Help! rear drums won't come off!

[dezeldoc]

Ya gotta hit the center of the puller that is where it gets the shock from to break it loose, ya keep tightening it and something else will give. hit the thing like it is your worst enemy and add some heat on the hub if necessary.

[RobertKB]

OK, sounds like I was doing it right according to dezeldoc. As I say, I seldom have to give it more than two or three really good smacks.

[Young Ed]

Ive never hit the center. Just keep pounding the puller around in a circle.

[Plymouthy Adams]

Page 23...........

CAUTION

Do not use knock off style pullers or stirke end of axle shaft to loosen hub. This may damage the rear wheel bearing, thrust block and opposite brake support plate.

(Where end of axle is the screw that you are tightening...)

steady even pressure and it should eventually pop..and boy do they sometimes POP..

[dezeldoc]

Well the first puller I used I had my 1" impact on it and it would not budge! called the local mopar guru and he came over and used his hammer on puller and took a 20# sledge and gave it 2 wacks and POP! now I am not going to argue with him he has been doing this for more than 50yrs. so each their own, what ever works and nothing gets screwed up then it's golden.

[Merle Coggins]

I've smacked the end of many a puller to get things to come loose. Once you have the puller tight, and I mean TIGHT, a good wrap on the end will often shock things enough to pop it loose. However, I also have to agree with others that in this application that may not be a good idea because you are also going to shock the axle shaft against the thrust block in your differential. The shock wouldn't damage the bearing because the force would be pushing the bearing cup and cone apart instead of together. But the thrust block and the wheel bearing on the oposite side would feel the shock.

Merle

[1949windsor]

I am rebuilding the rear brake cylinders so I went to my trusty repair book and it says just remove wheel/drum assembly. So I take off the wheel and main bolt....Hey this thing don't just come off like the front!

So I spray some Sea Foam on there and wait a while.....no that wasn't working either. Looked in the book thinking I missed something, no 1 sentence remove wheel/ drum assembly. Well I know where to get the answer!

First post when I search "rear brakes": Help! rear drums won't come off! LOL yeah this is the place!

Well now I am off to the auto parts store to get a rear brake drum puller, and I am going to get one big enough for a semi. Hell I would have been there for 2 weeks screaming at that thing.

THANKS AGAIN!

Brandon

[PodSquad48]

Finally got the drums popped... with some not so gentle persuasion. Problem is I split the thread on the end of the axle shaft, about 2 threads deep. My mechanic buddy (don't we all have one?!) said he's done this several times and would cut the damaged thread off with a band saw, make up a "thinner" nut to replace the castle nut, and put a set screw on the new one. Anyone have experience with this?

As a side note: This was worth the frustration, for everyone else out there... do not give up...they WILL come off! Thanks to everyone for their input!

[Plymouthy Adams]

usually the nut is left on and flush with the end so as to help prevent galling of the threads...if you have a thead file you may get it corrected that way..else you can split a nut of the same size on the band saw and tapit into good threads and work your way out and around and maybe restore the threads..remember also that any tight nut on a bolt can be be started and placed against an anvil and tap with a hammer aon each flat to make it ultimately spin free as a bird..

[1949windsor]

There is one of those pullers on e pay currently, not very much money yet.

Search 194* plymouth.

Went to the local parts store looking for one of these...Its an old school auto parts place called Top's auto in Anaheim CA. Manager laughed at me cause he knew what a Bit## these were to do as he had done several himself. Recommended a rental place basically across the street that had been there for over 30 years. Went in and it was hanging on the wall.

Drivers side came off without too much swearing...Passenger side not so much..it actually striped out one of the bolts from the drum and shot it into the wall:eek:

Decided to get new lug nuts that had not been in and out of the car for the last 60 years, luckily it was right hand thread. I reinstalled it back on the drum then tightened it with my impact wrench and started up the torch. after about 10 minutes of slowly heating up the hub on all sides decided to try my luck again with the hammer after about half a turn....POP and it was off. Replaced the outer seal for good measure cause of the heat. Without the torch though it was more inclined to use the lug nuts as projectiles.

1 last thing.... changed the front breaks using Charlies adapter. Parts are easier to find, WAY easier to adjust and install, stops better and at $300 per drum, Charlies adapters are the best $200 investment for the car!