Pulling Brake Drums

[SydneyM37]

Hi guys,

I am trying to remove my drums so i can spruice up my brake cylinders, i am trying to remove the 3 screws that hold the drum on.

I have tried an impact driver, massive screwdriver, big hamer and punch ( too shock the $%&(# out of the screw, to no avail.

Are these things left and right thread like the wheel nuts. ?

What gives, should they be this tight ?

Bruce McCann

[BILL L]

They are standard thread. I use an air impact hammer with a chisel and just back them out. Heat might help. As a last resort drill the heads off and fight with what remains. Use anti seize on the new ones.

[monkeybone]

the srews are tapered heads so there's a lot of surface area for the rust to grab hold of ..on mine the threads were'nt the issue ...i drilled the heads off and went to drill the threads out and the bit just turned the threads thru the other side. when you put them back in use anti-sieze as Bill said but make sure to put it on the taper also...i used stainless allen heads and have'nt had an issue since.

[jbxx]

(1) do you remember where you got the stainless steel screws?
(2) if I remember right these screws just hold the drum on when the wheel is off, I think I remember somewhere someone saying to just leave them off. Not recomending it, just something I remember hearing.
J.B.

[monkeybone]

hey jbxx...i picked them up at true value hardware ...pretty sure home depot and lowes would have them also

[Rich]

Sydney 37,
First a good penetrating oil, I used PB Blaster. Let it soak, If you have a manual impact driver, the kind you hit with a hammer, use it first work around all 3 screws. I used it both forward and reverse. The bit for this impact is tapered, this drives the bit in tight. Next I went to an air impact using the same bit(my manual impact is also half inch drive) I worked the bit in the screw back and forth, on and off. I also used more PB Blaster.
When I had enough Iwent inside and tried it again the next day and the screws removed with the air impact. Yes I did break the bit once but I ground the break off and continued to use the bit.
When I got the drums off the brakes were very worn, they probably had not been serviced since it left the Depot in 1977.
Rich Szklany

[powerwagontim]

All of the above suggestions are great, but let me offer another. Pull your drum and hub off as a unit, then with the drum sitting on the floor, you can attack it with a lot more effect. Heat is your friend. I ground a drag link socket to fit and use it in my air impact. You need to get it nice and straight and ease in with the trigger but once it starts hammering it will usually back out. I bet I have pulled a hundred of them and have never needed to drill one out, or have one break off etc
The Power Wagon manual says to use a punch to turn them, it works but seems way too crude.
Tim

[SydneyM37]

Thanks for your input, ishall see how it goes, with the possibility that i will be replacing these screws, does anyoe know of the size, so i can get some more of the same.

Bruce

[powerwagontim]

Bruce,
If memory serves, they are a 3/8 - 16 (by 3/4" long, Flat head screw.
I have a coffee can full of them but postage to Australia might not be worthwhile.
tim

[George in MI]

Vintage has those screws...give them a call or check them online

[Nickathome]

(1) do you remember where you got the stainless steel screws?
(2) if I remember right these screws just hold the drum on when the wheel is off, I think I remember somewhere someone saying to just leave them off. Not recomending it, just something I remember hearing.
J.B.

These screws are pretty common. Any mom and pop hardware store should have them. Worse comes to worse you could buy some 3/8ths flat head bolts and cut them to size...... I also got mine at true Value.