How do you remove front brake drums?

[Model A Fan]

I sold my project and am disassembling parts for sale. I have a front axle in need of disassembly and the front drums need to come off along with other parts to get at the axle.

I removed the hub nut and the bearing inside the end of the brake drum, but now I'm stuck with the brake drum stuck on the axle assembly still. I searched but couldn't find much.

Any help would be appreciated...it seems so basic (), but I can't figure it out. Thanks!

[Bob C]

Did you back the brake adjuster off??

Bob

[Larry Jenkins]

Originally Posted by Model A Fan

I sold my project and am disassembling parts for sale. I have a front axle in need of disassembly and the front drums need to come off along with other parts to get at the axle.

I removed the hub nut and the bearing inside the end of the brake drum, but now I'm stuck with the brake drum stuck on the axle assembly still. I searched but couldn't find much.

Any help would be appreciated...it seems so basic (), but I can't figure it out. Thanks!

There are brake adjusters on the back side of each drum. It is a square head screw that needs to be adjusted to collapse the two brake linings so the drums will slide off.

Les Andres book are a great source of information.

[PC/SR]

Above suggestions are good. Test is, can you rotate the drum freely by hand? If not the adjusters are too tight as suggested. If you can rotate it by hand, and still cannot remove the drums, I have no idea of your problem.

[Model A Fan]

Ok, I have the Les Andrews book but couldn't find it as I didn't know what to look for. The drum won't rotate so I will try the brake adjuster and see if that works. I hope I have it somewhere as I included all the extra parts when I sold the roadster.

[PC/SR]

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You do not need the Andrews book for this. Just loosen the adjusters. Turm the adjusters counterclockwise to loosen.

[1crosscut]

Very often there is a build up of old crusty hardened grease that will build up a ridge the the brake shoes will not be able to pass by when pulling a hub off. If after backing the adjuster off the drum will not turn or if it does and will not pull all the way off you may need to use a propane torch to help things along. Run the torch around and around the circumference of the drum heating and softening the grease. May take a while and you might create some smoke. Keep after it. You'll get it.

[Bruce of MN]

Originally Posted by 1crosscut

Very often there is a build up of old crusty hardened grease that will build up a ridge the the brake shoes will not be able to pass by when pulling a hub off. If after backing the adjuster off the drum will not turn or if it does and will not pull all the way off you may need to use a propane torch to help things along. Run the torch around and around the circumference of the drum heating and softening the grease. May take a while and you might create some smoke. Keep after it. You'll get it.

Plus scraping.

[Kurt in NJ]

If the brake shoes are rusted to the drum I have had good results beating on the backing plate with plastic mallet ---it tends to shake the shoes loose from the drum

[Model A Fan]

Thank you guys for the help. I got them off last night by loosening the brake adjuster on the backside. One was somewhat frozen and I had to get my crescent wrench on it and hit it with a brass mallet. I sprayed it and let it sit for a while.

It was...fun...figuring out the order in which things had to come apart.

[Patrick L.]

Good, glad it came apart easy. These old monsters are fun and a good way to learn how to turn wrenches.

[Big hammer]

Glad you got it off, on a 66 ford I had to break a drum to get it off, with a Big Hammer !
When you can afford an a project, get back here and ask away, Don’t let anyone keep you away! Good luck with your parts sales :-)

[Ryan]

Cleaned this post up and banned the guy that went overboard. Sorry y’all had to deal with this. Carry on.