I am trying to remove a brake drum from my 1940 Chevy sedan. It has the original from suspension and brakes. My repair manual does not say how to remove the front brake drums and it is very vague about the rear drums. The book says two remove the two screws from the face of the drum and remove the drum. That was for the rear. There are no screws on the face of the front drum. I can't find an adjusting wheel either. This is my first time working on drum brakes. Does anyone know how to remove the brake drums? Thanks Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
The adjusting wheel is through that little window on the inside. Take a heavy hammer and whack the drum on all sides. Spray some PB Blaster on the inside edge, and lug threads, pretty much everywhere. Keep tapping and wiggling it and lubing and it'll eventually come off, its just rusty. If that doesnt work come back.
Front drum is riveted to the bearing hub. You never take the rivets out until you replace with a new drum, and reuse the hub. To take the fronts off; pry off the center grease cap. Clean off the grease to see there is a nut with cotter pin. Take out the pin, then the nut. Now slide the hub/drum off as one piece......after you have backed off on the star wheel adjusters already mentioned on the backside of the backing plate
I removed the nut under the grease cap and the drum came right off. Thank you so much for the help. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Some suggest removing the rivets is is another method. What problems can be caused by removing them? Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Just like all rivets, after grinding the heads off, the swelled rivet core is still holding the drum on. Then if you use a punch, it may make them come out or get stuck more During rivet removal on those, to put a new drum on, it is normally done with the assembly removed, and a deep socket on the backside to support the flange, before punching the rivets out
My mistake there, I thought the rear's were the ones in question. Glad it was simple enough. One thing that messed with my head when I was first learning on my 50 cadillac is that (I think the driver side) is reverse threaded. So righty loosey.
I will be ordering new brake shoes, wheel cylinders, rubber hoses and hardware. Surprisingly the brake drums aren't too bad. I should be able to put them on the lathe and clean them up with some sandpaper. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
If those rivets get real stuck, after grinding off the heads, drill through the rivet shaft with a 3/16 bit, and then use the above method to punch out. Front and rear drums are the same from memory. I have seen the front drums trashed by someone using a BFH until he figured out that the drum and hub is all one unit!
I haven't tried to take the rear drums off yet. If I have to drill out some rivets. I will follow your advice. I am assuming that all of the brakes are in bad condition. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
When looking for wheel cylinders, I see two options for front brakes, I beam axle and independent front suspension. I'm assuming I need the ones for I beam axles. Is this correct? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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