Rear drum removal - the hard way

[rpugh]

I just joined the site, thanks for all the information.

I was unable to remove my drums over the weekend... I tried to use the 'star wheel' adjuster like book says, but it was rusted beyond use.

Rather than going at it with a sledge hammer, I rented a drum puller and took them off. It was a real fight. The drums need replacing. It looks like they were going to need replacing before I pulled them off though.

I haven't seen any posts about others using a puller, was this the wrong thing to do? I hope not!!!

I haven't yet finished putting it back together so I thought I check in here.

Thanks alot.

 

[Crunchy]

When my drums were stuck/siezed, I went into one of those "free brake inspection" places.

I sat back, had my free coffee, and watched them take 2 hours to take my drums off.

They came back and told me my brakes were shot, and needed new cylinders as well for a total of $500.

I said thanks, put it back together so I can go home and do it myself.

 

[BlackBII]

Nice! ^^

 

[MAKG]

If it's that rusty in there, I'd do a major brake job, including drums and all hardware.

Then, you really don't care about the puller. It might have damaged something (or not), but you're replacing it.

Replacement drums aren't significantly more expensive than having yours resurfaced. Just make sure you try the "ring test" on it before you install (whether or not you replace it). That's a quick test for cracks -- suspend the drum by a wire and ring it with a ratchet handle or somesuch. If it goes "thud," it's cracked.

 

[Zachalanche]

I've bent drums using a puller before. but at that point i was starting to run out of ideas and the drums were rusted to the axle, not bound by the pads.

 

[snoopjonnyjon]

If it's that rusty in there, I'd do a major brake job, including drums and all hardware.

Then, you really don't care about the puller. It might have damaged something (or not), but you're replacing it.

Replacement drums aren't significantly more expensive than having yours resurfaced. Just make sure you try the "ring test" on it before you install (whether or not you replace it). That's a quick test for cracks -- suspend the drum by a wire and ring it with a ratchet handle or somesuch. If it goes "thud," it's cracked.

I agree, brake parts are cheap. It cost me $300 to replace drums, cylinders, shoes, park brake cables, star adjusters, and a new all springs and other hardware. The only thing I reused was the backing plates.

 

[okietheranger]

When my drums were stuck/siezed, I went into one of those "free brake inspection" places.

I sat back, had my free coffee, and watched them take 2 hours to take my drums off.

They came back and told me my brakes were shot, and needed new cylinders as well for a total of $500.

I said thanks, put it back together so I can go home and do it myself.

now that is some funny ass shit LMAO!!

 

[razrwild]

gotta love free inspections. I do that from time to time when I buy a new vehicle, take it in for an oil change with however many point inspection to see if they find anything I missed.

Never used a drum puller, I usually take a deadblow or rubber mallet and tap the drum back and forth to pull it off

 

[Captain Ledd]

Every brake Job I've done I've put a real thin coat of either brake caliper grease or white lithium grease on the axle flange and brake drum where they mate with eachother. Makes it LOADS easier to take apart later. I've never had an issue with it getting on the pads, but I put a pretty thin coat on and spread it around good.

I also put a similar coat on the backsides of my Rims where they sit against the drum and rotor, helps keep them from sticking to it as much either.

I'm right in the salt belt (Michigan) so I try to take more precautions than usual in regards to corrosion.

One of the first times I had to do the drums on the truck I had to use a 3-jaw puller, and bowed the outer edge of the drum out at least half an inch. Could hear it cracking and I kept trying my darnedest to stay out of the way lol. Eventually it sprang off with an ear shattering clang.

 

[MAKG]

If you're worried about the drum rusting on, you can put Nev-R-Seez on the flange.

And paint the outside of the drum and the exposed part of the flange with exhaust manifold paint (or Duplicolor High Heat).

 

[rpugh]

Got everything back together...

I did NOT bleed them though. I made sure MC was full (added a little),
started truck, pedal seems strong. Drove around block ok - no noise, nothing fell off!

Question is how do you test that the rears ARE working properly though? You are not supposed to go hard on them right away, right?
Is putting the rear back on jackstands and carefully putting it in drive/apply brakes a bad idea?

Thanks for the help.

 

[MAKG]

It's a good idea to do that. It will give you an authoritative answer.

Bleeding is only necessary if you open the hydraulics. Not for just a brake job.

 

[slimchriz]

to test the rears I:

1.Drive fast
2.Depress Brake pedel

Its the best method I came accross so far.

But seriously I just did mine when I took the drum off springs and misc stuff fell out so had to replace everything.

But know when I hit the brakes hard the front no longer Drives like it did

 

[Crunchy]

Now its time to do some "stop and go's" in reverse for a while to adjust your parking brake.

 

[valleyvinyl84]

Now its time to do some "stop and go's" in reverse for a while to adjust your parking brake.

I always get weird looks from the neighbors when I do that on the road behind my house.