34 Pickup Brake Adjust Screw Frozen

[jhswolf]

Both rear brake adjuster screws seem to be rusted in place. Can heat from a propane torch be used to coax them out? I am not sure if there is anything inside the drums that would be damaged by heat? (I don't want to replace any seals etc. if I can help it).

Any other advice on backing out the adjuster would be welcome. It's a 7/16 square end but I don't have a pipe plug/square end socket. Maybe there is a substitute tool? I am going to check a plumbing supply store.

Thanks,
John

[Lawson Cox]

Use an adjustable wrench or a 7/16 wrench. If the adjusting bolt seems to be stuck tight, first thing to do is apply generous amount of penetrating oil and let it sit a while, then repeat a couple of times. Be patient. If that is not successful, apply heat with an O/A torch to the boss the adjusting screw screws in to. Nothing there that will be harmed by heat. Again. Patience is your friend and definitely something I have little of.

[nickthebandit]

How about using an 8 point socket ?

[deuce lover]

Originally Posted by jhswolf

Both rear brake adjuster screws seem to be rusted in place. Can heat from a propane torch be used to coax them out? I am not sure if there is anything inside the drums that would be damaged by heat? (I don't want to replace any seals etc. if I can help it).

Any other advice on backing out the adjuster would be welcome. It's a 7/16 square end but I don't have a pipe plug/square end socket. Maybe there is a substitute tool? I am going to check a plumbing supply store.

Thanks,
John

Here are 2 pics of what it looks like with the drum off.

[jhswolf]

Perfect, great info and just what I was looking for.

The adjusters are socked in tight. I've been soaking them with PB Blaster.

I'm usually the one who gets the heat out first thing and afterwards find out I've ruined a seal or rubber boot. The pictures give me new confidence to heat 'em up with confidence.

While I don't have an OA torch, I do have a small propane one with MAPP gas.

My 7/16 wrench is about 5 inches long and not much leverage. I'll see if I have a pipe I can slip over it. Archimedes is my friend and I'll see if he'll swing by to help. LOL.

Thanks guys!

[Kube]

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Originally Posted by jhswolf

Perfect, great info and just what I was looking for.

The adjusters are socked in tight. I've been soaking them with PB Blaster.

I'm usually the one who gets the heat out first thing and afterwards find out I've ruined a seal or rubber boot. The pictures give me new confidence to heat 'em up with confidence.

While I don't have an OA torch, I do have a small propane one with MAPP gas.

My 7/16 wrench is about 5 inches long and not much leverage. I'll see if I have a pipe I can slip over it. Archimedes is my friend and I'll see if he'll swing by to help. LOL.

Thanks guys!

You won't hurt anything in this assembly by applying heat. My hunch is the shoes are worn into the drums. Those (shoes) may get damaged in the disassembly process.
I might suggest that when all is disassembled and cleaned, apply a little brake grease, yes, brake grease, to the threads and any other pivot points.
I prefer an eight point socket for this task as has been advised in an earlier thread.

[Vics Stuff]

Heat the area up real well then Quench it with ice cold water. Do this several times . The quick quenching will help in shocking the two parts and assist them to brake loose .
Vic

[petehoovie]

Originally Posted by deuce lover

Here are 2 pics of what it looks like with the drum off.

[jhswolf]

Quenching cycles: I hadn't thought about that. I will give it a try.

Brake grease & eight point socket: Copy that. I usually put a little anti seize on threads that are in rusty area. Is this essentially the same concept?

By the way, I have one of the Vintage Precision hub pullers and have been able to free up the hub. When I reinstall the hub, do I slowly tap it on using a sacrificial socket?

[cas3]

You really need the correct socket, or you will soon have the square all rounded and wrecked. Especially if they are stuck. Special square hole brake wrenches are hardened, and available on ebay too. Not sure you can buy them new, but 8 point sockets you can buy

[Lawson Cox]

What do y'all think of the heating and quenching practice? I am sort of uncertain about it. I am needing to pull a pulley off of a generator. Your thoughts please.

[bobH]

Originally Posted by Vics Stuff

Heat the area up real well then Quench it with ice cold water. Do this several times . The quick quenching will help in shocking the two parts and assist them to brake loose .
Vic

I've tried a couple of ways of doing the 'heating thing'. And, I recommend Vic's way. I learned a long time ago, from a fellow that restores horseless carriage era cars (pre 15) that the heat and quench method works better for me, as compared to simply heating and trying to muscle stuff apart. Mostly, old fasteners can be spun off by hand, if the quenching method is used. Obviously, just my experience and opinion.

[V8COOPMAN]

Oopsy!
.

[V8COOPMAN]

Originally Posted by Lawson Cox

What do y'all think of the heating and quenching practice? I am sort of uncertain about it. I am needing to pull a pulley off of a generator. Your thoughts please.

You need to use a proper puller on something like that. It's not as tight as you think it is. DD
.

[deuce lover]

Here is a pic of the brake adjuster to give you an idea of what you are dealing with.

[jhswolf]

Today's score: John 0, adjuster screw 2.

Heating, quenching, tapping, were of no effect (YET). These babies are in there. The problem is I don't have a proper tool to get a good bite on the adjuster head. My 7/16" open end wrench just starts to spread.

As mentioned in a previous posts, getting a grip on the head is going to be critical. I want to have solid positive contact surfaces.

A couple of options I'm thinking about:

1. I saw this "Sunex 214fp 1/2-Inch Drive 7/16-Inch Female Pipe Plug Socket" on Amazon, but it has the letters "T-A-I-W-A-N" on it.

2. Home Depot has a "Lincoln Electric Gas Hose Fitting Tool" that has many square indents in it. But I'm skeptical.

3. A previous poster mentions a 12 point socket. Is that a 7/16" - 12 point or a 1/2" - 12 point? Neither of these two sockets fit?

Duece: Thanks for posting the picture of the screw. As I was on my back heating it up, I wondered just how deep the threads go. Your picture was perfect. Thank you.

[jhswolf]

cas3: Are you talking about an 8 point wrench like this one on Ebay? It's $15 OBO plus $9 shipping. But it's in Oregon and I'm in Delaware. Heavy competition with Xmas packages....

[cas3]

you use a 12 point socket the next size up for a square part. So, 7 1/6 square, go to 1/2" 12 pt. Trouble is there is less contact area in the teeth than the correct 8 PT, so you still may round it off

[cas3]

Yes, Thats a real brake wrench. No tool store near you to buy an 8 Pt socket?

[cas3]

In post 8, pics by Pete, bottom pic shows the cup shaped plug (with blue line pointing at it), that the adjuster screw (shown in post 15 by Deuce lover) is hiding behind. To get that screw out you screw it in until it pushes the cap off, then clean and grease to reassemble. I have in my foolish youth taken the whole backing plate off so you can grab the square shaft in the vise, and use the plate for a handle to try to break it loose. It should have been assembled with grease, and not exposed to a direct hit from the weather, so it will move...eventually ! good luck !