I've done this ocnce upon a time but don't remember haveing the trouble of this occurance. Trying to refurbish an 8" axle for the engine upgrade wich means I need to pull the drums and redo the brakes too. The manual tells me to use pliers to remove tinnerman bolts from the studs. If studs means lugs there are no bolts of anykind on them. The wheels have no screw, catch or pin back or front in which to hold the drum on so it should slide right off around the lugs right?

This particular axle has been sitting for a long time so it may be rusted (highly likley considering the diff wont turn). The breaks may also be tight but in trying to adjust them through the little tiny hole at the back I think I only succeded in breaking some studs off the adjusting screw. I do plan on giveing the axle a electolytic bath to remove the rust. Perhaps that will help.

Any suggestions would be greatly appriciated.

 

Okay, now I may get flamed for being a n00b and all, but...

I was working with my friend on his 96 taurus the other day, and he has rear drum brakes. Now, we're just two 18 year old guys who dont know too much about cars, but we love trying for the heck of it...

Well, we tried getting those drum brakes off and they just wouldn't budge. After about thirty to forty five minutes of being stumped, I had the brilliant idea to look it up on the internet. Lo and behold, we had left the parking brake on - which locks up the drum brakes and wont allow them to move.

Now, I don't know if thats what you're looking for, but maybe its something simple like that? *shrug*

Best of luck,
sikander

 

Well the rear axle these breaks are on is not attached to a car so I don't think the parking break is the problem. I deattached the break lines from the rotors. The parking break cable is still attached to the rotors but no car on the other end so there shouldn't be any tension on the cable. I wouldn't doubt if my problem is something that simple though.

 

Use a hammer and PB Blaster

 

Can you turn/rotate the wheel? If not, the shoes are froze. Or, what has probably happened is that the brake shoe has worn into/scored the drum, causing a lip/groove cut into the drum. What you need to do is remove the rubber plug from the lower part of the backing plate and turn the the star wheel/self adjuster with a brake spoon. The self adjuster keeps the shoes pushed out in contact with the drum. If you get the shoes to retract, the drum can usually be pulled off. You can use some penetrating fluid on the studs and hub too. Sometimes whacking the drum (after loosening the star wheel/adjuster) will persuade the shoes into releasing their death grip.

Shamelessly lifted from my response to this same post in the Fox forum.

 

Get a BFH, with the housing on the ground, stand over the top of it with your back to the center section. The idea here is to with as much force as possible hit the flat area of the drum between each of the wheel studs with the hammer. More than likely, the drum has rusted to the flange on the axle.

As stated above PB Blaster will help, but it will take some impact to break the bond. You migh want to consider placing the lug nuts on the studs to protect the threads from damage should your aim be off.

Remeber to each once or twice between each of the studs, not just in one area.

By the way, it is "brakes" not breaks.

 

I'm considering breaking the brakes! The star wheel adjusters won't move, but maybe this PB Blaster stuff will help. Thanks.

 

The star wheels may have reached the end of their travel. You might try turning them the other way. There has been plenty of times that I thought I was loosening them.....doh! But it does sound as if they're froze to the flange.
PB to the rescue

 

if the PB doesnt work, i'd break em off

 

I could help if you were working on the front. I hammered away for days on the front end trying to get the drum to come off of those darn posts (even chipped the drums)....as most everyone here knows....The studs are bonded to the drum on the front end. All I needed to do in the end was remove the outer bearing and the drum just slid right off. No, I am not mechanically inclined....but I am learning.

 

The starwheel is held down from backing off by the self adjuster. You need to use a thin screwdriver and slide it through the small adjusting hole and use it to push the self adjuster arm off of the starwheels teeth. Then at the same time use a brake adjusting spoon to back the starwheell adjustment down. I believe since the self adjuster ratchets the starwheel downward, you'll need to reverse that so by inserting the brake adjusting spoon at the top of the teeth and spinning them down should back up the adjuster. After you've collapsed them it's a matter of grasping the drum in two hands and turning the drum back and forth to brake it loose from the pads. Then turn the drum as you pull it like you're unscrewing it. Good luck, when the pads freeze to the drum it's a bicth of a job to get them off.

 

Ive taken and sprayed the hub and stubs with wd-40 and then hit the drum with a hammer around the flange, the edge on on the back. Another thing you might want to look into is getting a slide hammer and drillnig about 4 holes (evenly spaced) in the fron tof the drum and then use the slide hammer to pull the drum.

 

Use a small propane torch and heat it up (evenly) and then hit it with a hammer, that worked for my truck

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Rickster @ January 27, 2006, 11:14 PM) Quoted post</div><div class='quotemain'>
The starwheel is held down from backing off by the self adjuster. You need to use a thin screwdriver and slide it through the small adjusting hole and use it to push the self adjuster arm off of the starwheels teeth. Then at the same time use a brake adjusting spoon to back the starwheell adjustment down. I believe since the self adjuster ratchets the starwheel downward, you'll need to reverse that so by inserting the brake adjusting spoon at the top of the teeth and spinning them down should back up the adjuster. After you've collapsed them it's a matter of grasping the drum in two hands and turning the drum back and forth to brake it loose from the pads. Then turn the drum as you pull it like you're unscrewing it. Good luck, when the pads freeze to the drum it's a bicth of a job to get them off.
[/b][/quote]

That is how I got the drums off the last '65 I did the brakes on. There is a rubber cover (should be) over the adjusting hole. Once you lift up the self adjuster arm you might have to use a hammer on the spoon (or screwdriver like I used).

 

Thanks a lot for the help everyone. THe PB Blaster did it!

 

I am a bit of a newB to this, as I am also working on restoring my 66 drum brakes to a "safer" status.

Can anyone tell me what PB Blaster is? And where to get it?

Thanks,

 

It's a spray on liquid that breaks down built up sludge like road grime and does a number on rust too. Comes in an aerosol can, white label with a yellow lid. You can find it at any auto store.

 

You might try to find a disc brake conversion. If there exists any for 1st gen Mustangs.