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Drum brakes, removing da' drum

4K views 31 replies 15 participants last post by  Blthomas 
#1 · (Edited)
Updated: brakes,the drum is off and it's back together, but the drum won't go back on

Started getting into the Heep some last night. Replaced the rear shackles, while she's on the stands, figured go ahead and check the brakes.

I've only done drum brakes once. I took of the cap, pulled the pin, and cranked off the bigass nut on the end of the axle shaft. I can't find a adjustment on the back of the drum to adjust the brakes down to pull the drum off. I'm not even sure that the Jeeps should have one. Should the drum pop off? I took a mallet to it around all sides and made zippy progress. I'm thinking maybe I need a puller?

Reading the Haynes, it gives multiple scenario's, one having to pull the axle out. I'm not thinking I have to do this. I'm thinking the drum is stubborn.

Any input on what to do, or what I may be doing wrong, that would be great.

Thanks,
Blair
 
#2 ·
There is an adjusting slot on the backing plate toward the bottom. I might have a rubber cover in it. You DON'T have to pull the hub/axle to get the brake drum off. It might take a little persuasion and some penetrating oil aroung the hub/drum joint but it will come off. Run the adjuster in and have at it.
 
#3 ·
Take a wire brush and brush around where the drum and hub meet. The shoot some WD 40 on the area you brushed off. Let it sit for a minute or two then smack it with a rubber mallet. It should come right off, or at least loosen it up.
 
#4 ·
Thanks for the heads up. When I re-did my 79' F**d's whole system, it went real easy. But I figured I better ask before I go tearing something up with a BFH. I should have looked a little harder at the rear of the drum then, I didn't see the adjusting slot/cover back there.

The P.O. used it as a mud bogger, so everything has a nice 3 inch thick layer of crap coating everything. I just knocked off everything near the wheel but not on the back. I'll brush it off and have another go tonight if it quits raining.

Thanks,
Blair :thumbsup:
 
#5 ·
Some CJ's also have a few screws holding the drum onto the axle shaft. Look to see if you have any, and if so remove them. You don't really need to replace them though since the wheel holds the drum on. It may just be rusted on too, and then just bang. But replace that big nut and pin before you do anything else.
 
#6 ·
Funny you mention screws. On our CJ, there a 3 screws in the face of the drum. I haven't tried unscrewing them, and not sure I want to. Looks like they are permantently attached. Drill worthy too.

Thanks,
Blair
 
#7 ·
Assuming you have an AMC 20 rearend

THE HUGE BOLT has NOTHING to do with the rear drum... it is used to hold the axle shaft... you need to unscrew those screws, and bang the drum off...

BTW, that axle shaft nut should be tightened somewhere in the vicinity of 220 lbs IIRC!!! Mine took a very slight hit with a hammer on a ratchet to break loose... seriously doubt it was on at the correct torque lol... I don't have my repair book with me so if someone wants to get the exact LBS of TORQUE you need on that bolt, please share! So either way, if you were able to get it off without much effort, its probably a good thing you took it off so you can tighten it back on correctly :)
 
#9 ·
All I've got to say is... good luck... lol

And I can't remember exactly, but I know on other cars I've worked on usually the tire + lug nuts will hold on the drum quite nicely... hence getting rid of those damn screws by not even putting them back in lol... I don't know If i'd recommend doing that but... if to you it seems like it wouldn't be a problem... go for it


If your tire falls off there ain't gonna be much stopping power back there anyway, lol

Use that information at your own risk, however :)
 
#10 ·
As he said, you don't need those screws because the wheel wil hold the drum on.
As far as the torque on the axle nut for stock 2 piece axles, the torque spec is 250 ft lbs. minimum plus whatever additional torque it takes to line the cotter pin hole up with the nut.
 
#12 ·
Well I got to work on her today and didn't get far.

I ended up drilling out the screws, I chewed up good, even after soaking them and using a large phillips in an attempt to get them out. I rounded the crap out of them. So I drilled them out.

I have hosed her down alot with P'blaster and not making much progress. I can put a prybar between the back of the drum and the hub. I can see where it wants to pull over the wheel lugs, but it seems like the center hub is holding the drum in place. This should separate right there? I'm tellin' ya, I've been pulling like hell too.

I have used mucho spray all over this SOB. I have dialed back the adjuster a god bit. Plenty of free spin. But no matter where I pry I get nothing. I have been pounding with a 3lb hammer too. Any ideas? Could the drum be rusted to the center hub? :confused:

I have a pic to help verify that I have a AMC20 and will post it tomorrow from work.

Thanks as always,

Blair
 
#13 ·
I think you can do that free loan-a-tool thing from Autozone and get a drum brake puller. Granted, I like whacking my Jeep with a BFH as much as the next guy, but whay not take the easy route on this one?
 
#14 ·
I honestly didn't know there was a drum puller. Ain't that a *****. I'm on that one tomorrow. Work smarter not harder, thats what it's all about. Thanks for the heads up.

Later,
Blair
 
#16 ·
They look evil:

 
#17 ·
I ended up calling our local Auto Zone, Advance, Napa. Nobody had nothing big enough to lend out.

I went home and tried to think of something to use besides just the hammer on the lip of the drum. I took out the top part of one of my big jack stands. Laid that across the spring moutning bolts, and hammered away. The bolts acted like a guide in the groove on the side of the jackstand, kinda like a big slidehammer. About an hour later the pig came off. :kiss:

The brakes are a mess too. The shoes are worn ALMOST down to the rivets. But anyway, it's off, ran out of daylight putting the springs and stuff back on. Plan on finishing the LR tonight, started the RR next.

