Getting rusted drum off

RatLabGuy

RatLabGuy

You look like a monkey and smell like one too
Joined
May 18, 2005
Location
Churchville, MD
93 Toy pickup. Tons of rust. Rear brake drums haven't been off in many years.
With some profanity and a little coersion and pounding I managed to get one off but the other oesn't even have any wiggle on the hub at all. Luckily (?) there's a section of the lower part of the rear dust cover that has rusted away so I can get to the backside of drum lip just enough to pund w/ a hammer, but no luck.
I thas holes in the face but none are threaded (or once were but have rusted away).

Any cool tricks? I need to get a new can of comrpessed air, maybe a heat-> cold shock will help?
 
PB Blaster or something like that. Spray it around the studs and the center bore shoulder. Then grab a hammer and smack the face of the drum between all the studs to get it to break loose from the axle flange. Heat may help.
 
Add to Croatians comment, I’ve always heard use a Ball on the ball peen hammer to smack between the studs.

Had to do this other day with a drum that wouldn’t move.
 
Yep - what they said.
If it were me I’d spray all the lug studs and the center hub (if present) with a mix of acetone and atf and let it sit 24 hours. Come back and spray it again and then start beating it as above.

In my experience any hits from the back side only serve to break the drum.

Of course you know this but critical to hit it /break it - all around so as to not wedge it
 
Outside edge seems to help, especially if you think it shifted and is wedged. Don't hit it from the back. Hit it from the outside. Counterintuitive, but it works.
 
I've broken at least one drum in my life trying to beat it free from the back side. Don't do that unless you plan on replacing the drums.
 
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mbalbritton said:
Add to Croatians comment, I’ve always heard use a Ball on the ball peen hammer to smack between the studs.

Had to do this other day with a drum that wouldn’t move.
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Off subject, but just so nobody is confused as it's happened before...

I'm a white dude, from NC, with English and Scottish ancestry :lol:
 
120 is cheaper than my time and PIA factor.
IMG_5449.png
 
StretchASU said:
It's a toyota mini truck rear axle. Time value of money says buy another Toyota axle for $100 and put that in.
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Up around here mid 90s axles are not easy to find
 
Heat the hub were it meets the flange of the hub with a torch it will come right off. A propane torch will work to it just takes longer to heat it up
 
RatLabGuy said:
Lets say a dude tried all the above suggestions with no luck and agrees with you.
To replace them its still gotta come off, even w/o care of damage of the drum

How would one cut it so as to not F up the axle hub and hardware inside? Can't just slice down the middle of the face.
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Just use the 4.5” cutoff wheel to score the drum. You still have to use a hammer and cold chisel. On the outer face you can cut into it till you hit the shoes go across the face (thinnest part of the drum) and in between the lugs. Really should only have to make one slice say from like noon to 6
 
The drum is stuck where the lug studs go through it right? Put a lug nut on them and hammer them back through the axle flange a little and the drum should release.
 
Jody Treadway said:
Damn scientists 😁
Rust penetrant around hub and stud holes.
Take a heathy ball peen hammer, hit all around the outer circumference of the drum, smack in between the studs in the face, like REALLY hit it.
Repeat until it pops off.
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Did all of these. Sunday and monday. No workie. Generated quite the nice pile of rust dust though.
R Q said:
The drum is stuck where the lug studs go through it right? Put a lug nut on them and hammer them back through the axle flange a little and the drum should release.
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I don't now if thats it. Its not budging against the axle flange at all, the only movement I'm getting is the axle in its bearing. I think the two faces are rusted together.
skyhighZJ said:
Just use the 4.5” cutoff wheel to score the drum. You still have to use a hammer and cold chisel. On the outer face you can cut into it till you hit the shoes go across the face (thinnest part of the drum) and in between the lugs. Really should only have to make one slice say from like noon to 6
Click to expand...
I guess this may be it. I just don't want to mar up any of the axle flange face etc b/c replacing that is gonna become a major profanity fest w/ all this rust.
 
Big ass 2 or 3 jaw puller.Had to do that to both rear drums on Jakes 71 Deville.Old guy parked it in the barn in 1980 something w the e brake on.Only downside is you can kiss the brake hardware good bye.
 
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