Front brake drum stuck
 

I just started to take apart a late 31 front axle with the open cast iron drums. Wanting to rebuild it and use it on my 29 tudor. I backed off to left square adjusting wedge and the drum came right off. The right one, I've been pb blasting it for over 2 weeks. When I get on it to turn it out, it wants to twist the square adjusting wedge instead of it threading out. ANY IDEAS?

Thanks,
Roycejb

Re: Front brake drum stuck
 

Re: Front brake drum stuck
 

Yep, heat will be your friend. See if you can heat the adjuster housing and then apply non-flammable penetrating oil. Allow to soak and try again. This process may need to be repeated multiple times before success.

Re: Front brake drum stuck
 

Thank you. I'll heat her up this evening!

Roycejb

Re: Front brake drum stuck
 

If you break it off while trying to back it off. After you somehow remove the drum, remove the cap that covers the adjusters and weld a 1/2 nut to the come and use an impact to remove it. Been there and done that more than once. Rod

Re: Front brake drum stuck
 

When you get it apart,run a NF tap thru adjuster hsg-dont remember the size.clean threads on adjuster-or replace,& install with Anti-Seize on threads and it will always be easy to adjust.

Re: Front brake drum stuck
 

Well I went to heat it up and my oxy tank was empty. Thank you gentlemen for the info. I'll let you know how it turns out when I get the torch going again.

Re: Front brake drum stuck
 

Guys, I've heated it up with the torch and still can't get it to move. What next?

Re: Front brake drum stuck
 

On the LH side that you have off look for the wedge to see if it has been replaced with the old style floaters that look like a link.

If you have the linked floaters they can go over center and then the brakes are locked.

Look through the open areas on the RH side cast iron drum and see if there is a brake wedge or a linked floater.

If you have a linked floater and it is over center ask and maybe someone on the forum may have a solution other than flame cutting the drum off.

Re: Front brake drum stuck
 

You may have one or more springs broken or disengaged, causing the shoes to jam the drum. Your only recourse may be to cut the drum off.

Tom Endy

Re: Front brake drum stuck
 

You're lucky you have the spoked cast drums.You can reach in with a bar and pry things around,and at worst,reach in through the holes and snip a few things away with a torch.I once had to blow a hole through a steel drum to get at one of those old link-type floaters that had gone over center.

Re: Front brake drum stuck
 

Hey, I finally got the drum off! 160B's response made me decide to just take the bottom wedge bolt out and that loosened the shoes enough to get the drum off. Looks like that drum was pitted on the inside wear area so badly I won't be able to use this front end. Thanks again for all the replies!

Re: Front brake drum stuck
 

Royce... you beat me to the punch with that suggestion of the wedge loosen/removal... you can cut or torch the operating shaft pin if need be in extreme cases and the wedge can be moved/removed more.... glad loosening did the trick.
I certainly prefer those drums when I can find them....anyway.. glad it's off!