Thanks for all the input and advise.

Blair
 
#18 ·
still at it...........

I dream of having a garage one day and noit doing everything outside in the gravel. Between 3 kids , the rain this week, and work, what a PITA this is becoming. Trying to wrap up the LR now. Got everything together, noticed something funny about that brake line. Like maybe it had a hole in it............ :brickwall :brickwall

So, popped for the two new brake cylinders. $10 a piece. Nice.

I put that in, and have reinstalled everything else. Two questions remain,

1. Can I put the drum on, and button this up now, without putting in my new lines yet. The new cylinder is plugged witha rubber cap. Is there something special I may need to do before I get the drum on? Or can I get everything closed up now, then install my new brake lines, then bleed and be done?

2. How do you get the frigging drum on? I don't have enough clearance to fit it over the new shoes? The Haynes book gives no tips...............BFH hammer time again?

Thanks,
Blair :thumbsup:
 
#19 ·
I don't see why you can't just put it back together and do the hose later, but don't take my word, I've messed up before. The Chilton's talks about making an initial adjustment on the brakes. Put the drum back on and tighten until it doesn't spin freely. Then back off a little bit until it spins almost freely. Pretty vague, but they're supposed to be self-adjusting.
To get the drum back on I had to back of the star adjuster, or whatever it's called, and jiggle the whole brake shoe assembly into a comfortable place to get the drum back on. It should slide on pretty snugly but I don't think you'll need a hammer.
 
#20 ·
Yeah at the bottom of the shoes

you've got this little guy that spreads 'em out and u can turn it to adjust the brakes

it looks like a shaft with a gear in the middle and fits between the shoes

Shoe==={|}===Shoe

Adjust this so it is not as long, thus not pushing the pads out... the drum should just slide on... then bolt it up, contort behind the wheel and use a standard screwdriver or an actual brake adjusting tool to adjust it so it is longer, pushing the shoes towards the drum surface... get it so they dont spin freely and just barely rub...

after that they can self adjust by driving in reverse, and hitting the brakes a few times, you can see how that would work by examining the little device and you can see it will act like a ratchet...
 
#21 ·
If your drums are that held in by the shoe then they need to be replaced. I have learned over the years to save time and effort. When I can't get drums off I use my grinder to cut around the edge like a can. Once you do that the face that bolts to the axle hub falls off (cut around the edge so you don't cut the axle plate). After that face is removed you can get into the shoes and do whatever you want to get the sidewalls of the drums out. Most often you can pry the shoes back but worst case is you take the shoes out then remove the rest of the drum. Takes about 15 minutes from start to finish. Since time=money for me I just try twice to get drums off and if they don't go I cut em.
 
#22 ·
My method

I have a method of removing brake drums that has never failed me. Once you are sure that you have nothing holding the drum on except friction around the axle hub, insert a pry bar or large screw driver behind the drum, between the drum and the backing plate. Pull the end of the bar towards you, as if you are trying to pry the drum off. Using a good size hammer in your other hand, give the opposite side of the drum a good hard wack. This apparently causes the drum to distort momentarily and off it comes. Seldom will a second wack be necessary unless you didn't hit it hard the first time. Becareful to not hit the side of the drum to far toward the back edge as you don't want to chip the drum.

Yleefox
 
#23 ·
Drum removal

I noticed you said you used WD 40 as a penetrant. The best penetrant I have ever used is called Aerokroil. I bought mine at a bearing supply house. The can is orange with black lettering. If all else fails, it's made by Kano Laboratories in Nashville, TN. I have used it on drums, 50 year old nuts and bolts and I'm convinced it's got WD40 beat by a mile.

tommy b
 
#24 ·
I wasted a bunch of wd40 and a good bit of PB'blaster. I've heard of the stuff by Kano labs, but haven't tried it yet. The drum is off, the brakes are reinstalled, new cylider and everything, the main issue now is trying to reinstall the drum without buggering up the new shoes. I figure it will be a tight fit, but the drum doesn't want to go in place.

On my pickup, a 79' it wasn't half this hard to do something so simple.

I guess it's a matter of simply fooling with it long enough to get it on.

What about my line replacement? Can I just screw in the new lines and bleed out the cylinders? Or do I need to do anything before I put on the drum?

Thanks again,
Blair :thumbsup:
 
#25 ·
Are you using the same drum?? Sometimes they have a lip of rust on the end. You really should check the ID of the drum to be sure your not beyond the wear limits. It's usually stamped on the lip of the drum.

Like Aphelion79 said, you need to crank in the adjuster all the way so you can slip the drums on. It should go on with no forcing.

Yes, you can button it all up and attach the lines later.
 
#26 ·
Yup

Yea, I was thinking about that. I had a hell of a time getting the drum off, someoone mentioned a lip there too. Are the drums expensive, I'd be willing to replace them as another measure of the rebuild process.

I have the star wheel adjuster adjusted all the way in. It's almost like I need to pull in the shoes a 1/16" more and the drum will slide on. My truck, they went on easy as pie after I swapped the shoes.

I'll have to feel the drum for a lip, it's a possiblity.

Thanks for the heads up for the brake line. I can get those at a later date when I'm done with the drums. Cool.

Thanks again,
Blair
 
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