mark

 

[CobraSix]

Be sure to back the pads off first. There should be a 'self adjustor' slot and you need to back off the pads.

If they are really worn, then there is not much else to do other then beat them off. I used a HUGE flat head screwdriver to pry some stuck ones from an 8" rear end I bought for my mustang.

Free brake inspection usually works well too. I've been guilty of that. I would have done that on that 8", but I doubt it would have flown since it wasn't in the car.

 

[pugsy]

You could run into trouble if the adjuster screw is ceased or rusted up and won't back off the drums. If that's the case...not sure how else to get them off then bang till the shoes break and the drum comes off.

 

[Marv]

Simple, with truck on the jack and the wheel off , just start the engine, hold the brakes
TIGHTLY, put it in drive then reverse several times, the axle will spin maybe 2
thousands inside the drum, just enough to break the rust bond between the axle and the
drum. For severely stuck drums, put the wheel back on, tighten the lug nuts finger tight
then back each lug nut 1/2 turn, let it down off the jack then drive the truck SLOWLY in
a circle. And NO you don’t drive it on the highway with loose lug nuts.

 

[geoph1986]

I did the rear brakes on my buddy's '95 Ranger in the fall. The truck was his grandfather's, and I think they were the originals. The adjusters were seized, and the shoes had worn a groove in the drum. One side came off pretty easy but the other side required the use of a BFH. I just kept hitting the drum in all different areas and eventually it came off. The drum even chipped on the backside in a few places. Persistence is the key.

 

[MikeLitt3810]

If they've been on for a while, they wear ridges in the drum and all it takes is turning the self-adjuster so that the shoes retract as far as possible then pull the drum straight off. Sometimes tapping on the drum evenly all of the way around will dislodge enough brake dust to make the job a little easier and a light side to side, top to bottom rocking motion as your pulling straight out.

Yes I have this problem often when working on other peoples cars/junk. turn the self adjuster in b/c 9 out of 10 times the ridge will stop it from coming off if it is stuck.

This is why you have drums cut when servicing the rear to get rid of the ridge. my X had the ridges in the drums I know this in advance. I have not replaced or cut them out of pure lazyness. but I know once every 3 yrs when i change brake liners and hardware I have to turn in the self adjuster. and a swift smack from a 5lb hammer makes the day go faster. good luck

 

[rustbucketMI]

I know this post is pretty old but I'm having the same issue. Drums stuck around the center axle flange. I believe the drums are still within tolerance but I do have a frozen e-brake cable. Self adjuster is fully backed off,and the drums spins freely. I can stick a flat head screw driver between the drum and backing plate and pry a side out, but it seems to be stuck around the axle still. I tried heat and a hammer as well. I'm about 5 minutes from just taking a cutting wheel to the whole drum. Any other suggestions? Bigger hammer?

 

[92exp4x4]

Jamb a wedge between the backing plate and the drum, across from each other in two places. This will spread the load. Then aim well and give the hub a swift hit with a sledge. Wear earplugs, it gets loud.

When reinstalling, i anti-sieze the heck out of just about every part i can.