Stuck Front Brake Drum

Joe Bronco

anybody got some ideas on separating a front brake drum from the wheel flange? tried heating with mapp gas. tried hammering bewtween the 5 studs. tried hitting it from the back side toward the outside of the vehicle.

even tried hooking two gear puller arms to the edge of the drum and trying to use that pressure to separate them. on every try I sprayed the center hole and the stud holes with 50/50 acetone/ATF.
View attachment 2001

I haven't worked on a Bronco's disk brake system or anything quite that old but I assume it is close to what is out there in the last 20 years. Take this with a grain of salt.

I know I have had trouble getting them off when the internal brake shoes are out expanded far enough that it won't get past a groove on the drum that has been created over time. Is there a way to turn the show adjuster on the back side to bring the pads in?

I've had trouble getting rotors off the hub also and I usually have to heat the intersection point at the spindle while someone is banging on it from the backside. It can be a bitch to get them apart sometimes. With the setup you have pictured, heat it up and bang on it with a BFH.

i think on the '68 i can get to the thumb wheel adjuster. i'll go out later today and have a look. thank you for the idea. will post what i find.

You have to take the hub and wheel bearings off to get the drum off. The drum and hub are pressed together by the wheel studs.

really? i totally missed that. even after going thru quite a few youtube videos. so i have to take the manual locking hub cover off, and then all the washers, nuts and snap rings in there? well i guess the added benefit is i can see the condition of the bearings, spindle, etc.

Joe Bronco

really? i totally missed that. even after going thru quite a few youtube videos. so i have to take the manual locking hub cover off, and then all the washers, nuts and snap rings in there? well i guess the added benefit is i can see the condition of the bearings, spindle, etc.

Correct

This video does a pretty good job of show it.

Snipes243

Correct

This video does a pretty good job of show it.

That video is better than the ones I watched the first time I did it. Watched several Videos and had some pics. Loosen the tension with the thumb adjuster and take out the guts ( just remember the order). I placed mine in ziplock bags. Hub should remove easily after that.

so i got the drum off today. the shoes were not an onstruction because i coud freely rotate the drum. i got it off by cutting a slot in the drum right above where the lugs are - careful not to damage the flange. once i could see the rusted connection where the flange had married itself to the inside of the drum i oiled it with acetone/ATF and let it sit. then the real magic was using an air chisel with plenty of oomph and air. hard to believe but no damage to the flange, wheel studs or even the old brake springs, shoes, etc which will be removed. thx to all who offered advice here.

Joe Bronco

so i got the drum off today. the shoes were not an onstruction because i coud freely rotate the drum. i got it off by cutting a slot in the drum right above where the lugs are - careful not to damage the flange. once i could see the rusted connection where the flange had married itself to the inside of the drum i oiled it with acetone/ATF and let it sit. then the real magic was using an air chisel with plenty of oomph and air. hard to believe but no damage to the flange, wheel studs or even the old brake springs, shoes, etc which will be removed. thx to all who offered advice here.

Wow, it definitely did not want to be taken off. Never heard of anyone having to go that aggressive to get one off. Lol
I love your tenacity. Glad you got it off!

thx Deano. a few good friends did encourage us to simply keep hitting it between the wheel studs and it eventually would likely have popped. but we had a full day of getting the t-case and tranny out so we needed to keep moving. we also noticed much of the hammer blows were being weakened by a loose nut on the top of the drag link so the drum was bouncing so that wasn't helping.

Are you switching over to a disc setup? Interested in which one you are going with if you are.

i don't have plans to move off of the drum brakes anytime soon. this bronco is for my 16 yeard old daughter to knock around on cape cod. she won't leave the cape. i did buy the vacuum brake assist upgrade with new master, all new wheel cylinders, lines and proportioning valve. and new parking brake re-build kit. i just decided to do all the wheel bearings, etc. up front, shocks, bushings, tie rod end -- and for about 1 minute thought maybe i should have just ordered a Dana 44 that already has the disc brake set-up - $3,000 for that. but i decided not to do that because i have a 4R70W arriving next week, the TC is being-rebuilt - and I have to get all the add-on's for the auto tranny. been a rough week over here in auto repair land for us but thinking the end is out there somewhere.

Joe Bronco

been a rough week over here in auto repair land for us but thinking the end is out there somewhere.

Is there really ever an end? ;)
Glad you're making progress!

thx, Deano. i guess there isn't but i hope there's a "ok, we can drive around here and there" phase :)

Are there any “bolt on” drum to disc conversions? Are there either aftermarket kits, or EASY parts bin add-one that will work?