Brake Drum Removal Tool

[william leatherman]

Any recommendations in the current marketplace??? Specifics would be helpful.

It scares me what I'm doing to remove my brake drums. I've contemplated the Porsche Tool, looked at EMPI ring to modify for prying, I saw demonstrated a puller (snapon) where center screw goes in to pull drum off spindle.

What's anybody else using. Can It br purchased online ???

[Chuck House]

Any recommendations in the current marketplace??? Specifics would be helpful.

It scares me what I'm doing to remove my brake drums. I've contemplated the Porsche Tool, looked at EMPI ring to modify for prying, I saw demonstrated a puller (snapon) where center screw goes in to pull drum off spindle.

What's anybody else using. Can It br purchased online ???

I've never used a drum puller! Put the wheel back on and use the leverage of the wheel to rock back and forth. Turn the drum so you can access the brake adjust star and back them off (remember, the fronts have two adjustment stars). I've removed drums which were completely seized - I mean if you pulled the car with a winch, the tires would just leave skid marks and wouldn't turn. In that case you need a torch, even a propane one will work. Heat the drum evenly for several minutes until it is quite hot to the touch. Use a dead blow hammer (or another hammer which is heavy but won't mark the drum) and beat around the perimeter. Heat the drum again then put the wheel on with three lug nuts and use the leverage of the wheel back and forth. Usually the drum will start to turn although it may be difficult. Turn so you can back off the adjusters then leverage/pull the drum off with the tire/wheel attached. Works every time although with varying degree of expletives.

[Jim Nelson]

I couldn't get mine off until I removed the bolts for the wheel cylinders, which I was replacing anyway. Like Chuck said, with varying combinations of expletives....

[Michael Eker]

The drum could be rusted to the shaft splines.

You could try spraying Kroil over the join several times and leaving it overnight, or even

for a couple of days.

http://www.kanolabs.com/

I once had to free a druml on a truck rear axle that would not budge, we tried pullers,heat,

oil, brute force, and ignorance, still it would not come off.

Eventually we put the wheel back on and hit the TIRE from the back simultaneously with

two sledge hammers at opposite sides. The dashed thing then slowly came off.

It is amazing the bond rust can have between two surfaces.

Make sure you lube the splines when you put it back together.

meker

[Dick Weiss]

Chuck,

The rear brakes also have 2-adjusting star-nuts on each axle.

Dick

[Adam Wright]

Several years ago I was buying an SC from a guy in Maryland. He was shutting his shop down so Big John's eagle eye was spying stuff we could use. He dug around and found a drum puller for a Chrysler. $20 and it has made our lives immeasurably easier. It's big and bulky but cheap and does the job.
This was the SC, it had been locked away since 1969 due to a blown motor. A college student was driving to class, was late, and told her mechanic "all those lights on the dash were flashing, but I was late"

[Martin Benade]

A drum puller may ruin the drum, but sometimes it is worth it just to get it off.