Brake drums stuck to the carrier-hub

Edbert · Jul 22, 2005

Anybody ever seen this before? I have a pair of front brake drums with the hubs basically glued to them due to age. I have let them soak in penetrating oil for over a week and it seems to have stopped soakinig in. I have used a small claw hammer and rapped on the inside portion where the mating surface is as well as on the back of the wheel studs. I may get more force if I hit it from the other side (outside of the car if they were mounted), but I am uncertain of where to hit safely. I have a 5-pound sledge but was hoping to not need the BFH.

I haven't worked on drum brakes since I sold the Fairlane-500 (1979), anyone know the trick to getting the drums off the hubs or vice versa?

Dejavu · Jul 22, 2005

I had a 66 where the shoes rusted to the drums and had to be pried off with a long crowbar. Basically pulled till the shoes popped off the retaining pins, I was junking the whole assembly anyway so damge to backing plates didn't matter.
Good luck

red65 · Jul 22, 2005

It's been a little while since I worked on front drums as well, but my memory is that front drums aren't meant to separate from their hubs. They're pressed/staked/glued/held on by magic pixie dust - whatever - and don't come off without pressing them apart.

Rear drums, on the other hand, come off readily (unless the pixie dust leaked to the back)...

2nd Mustang · Jul 22, 2005

I don't know if this is the same, but I had a dune buggy that I let the shoes wear down too far. When they got wet and I set the parking brake, they flash rusted to the drums. They wouldn't release the next day so used my big hammer and pounded on the backing plate out of frustration and it released them.

Edbert · Jul 22, 2005

Maybe I was not very clear. The hubs and drums are off the car. There are no shoes or backing plates in the picture. I do not care what happens to these drums either, I just need the hubs (would rather not have to replace the studs so I am leery of damaging them).

The hubs sell new for about $65 each, I bought these used and the seller shipped my hubs with the drums attached

I looked in the factory Shop Manual for illustrations but it does not show the hub/drum/spindle arrangement well at all. These will be used with 13-inch Cobra rotors and calipers via the adapter bracket from "Mustang Steve".

oz · Jul 22, 2005

Try heating the drum with a torch (propane or something hotter) near where it's stuck. The expansion of the drum should release it from the hub. Try 'pursuading' it apart when it's hot.

ForceFed70 · Jul 22, 2005

They can be a real PITA.

Consider taking them to a brake shop and paying them a few $$ to press them apart for you. They run into this quite often.

66HertzClone · Jul 22, 2005

You should try and remove the wheel studs. Normally the grooves on the stud extends just beyond the surface of the drum. When they are assembled the studs are compressed slightly to sort of expand the stud outside the drum to keep it and the hub tight together.

Your options are using a cutoff wheel and slicing the stud off at the surface of the drum or using something to support the hub from behind while you beat the studs out with a BFH. The second option could damage the hub (bend) so it will take some care to prevent the damage.

Of course, the third option is to pay someone to separate them for you.......

oz · Jul 22, 2005

Perhaps he could press them apart himself in a vice?

302 coupe · Jul 22, 2005

if you don't care about the drums, whack 'em with a BFH, they'll split and come right off of those hubs.

Edbert · Jul 22, 2005

Okay guys, thanks for the tips. I'll start with butane torch and claw hammer. If that don't do it then the sledge comes out.

Do you think the drums could be broken with a 5 pound sledge? I hadn't thought of that but it IS an option. If I still can't get her I'll find a shop with a hydraulic press.

I'll be doing a write up of of the "Mustang Steve" caliper plates when this is all done.

302 coupe · Jul 22, 2005

I always just hold 'em up over my head and drop 'em a few times onto the concrete. That might damage the hub though, so I recomended the BFH. But I think a 5lbFH would work ok.

66StangFastback · Jul 22, 2005

I replaced the brakes on mine yesterday. Getting the drums off was a PITA. We soaked them with liquid wrench or WD40 or something, maybe brake cleaner, then just beat them into submission with a rubber mallet and finally the separated. That was when the spindles were still attached to the control arms though. We weren't throwing anything out so we used the rubber mallet rather than beating them with a real hammer.

brianj5600 · Jul 22, 2005

I used a block of wood and a big hammer. That should not cause damage to the hub.

pabear89 · Jul 22, 2005

Mmmmmmmmmmm, spend 10 bucks and have them pressed out with no damage,
Or spend the Afternoon saying bad things at it sweating away.
I'll take the 10 job and have my coffee and watch.

Thats till I get a spot for a press.

PB

brianj5600 · Jul 22, 2005

Mine came apart faster than I could have got out of my neighborhood. No cussing, no money, no damage, no sweat, no time, no problem.

Edbert · Jul 24, 2005

I didn't even try the torch or the claw hammer...went straight for the BFH. Had them apart ("apart" is an understatement) in about 3 whacks each, less time than it would have taken to make that pot of coffee

Pbum5 · Jul 24, 2005

I forgot to tell you that I wanted my drums back!!!!!!! JK.

Gald you got it apart..

Edbert · Jul 24, 2005

Pbum5 said:
I forgot to tell you that I wanted my drums back!!!!!!! JK.

Gald you got it apart..

Did a test fit of the 13-inch Cobra rotors and calipers this morning. There's an issue I'll have to ask Steve about but figured I'd share some pictures...

Old versus new.

The adapter bracket.

The drum brake hub.

The issue I have to ask Steve about.

Rotor and caliper in place.

Just another angle.

Wheel on.

65up2d8 · Jul 24, 2005

Beautiful.

Brake drums stuck to the carrier-hub

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