Help, Rear Brake Drum Removal
 

I am in need of some assistance with the removal of the rear brake drums on my 36 Pickup. I am unable to remove the drums.:mad: I have removed the axel nut and washer. Question, Do I need to remove the keyed washer that is inside of the drum to remove the drum? I’m not sure how this washer is installed, from the outside or from the back of the drum. Attached is a picture of the removal tool I am using. I have tried all of the “Tricks of the Trade” that have been offered by the “Barners”, heat, loosen nut and driving. Any suggestions?:rolleyes: Thanks, Norm:)

Re: Help, Rear Brake Drum Removal
 

any movement at all??.....nut still on end of axle shaft to protect the threads??...big hammer applied with gusto to plate over end of axle shaft???....Mike

Re: Help, Rear Brake Drum Removal
 

I had a similar problem with my Lincoln about a year ago. I have a hub removal tool about the same as yours and also a 3 legged puller. Neither puller would budge the hub. I applied heat, a big hammer, a bigger hammer. and a lot of swearing. Finally I installed the puller that you are using and left the nut on, but unscrewed a couple of threads and drove the car around the block. As I started my second time around the block , I heard a pop and knew that I had accomplished what I set out to do.

I don't know why the drum was so hard to get off, as I had had it off just a year before. An associate of mine who had the same problem got his off by cutting the hub of the drum in the area of the keyway.

Re: Help, Rear Brake Drum Removal
 

I have been apprehensive with hitting the axel, my luck I will break the axel. I have reinstalled the axel nut to protect the axel threads. Is it safe to “whale”:eek: away against the axel with this removal tool installed? Thanks, Norm

Re: Help, Rear Brake Drum Removal
 

I have the Winfield reproduction of the original Ford tool. It's not cheap, until you ruin an axel... Then, it's a good deal.
I've used heat with it, put as much tension on it as I can. Then, hit the puller dead on with a sharp rap with a medium hammer...
There might be someone nearer to you that would loan one...
Karl

Re: Help, Rear Brake Drum Removal
 

I suggest jacking the other wheel of the floor and then thump the end of the puller

Re: Help, Rear Brake Drum Removal
 

Is this the one? KR Wilson reproduction

http://www.snydersantiqueauto.com/57

Thanks, Norm

Re: Help, Rear Brake Drum Removal
 

yup! I got the same puller, it is made by winfieald tool works in new York. I have used it on my 36 pickup and my model A. I would be afraid to hit the Axle with a hammer. the axles don't move, you could brake something or mess up the threads on the axle. replacing one is not fun.

Re: Help, Rear Brake Drum Removal
 

Norm, I had the same problem before I got the KR Wilson puller. I tried the three finger large puller to no avail....and risked bending the drum, but didn't. I see you mentioned you loosen the axel nut and drove it. I did that and made a series of very hard right and left turns.....maybe three to five minutes of driving in first gear. Brought it back to the garage and bingo...off came the hub. Could have just been luck, but it worked. Wish I lived closer, I'd loan you my puller and help you.

Dick.

Re: Help, Rear Brake Drum Removal
 

Have you removed the brake clevis pin allowing the shoes to collapse in the drum? If the shoes drag in the drum you will not get the drum off. You may have to adjust the top square adjuster turning it out to relax the shoes even more. Is the hand brake Off?

Re: Help, Rear Brake Drum Removal
 

before you start to pull drum, take two #3 or #4 hammers, one as a back up, put one on one side of the snout and smack the other side of snout, do that all the way around the drum, doing that distorts the snout on the drum a thousand of an inch or so thus breaking the tension and rust between the axle and drum, it might take a few times but it has always worked for me on a real stubborn and frozen drum to axle

Re: Help, Rear Brake Drum Removal
 

This topic was covered from A to Z on flatheadv8.org under "32 -48 brake adjustment" page 5..

Re: Help, Rear Brake Drum Removal
 

What dose that mean? if guys don't ask questions we will not have a FordBarn. if you don't like a thread don't open it up

Re: Help, Rear Brake Drum Removal
 

I am not a big fan of wacking away on the end of the axle with big hammers. The only thing retestraining the movement and what takes the entire blow is the carrier bearing on the other side of the carrier. Visualize the blow without the axle bell. The axle bell does nothing to push the hub off as the hub just floats on the axle stub.
I can rethread the mashed axle end but you are on your on with the damaged carrier bearings.
There was a great thread on the HAMB about a home made puller. It was truly
exceptional. I would try to make or borrow one.

Re: Help, Rear Brake Drum Removal
 

Have you collapsed the shoe adjustments?

Re: Help, Rear Brake Drum Removal
 

im with you Brendan, the man may be new at this stuff and hasnt figured all the in and outs of this site, just answer the question
or keep your fingers off the key board

Re: Help, Rear Brake Drum Removal
 

On my '42, I used my 3 jaw puller...used my impact gun to put a lot of tension on it, then maybe 7-10 minutes of constant heat with my torch...I had a smallish welding tip on it at the time...I heated from where your tool grabs the drum and a bit forward...concentrating the heat closer to the inside...i/e away from the axle.

My nephew was watching me...when it "popped", he jumped back 3 feet!

Re: Help, Rear Brake Drum Removal
 

When dealing with pulling normal, ie non ford or ford front drums, making sure the shoes are returned is an issue, but not an issue until the drum is partially withdrawn and starts binding up on the unworn area at the mouth of the drum.

When people ask about ford rear drums and hubs, they are asking about breaking the taper. That is the problem, getting that initial pop to bust the taper loose.

Any advice about making sure the shoes are retracted could be misleading to a novice. Once the taper is broken then the drum becomes like any other and having the shoes retracted becomes an issue only if it gets bound up when part way off.

The shoes could be locked solid against the drum and they would still give enough to allow the taper to be broken.

Purchase of a good quality puller should be first thing on the list when you get your first early Ford.

Mart.

Re: Help, Rear Brake Drum Removal
 

Couldn't agree more with Mart. At first I thought the price of the KR Wilson puller was way too much to spend. That was about 10 years ago. In hindsight, it's one of the best old Ford tool investments I ever made!!! If you want a cost/benefit analysis, consider the cost of damaged hard to replace parts!!

Dick.

Re: Help, Rear Brake Drum Removal
 

Thanks to all for your input.:) As usual, you all gave useful information. I searched the data base and tried all of those hints before this post. I wasn’t so sure if I was missing something. It is apparent that I need to purchase the KR Wilson style removal tool. Well I guess that I will have to bite the bullet and get one on order. As soon as time permits, I will make another attempt to get these drums off. Thanks again for the useful and entertaining comments, Norm.