VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - GENERAL Mechanical - Engine, Trans, etc Removing brake drums

Am I correct in assuming that the brake drum should come off after you've pulled the wheel off? In other words, no other attachments? Mine seem pretty frozen onto the center spindle, unless I've overlooked something. Any tips other than PB Blaster and some heat?

This is on a 41 4 door.

Are you trying the front or rear drums?

If the rear, remember that the PARKING BRAKE needs to be OFF.

Don't use any spray lub on it anywhere... too much risk getting it on the brake linings.

I'm on the front. The back is yet to come, but thanks for the heads up on the parking brake!

Do you have a 1941 shop manual? The manual gives instructions on how to remove the front brake drums.

After the spindle nut and the outer bearing, reach through the access hole in the backing plate and, using a tool designed for that purpose or a flat tip screwdriver, turn the brake adjustment counterclockwise as you are looking at it from the front to rear or rear to front of the car. (The other way will tighten it.) This, of course, can be done before you take the nut or wheel off.

After doing that you may have to run a flat tip screwdriver in between the backing plate and the drum and gradually work it off.

In case the drum is stuck to the linings, you may have to sacrifice the linings and start using a hammer. Use the hammer as a last resort and start out by using a small one with the idea of helping loosen the linings from the drum. Keep working at it. Each time you use the screwdriver(s) you will likely break a section of the linings away from the drum. Eventually you will break them loose.

Also is it is stuck you may want to put the wheel back on and pull the car to break the drum loose. May not work though. I pulled a mustang until i wore through the tire and it blew. Had to break the drum apart with a big hammer and replace the drum with another one. Mercy!

Good luck,
Charlie

Thanks for the tips. The good news is that the brake pads aren't stuck. I can rotate the drum. I think the thing with these old cars is I'm often overly worried about breaking something that would be hard to replace, so I err on the gentle side.

Paul,

Just to add to what Charlie said in his post, there are 2 wheel nuts on the wheel cylinder to loosen brake shoes. One in front of the spindle and one behind the spindle. There are 2 access holes on the backing plate. Should have either rubber plugs or metal plugs in the holes to be removed first. If you loosened just one, lining could still be dragging not allowing drum to come off. Maybe just flapping my jaws here as you probably got this all figured out anyway.

Best to you.

Jim.

Thank you Jim. I finally got them off. Pulling the bearings helped considerably. I didn't realize that was the setup.