Tips on removing stuck brake drums

Try putting the puller on as tight as you can get it,take a
heavy hammer around to the other side hit the axle and it should
shock the other the other side loose.Have the rear axle off the
ground on both sides.

Reinstall nut backwards flush with end of the shaft, no washer. Shoes backed off. 5 legs on the puller works better than just 3, you may have to borrow a similar puller and use 2 from it. Moderate amount of heat on the hub area. Moderate hammer blows on end of puller. Keep putting tension on the puller. Patience, patience, patience.

Patience is the key!

When I watch my own employees get out the torch to warm something up that is stuck, they usually go after the smallest tip (and less intimidating) that they can find.

I'm more of a fan of putting a large amount of heat to the hub of the drum but for a relatively short amount of time. My take on it is that you want JUST the hub to get warm, and not the axle. If you take too small of an amount of heat to the hub, then the hub and the axle will warm up together, and that means they're just expanding at the same rate. A large amount of heat to the hub of the drum will expand it quickly and encourage it to free up from the tapered shaft, and you can remove the source of the heat sooner.

And then of course, sometimes the drum sees you coming with the torch, and it acquiesces and pops off practically before you can get the torch to it.

You can find videos on youtube showing how to remove a drum from a tapered shaft.

Ben, if all else fails I sell a drum puller that will take it off. But, shipping to Australia makes it a bit pricey. The puller is $75.00 plus shipping for your '54 with the threaded hole in the drum. Google "Les Fairbanks hub puller" to see it. Les

I got one off once by jacking the rear end up with the castle nut loosened, put it in gear and throttled up fwd., then rev. a few times and it broke lose. One real toughy I broke the puller on so I welded up a tower tall enough to accommodate a 10 ton portapower ram twixt the nut and the top of the bolted on mess I welded up and shot the juice to it but still had to heat the hub up with my torch and finally it popped.

Hi Ben

Are you using a real wheel puller? Like the one in this pic?? If not, get one and report back.

Have a nice day
Stevehttp://www.plymouthbulletin.com/images/dp-3.jpg

Well what a difference the right tool makes! Despite attempting to use my snap on "drum" pullers as mentioned earlier ( and bending a drum in the process" I went on a hunt for the right axle puller as many of you mentioned. I couldn't find one domestically so got one of Amazon... Arrived today after a few weeks and the drum literally fell off! Sure makes it easy! Now I can get this rear end rebuilt and I'll have a rolling chassis soon!

Hey Ben, can you share the Amazon link for the puller you purchased, or any other particulars in case others wish to make such a purchase?

Mark

Hi Mark. Certainly can. The puller I bought was this one
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005OH0JIC/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

There is a few more different types available on there (some cheaper and some more exy) but this is the only one that can be shipped o/s apparently

Interestingly enough, no tool supplier in Australia that I could find searching the www had one of these, snap-on don't and neither do some of the independent's!

As with all pullers a good amount of antiseize before using and your good to go.