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#1 |
English Chevy Owner
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Shropshire, UK/ Lot, France
Posts: 1,848
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Brake adjustment Question (Drums)
Two questions for all the members of the drum brake club (OK and anybody else too)
1: Should the front drums come off my 67 C10 without having to pull the whole hub and bearings? I cant seem to see where they come apart, is it likely that they have just rusted up and then been painted over? Tips on seperating wlecomed if this is the case 2: What is the best way to adjust these properly, I recently pulled the drum and hubs and had to back the brakes off a bit and obviously didn't get the adjusted up right afterwards as they are not stopping as well as they did before. I didn't distrub anything of the brakes themselves, just cleaned them with brake cleaner and squirted some anti-seize here and there in anticipation of the winter. I know there is no air in the system but the pedal firms up with a pump. Help! it's been a while since I had a car with any drum brakes let alone on all four wheels. My Haynes manual is disappointingly vague in this area.
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Phil '67 C10 long fleet. 350/TH350, 4 bbl Carter, K&N, Dual exhaust, loads of stuff coming soon 2001 S10 Blazer Daily Driver, bone stock 4 door 4x4 with manual transmission |
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#2 |
70 Chevy 3/4t
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Kokomo,IN USA
Posts: 1,230
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Not sure of the year they started it but my 70 3/4t has 2 screws in the front drum that must be removed first. Then the drum will come off.
As for adjustment, I like to turn the adjustment wheel until I hear a light scraping when I put the drum back on. Good Luck.
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Find a job you love and you'll never have to work a day in your life. 1998 Yamaha V-Star 650 1970 Chevy 3/4t, I6 (rebuilt), 4 speed Kokomo,IN |
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#3 |
Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: central Ill. USA
Posts: 447
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You don't have to pull the hub. Look at the drum and see if there are 3 flat rivet heads equally spaced on it. If there are they have to be removed. I believe they came from the factory this way and some brake shops actually replace them. I know my truck had them when I bought it in 1995. Weird things man.
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69 C10 longbed: 357c.i. /TH400/3.73s/AC/ beige primer/saving $ for paint ______________________________ |
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#4 |
Almost Satisfied
![]() Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Springfield, MO
Posts: 2,932
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My rear drums were this way. One of them I simply tapped around with a 3lb hammer as it was rusted to the studs. The other side I had to adjust the brakes back as the shoes had worn a groove in the drum and would not clear it to let the drum come off. After about 60 turns of that little wheel (in the right direction) it came off. I didn't have any rivets.
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1971 C10 Stepside. LSx 6.0 with BTR Stage IV, Speed Engineering Headers, 4L80e transmission w/3200 Circle-D Stall. 3.73. Posi. Purchased this truck when I was 17. I started the rebuild (or take apart) in 1993. I have drug it around all over the country in pieces. Finally back on the road in 2021. "I can't complain, but sometimes I still do. Life's been good to me so far." |
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#5 |
Saving 1 truck at a time!
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Kent, WA
Posts: 6,465
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My '67 both front and rear just come off with a little coaxing. Nothing attaching them. One rear one had the shoes worn into the drum so I had to adjust with a screwdriver through the slot in the drum to make sure the shoes would clear. Try tapping the backside lightly with a rummber hammer to free them up. They may be rusted to the studs. I have never seen any on my four trucks with rivets holding the drums on. Just my 0.02.
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'68 C20 Longhorn 50th Anniversary 400/TH400 '68 C20 Longhorn 50th Anniversary 468/TH400w/buckets '72 C20 Halfhorn (Longhorn w/o cab and front clip) '69 Flxible Cruiser (look up ugly in the dictionary) |
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#6 |
Registered User
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Victoria, BC, Canada
Posts: 2,410
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Lippy, you're front drums DO come off w/ bearings etc. Pull the little cap off ( ~2" dia. in the center), then pull the cotter pin, then unscrew the big nut. Conical hub bearings will just slide out then you can pull the drum off.
Adjustment is best done with both front wheels (or rear wheels) jacked off the ground. You can adjust by turning the little ratchet wheel inside. I usually do a rough setup with the wheels off, just until you hear the drums grabbing on the shoes. Then put the wheels on and adjust until I get about a full revolution out of the wheel before friction causes it to stop. Take it for a spin around the block then touch one of the drums. If the drum is extremely hot to the touch, then loosen them up a little bit. If the truck pulls to one side when braking you have adjusted them unevenly. So pulling to the left means the left side is too tight OR the right side is too loose. Just look for that happy medium. ![]()
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1970 GMC 1500 Custom Original 350/TH350 Victoria, BC, Canada You can wish in one hand and crap in the other. See which one gets filled first. |
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#7 |
its all about the +6 inches
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Hilliard Ohio
Posts: 2,693
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Rear are a slip/press on.
Front, are supposed to be rivited, but I also like the rivits removed. |
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#8 |
1969 Custom 30 wrecker
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Pottsville, Pa
Posts: 2,611
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The front drums on my '69 won't come off without the hubs. I don't see any rivets of anything holding them together but even pounding with a heavy hammer doesn't seperate them. Probably just frozen together though.
I've just been pulling them as a unit for brake work.
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Bob 63 Impala 283/PG/3.36 (under restoration) 66 Impala 327/PG/3.36 66 Chevelle SS 409/M22/3.55 69 Chevelle 307/PG/3.08 (future restoration) 69 C10 short stepside 454/TH350/3.73 69 Custom 30 tow truck 350/4 spd/4.10 (resto done, CRUISIN TIME!) 71 Cheyenne 20 fleetside 350/4 spd/4.10 71 Chevelle 6/PG/3.08 72 Chevelle 454/M21/4.10 |
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