Okay, my '84 3.73/posi/disc axle blew the center, so I put in a junkyard axle, from an '88 Camaro 2.8. I can't get the blippin' drum off the passenger side!! When I first got the axle, neither drum would come off. I backed the shoes off of both, used a ton of penetrant, etc. I figured "hell with it", and just put the axle on, figuring the drums needed some heat/vibration from driving to loosen up.

Well, yesterday, both were still frozen. I backed the shoes off again, and managed to knock the driver's side one free. Ever notice how the holes in the drum are a bit overdrilled for the axleshaft studs? Well, I put penetrant all over the place (again), and put the five lugs back on. Then I used a hammer to smack the lug nuts sideways; in order to make the axleshaft hub move independantly of the drum. It worked; I got the driver's side drum off.

But the passenger one is still STUCK on there!!! What the hell do I have to do to get it off? I finally "had it", and started smacking the crap out of the drum with a hammer... and it wasn't a friendly smacking, either. It still seems to be frozen to the axleshaft.

Any ideas?? The e-brake cable on that side is messed up; I need to replace it, and I don't even know what kind of brakes are under that drum! I'm half ready to just pull the rear cover, remove the differential's lock bolt & pin, and remove the axleshaft, with the drum still attached. Although, last time I tried that, I snapped the lock bolt in half. I really don't want to do that... I don't want to touch the center section at all.

Any hints? Please?

Oh- and I backed the shoes off on that problem drum so far that the adjustment screw bottomed out. There was absolutely no drag on the drum as I spun it. Even if I put a hand on each side of the drum, and push with one hand while I pull with the other, nothing moves. Grrr...

Thanks!

 

BFH, might break a few springs and small parts, but it'll get the drum off. there's nothing you can really hurt that can't be replaced. far as that goes i never tried but i bet if you cut a small groove across the drum the used the BFH and a chisle it'd split ,then buy new drum.

 

Yeah man. Drastic times call for drastic measures. Sometimes you have to destroy to rebuild. Like you said, lord knows what the parts look like anyway, and don't you have another rear that just came off the car for parts? I'd do the cut it / chisel it thing myself. Whacking the hell out of it w/ a hammer should be reserved for special heat of the moment exchanges IMHO.

 

take a good wire brushing all around where the axle meets the drum to remove all the scale. with your bfh, you hit the center of the axle to get the drum to pop loose. you will have to work it a while, hillint the axle and wiggling the drum to get it off. avoid hitting the studs if you can. heat and penetrating fluid never hurt.
jess

 

Yeah; I could chisel it apart... so either way this is going to be a pain in the *** job, eh? Damn. Well at least it's good to know I wasn't going about it all wrong! Should I slice across the center of the drum, with, I guess, a hacksaw? Or maybe I should use my air-powered cut-off tool? It'd be a good excuse to buy a new disc for the thing.

Jdrobley, why hit the center of the axle? That'll work? That's probably the one thing I didn't beat the hell out of. Now that you mention it, there were some odd marks in the center of that hub. I thought someone tried to put a center cap on a wheel and it interfered with the axle; maybe the previous guy was hitting the center?

Oh & wouldn't heat ruin the temper of the drum and axle? Or should I not worry about it, since drums heat up anyway?

 

how about a three-jaw gear puller? you'd prolly have to wedge a rod of some sort between two of the studs to keep the drum from turning while you tighten the puller.

 

it kind of works off the same principle that when you want to get a ball joint out, you loosen the nut and hit the back side of the spindle where the ball joint stud goes through. the metal vibrates and kicks or pops the other piece loose. i never use a ball joint/tie rod seperator. they just tear the boot up and bend.

as far as chiseling, don't waste your time. you'll just screw things up and hit your hand a bunch.

as for the heat. you have to know how you should heat things to remove them. only heat half a side. never heat two pieces that you want to seperate to gether. it all has to do with metal expansin rates. you shouldn't wreeck anything unless you try to quench it. let it air cool. some hammer forging might occure.

you should follow my origional instructions. clean good. hammer in the center until it breaks loose. work it near the end with hammer and wiggling. then pry and hammer it off. it might snug up near the end because of yours and others. prior hammering. you can take any lip off with a little grinder, but i usually just pop mine off.

last note - make sure you really did back the brakes off. each side turns dirrefently and every one, including myself, is prone to stupid mistakes.
jess

 

Cut the brake show retaining pins from behind the backing plate. Soak the center of the drum where it touches the axle in a good oil like "PB Blaster" not WD40.

 

usually alot of heat from a torch, propane or other with some type of wd-40 or similar sprayed on the center area and lug stud area will loosen it up.

 

This is a few ways I used to do it when I worked at a brake shop...

1). Get a BFH. (If you swing a hammer with your right hand), use your left hand and try to pull the drum towards you as you beat on the SIDE on the drum with the BFH. (Make sure you are wearing eye protection!!!) Rotate the drum after ever few hits. Sooner or later it'll start to move forward.

2). If you have a oxy-acl torch, heat the area of the drum between each stud. Start between two studs, get it a little red, then move to the next. Keep doing this for about 2-3 minutes. Get some really good heat-resistant gloves and repeat step 1 above.

As long as you have the brake shoes pulled away from the drum AND the e-brake cables aren't frozen, the drums will come off.

Hitting the axle hub to get the drum off really doesn't do all the much. Here's why....

1). The axle is only going to move IN a a VERY short distance. The internal end of the axle will hit the pinion pin.

2). As the axle moves in, the only thing which will apply pressure against the drum is the backing plate. Take a screwdriver to a backing plate and you'll see how flexible those things are!!!

Good luck,
Mike

 

John's suggestion of using PB Blaster is a good one. I use Free All and think it is a very good solvent, also. A good soaking with some of that stuff and some hammering around the braking area of the drum should vibrate the drum loose from the hub. Just pulling the drum with one hand while hammering the drum should free it. If all else fails, you could cut it off with a torch or a grinder.

 

Gas-axe it off there and go find another drum. It probably isn't in very good condition now anyway.

 

i have a disk brake rear on my car. when i did the posi in my rear i couldn't get the dam rotor off. my dad brought something home from his work. i believe it was called a "strong back puller". pulled the rotors off with no problem. i don't know if this will work on drums. couldn't hurt to give it a try, if you have access to one.

 

Thanks for all the ideas, guys! John, I did try a ton of PB Blaster (bought it because of all the rave reviews of you guys), but it didn't budge. I'll just have to try more, I suppose. Plus there's no way to keep the drum soaked in it; if I could stand the axle on end, in a drum of oil, it'd be a lot easier. I just have to keep spraying and hope it eventually bites in.

I'll try some of this stuff when the weekend rolls around. I don't have access to a cutting torch (I just have a MIG), but I think my dad has a propane torch somewhere. Maybe that'll make enough heat to get the damned drum off.

You guys think I'll cause any damage to the pinion pin or c-clips by doing all this banging? I know the axle takes more abuse by driving; but it's a different kind of abuse...

 

Get a grinder and just cut it off