Could anyone spring into action post and cut me a brake? See what I did there?

[ryans69chevy]

Just a thought... does your drum still have rivets where the wheel studs are poking through? Something like 3 rivers? If so you have to take the dust cap off and take off the nut that holds the hub to the spindle.

[RustyBucket]

Originally Posted by dmjlambert

You get some dexterity exercise from this.

That's an understatement... you hafta get all sweaty & filthy and cuss it good too. It's not just because you've never done it before, it can be a P.I.T.A. for anybody. A few more suggestions...... have you bathed the studs, drum & axle flange in PB Blaster? Gonna replace the shoes anyway, squirt some in there too. I'm assuming you've tried beating the snot out of the edge of the drum from behind(while trying not to hit the backing plate). Smack it alternately on each side. I've got a short lineman's hammer that's beaten a few into submission. Use your BIGGEST B.F.H.. It can be kinda therapeutic flailing at it & cussing, particularly when it starts to move a little. Might bust a drum but better that not getting it off. O'rielly might loan you a whopper sized 3 jaw puller. I've had one for years that was the biggest of a cheap Chinese set. Keep us posted...... retire soon, you'll like it. I remember, work DID suck. Some days worse than others.

[dmjlambert]

Originally Posted by RustyBucket

That's an understatement... you hafta get all sweaty & filthy and cuss it good too. It's not just because you've never done it before, it can be a P.I.T.A. for anybody. A few more suggestions...... have you bathed the studs, drum & axle flange in PB Blaster? Gonna replace the shoes anyway, squirt some in there too. I'm assuming you've tried beating the snot out of the edge of the drum from behind(while trying not to hit the backing plate). Smack it alternately on each side. I've got a short lineman's hammer that's beaten a few into submission. Use your BIGGEST B.F.H.. It can be kinda therapeutic flailing at it & cussing, particularly when it starts to move a little. Might bust a drum but better that not getting it off. O'rielly might loan you a whopper sized 3 jaw puller. I've had one for years that was the biggest of a cheap Chinese set. Keep us posted...... retire soon, you'll like it. I remember, work DID suck. Some days worse than others.

That is funny! Well there you have it, give it some finesse and loosen the adjuster, or use the bigger hammer method!

[thedudeabides86]

Originally Posted by dmjlambert

That is funny! Well there you have it, give it some finesse and loosen the adjuster, or use the bigger hammer method!

Whelp, I did try finessing the adjuster. I sexy talked it and everything and that didn't get me anywhere. Soooo, I pulled out the pry bar a worked my way around the dust plate gently as not to bend it up. The keeper springs popped off each side and the who assembly is loose, but won't pull forward and off the studs. I'm not sure where to go from here. I don't wanna pry on the thing too much and tried beating it with a rubber mallet as to save from breaking my eardrums. Last time I tried a steel hammer I about rung my gawd damn bell. Say, anyone care for a few beer in exchange for a little help?

[dmjlambert]

The next thing I would try is cutting the nail heads off or grind them off with a dremel tool, from the back side. That way the whole thing would kind of fall apart when you pull the drum.

[kwmech]

Last rusted axle I worked on met its fate with a cutting torch and got all brand new parts. I literally had to cut the drum in half.

[Mike_The_Grad]

If destruction is the best remedy here, an angle grinding with a thin cut off wheel would be a good choice for the drum removal. Just cut the sides of the drum at the 1 o'clock and 5 o'clock positions and then 11 o'clock and 7 o'clock positions, then connect the 1-5 & 11-7. Its roughly the same size as the brake shoes behind the drum.

[thedudeabides86]

Originally Posted by dmjlambert

The next thing I would try is cutting the nail heads off or grind them off with a dremel tool, from the back side. That way the whole thing would kind of fall apart when you pull the drum.

The pins or nails from the keeper springs fell out the back of the dust plate, that's how I know the whole assembly is loose. I can't figure out why I can't just pull the whole drum off with all the guts of the brake assembly in tact. Perhaps it's on crooked. If I straitened out the drum and pulled it all off straight, perhaps? GAH!

[kwmech]

It is still connected internally by the parking brake, the wheel cylinder push rods plus the parking brake spreader holding the shoes apart. At the same time you are trying to pull all of that over the wheel bearing hub.

[thedudeabides86]

Originally Posted by kwmech

It is still connected internally by the parking brake, the wheel cylinder push rods plus the parking brake spreader holding the shoes apart. At the same time you are trying to pull all of that over the wheel bearing hub.

The parking brake is still connected inside the drum somewhere. I did remove the bolts that held the brake cable to the back of the drum in hopes that would help free up something, but it didn't allow me to pull the drum off any further.

[ncpetersc]

Originally Posted by thedudeabides86

The parking brake is still connected inside the drum somewhere. I did remove the bolts that held the brake cable to the back of the drum in hopes that would help free up something, but it didn't allow me to pull the drum off any further.

Does that mean it has moved some?

[ryans69chevy]

Maybe some pics would help. Get another set of eyes on it, might notice something or see something else you could try.

[ncpetersc]

Originally Posted by ryans69chevy

Just a thought... does your drum still have rivets where the wheel studs are poking through? Something like 3 rivers? If so you have to take the dust cap off and take off the nut that holds the hub to the spindle.

In case the post got overlooked, did you check this?

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=384059