Getting Brake Drums Off?

[Longbed68]

I recently bought this 1968 Chevy C20, 4 wheel drive. The bleeders are shot on the rear wheel cylinders, so I thought I'd replace them. I pulled the rear wheels off and must say I've never seen anything quite like these rear drums/axle. I can't seem to figure out how to get the drums off of the axle. Now I've done this many times before, but never on a 4 wheel drive truck like this. Usually the drums just pull right off, and maybe that's still the case but I've sprayed the studs and pounded around them and hammered on the back of the drum and can't get them to budge. There's something like a vented spacer I believe that sits in front of the drum, between it and the wheel. Is this a separate piece that has to come off first? I've pried at that and can't get it to budge either, but if I know it has to come off then I'll try harder. Do I just need to keep working at it, or does that large hub have to come off or something? I figure there's no use in pounding at it until I'm sure that's what needs to be done. Thanks.

Dan

[*Dylan]

Quick question, does it have like a slot/opening on the outside of the drum somewhere along the edge? If so then you need to take a flathead screwdriver, spin the drum around til you find the gear/tensioner thing, and spin the gear. I'm not sure which way you have to spin it but just spin it so the tensioner gets smaller. This presses the brake shoes against the edges and I had the same problem on mine. It was pressing the shoes and I couldn't get my drum off.

[Luvlegs]

you might have to back the shoes off - if they've worn into the hub, you aren't going to get them off - If you push the star adjuster arm out of the way, you can back the adjuster off and let them shoes "come in together" and then the hub should come off.

[Luvlegs]

that was close..

One side (wheel) is a regular thread on the adjuster, the other is a left handed thread.

[steelhorse]

You said c20 right?Does your axel have a hub in the center that has 6 or 8 bolts in it? if so then you need to pull the axel(the 6 bolts)and the there will be a large nut and possibly a locking tab of some sort.These need to come off to remove the drum/hub assy.Going back on you just tighted the nut untill the is no slack going in or out.It is a good idea to replace the hub seal while it is off.Im sure someone will chime in with pics/or more info

[panhandler62]

Do the same directions apply to 8 lug axels?

[my70chevyc10]

When you do get the drum off go get a new brake spring kit its about $9.00 at kragens or any auto parts store. When i changed my brakes on the front i took off the little spring and pins that hold the brakes on and found out that they were all rusted and about half the size of a tooth pic.

[Wreckless_71]

Yes the star adjusters are right and left hand threaded respectively... that means that you need to roll the adjuster upwards on both sides... the adjuster will be at the bottom and if the truck is lifted it will have been rotated a little more to the front...

[Longbed68]

It's an 8 bolt pattern. I'll take this all under advisement, thanks!

Dan

[Old Chevy Mech]

The rear adjusters on my K-20 were all the way out and seized. I took a long narrow chisel and knocked the adjuster off the shoe (through the adjuster slot). It took a few seconds after that and the drums were off. On the other side it wouldnt come off so I wound up bending the adjuster enough for it to slip off.

Worth a try.

Frank.

[hdflstf]

K20 rears. See brake job from hell thread...
There are 2 screws (slot head) that hold the drum to the axle located 180 degrees apart within the 8 lug bolt pattern. Remove those first. Beat the hell out of the drums to get them off because the adjuster are frozen and will not turn (hopefully yours will turn).

[Old Chevy Mech]

I just re-read this thread....You must remove the axel and the lock nuts as the drum is held to the hub by the studs from the inside of the drum. So in short, hub and drum are removed as an assembly.

Frank

[Longbed68]

Okay, so here's how far I am. The removed the 8 bolts in the center of the hub and pulled the axle out. Still the hub won't bunch, so am I missing a step or should I just keep pounding? It seems to me that the cylinder-shaped hub with the disc behind it is seperate from the drum and should come off first, is this so? As much as I pound a wedge between it and the drum, it still doesn't want to move. I don't see any screws anywhere holding the drum on, unless they're behind this disc. Thanks again for the advice.





Dan

[steelhorse]

Inside the hub there should be a big nut and possibly some sort of clip/pin holding it.You must remove the nut,Im not totally sure (there are many styles)but it may have a spacer and another nut behind it.Once it is out of the way the outer bearing should come out,the the drum should come off.

[OhioDan]

Okay, take the bolts back out that you removed to pull the axle. In the very center, there's a large nut and a lock washer/ring. You might have to bend an ear back that locks the nut in place? Back off the large center nut, and washer. There might be (been so long since I've done mine) another nut behind the washer. Remove it also. Back off the star adjuster, through the slot at the bottom of the backing plate. You should be able to get the drum off now? Careful, there's a center seal, and the drum is a heavy mo-fo. Be nice with the seal, because if it gets damaged, your axle lube will get into your brakes when you put it back together. (This is not good, just ask me how I know?) Hope this helps?

[Luvlegs]

I would say that was the 1000 word picture for sure.

[Longbed68]

I thought you guys were crazy saying that there was a nut somewhere in there, until I saw what you were talking about! The drums slid right off real easy after the nuts were removed. Thanks for your help, as always.

Dan