70 c10 drum brakes not coming off

[Jacobswift70c10]

Hello everyone, I'm new to this whole forum thing so forgive me if I did something wrong. So I've begun restoring my grandpas 1970 Chevy c/10 but I can't seem to get the brake drums to budge. I tried several cans of lubricant and even beat on one with a sledge hammer till the outside broke off. But the front face of the drum still won't come off. Any suggestions on how to remove them?

[maxwedge]

Well they are ruined now, try some heat around the flange area of the drum, stuck to the hub's I assume not the linings.

[Schurkey]

Originally Posted by Jacobswift70c10

I can't seem to get the brake drums to budge. I tried several cans of lubricant and even beat on one with a sledge hammer till the outside broke off. But the front face of the drum still won't come off. Any suggestions on how to remove them?

Maybe you shouldn't be working on vehicles, especially safety-sensitive areas like brakes.

[Jacobswift70c10]

Originally Posted by Schurkey

Maybe you shouldn't be working on vehicles, especially safety-sensitive areas like brakes.

I'm sorry I didn't ask whether or not I should be working on it I was just asking for a suggestion on removing the drum. I read that hitting it with a hammer is a common solution to removing them if they're seized up and I obviously just hit it too many times because part of the DRUM, not the whole assembly, broke off. I only did this on one drum. I tried to adjust the brakes as well but that wasn't enough. I'll try heating them like the other guys suggested.

[777stickman]

Originally Posted by Jacobswift70c10

I'm sorry I didn't ask whether or not I should be working on it I was just asking for a suggestion on removing the drum. I read that hitting it with a hammer is a common solution to removing them if they're seized up and I obviously just hit it too many times because part of the DRUM, not the whole assembly, broke off. I only did this on one drum. I tried to adjust the brakes as well but that wasn't enough. I'll try heating them like the other guys suggested.

Jacob: 1st of all, welcome to AF. You're not the 1st to have this issue and these results. Max has the right idea for hopefully solving it and it has worked for me many times.

As far as the self proclaimed "dumbass". I have supported him on some of his "rants", but not on this one. He is currently in a discussion with the "fanatic" over OBD I vs OBD ll scan tools and has maybe let that discussion taint his response to you as a new member seeking good advise from us.

Bottom line is, we are here to try to advise you what to do rather than be critical of what you've maybe already done.

[Schurkey]

Wasting several cans of "lubricant", then beating the hell out of a brake drum with a sledgehammer until the drum shatters is not a confidence-inspiring move.

In MY driveway, I'd have pulled the caps, cotter-pins, and nuts, removed the outer wheel bearings. After removing the outer bearing, reinstall (only) the nut, slam the drum/hub ASSEMBLY off the spindle so that the nut and inner wheel bearing pop the wheel seal loose from the hub. Now you can clean and re-pack the wheel bearings, too.

Time to buy a real service manual, and research procedures for the rest of the brake job. I'm half-ass wondering if the drum is secured to the hub with rivets, or extended splines on the wheel studs. It's been thirty years since I've played with early '70s truck hubs.

[j cAT]

with something this old the brake shoes can stick to the drum / park brake cable should be adjusted so its got lots of slack.

you must use penetrating OIL /rust buster type products. WD-40 will not work. the drum is most likely rusted on the axle . on some vehicles there are threaded holes to use bolts to push off the drum. On a 1970 not .

cleaning the rusted axle / drum surface is best before starting so it will slide off. use sand paper and wire brushes .

spray the area around the axle and allow a few days for the lube to loosen the rust. another method would be to spray the penetrating oil using a straw to direct this oil into the rusted area from the back side insert at the top of the drum rear spray when straw is contacting the drum surface .this will run down and lube the back side..

taping the drum on the outer edges will allow the oil to flow into the rust faster but not using a big hammer.

do not use the old drums never cut a drum the drum radius must match the shoe radius . a cut drum is a bad drum. any lip on the drum braking edge is revealing a worn drum.

these brake shoes if very old have asbestos so I would wear a mask to prevent any breathing of the dust.

on the forums use you may find people helping you , have bad attitudes
there's a lot of anger out there now .
but you will still get the help ...... good luck .

[Jacobswift70c10]

Originally Posted by 777stickman

Jacob: 1st of all, welcome to AF. You're not the 1st to have this issue and these results. Max has the right idea for hopefully solving it and it has worked for me many times.

As far as the self proclaimed "dumbass". I have supported him on some of his "rants", but not on this one. He is currently in a discussion with the "fanatic" over OBD I vs OBD ll scan tools and has maybe let that discussion taint his response to you as a new member seeking good advise from us.

Bottom line is, we are here to try to advise you what to do rather than be critical of what you've maybe already done.

Thanks man really appreciate it

[j cAT]

Originally Posted by Jacobswift70c10

Thanks man really appreciate it

Did you get the drums off and replace the drums and shoes etc.... ?

[Jacobswift70c10]

Originally Posted by j cAT

Did you get the drums off and replace the drums and shoes etc.... ?

No, I haven't touched them recently because apparently I need to apply heat but don't have a way to do this yet. But it's the next step. Just been working on the engine. Started it up the other day for the first time in 20 years and it ran pretty well, so brakes are next.

[Schurkey]

Originally Posted by Jacobswift70c10

apparently I need to apply heat but don't have a way to do this yet.

Did you read my previous post? Apparently, you DON'T need to apply heat, and you never needed the "penetrating oil". Take the drum and the hub off the spindle TOGETHER.

There's no good reason to separate the hub from the drum at this point. The drum can be measured and reconditioned with the hub attached. We used to cut front drums with the hubs attached all the time...when we needed to. If the drum is salvageable, the drum never has to come off the hub. If the drum is genuinely junk--and the broken one almost certainly is, the other one might be--you can haul the drum and hub assemblies to a shop and pay to have them separate them. Simple, convenient, shouldn't be horribly expensive, and you've saved yourself a headache.

You will spend the rest of forever trying to heat the drum with a propane torch. MAPP-gas-substitute MIGHT be hot enough. Realistically, you'd need an oxy-acetylene "blue wrench", and I'd be surprised if you had that available.

There are some vehicles where the drums are semi-permanently attached to the hubs; either with separate rivets or an extra-long knurl on the wheel studs that digs into the metal of the drum. What I don't remember is, are the drums/hubs on your truck like that? A REAL service manual would be MOST helpful.

[j cAT]

Originally Posted by Jacobswift70c10

No, I haven't touched them recently because apparently I need to apply heat but don't have a way to do this yet. But it's the next step. Just been working on the engine. Started it up the other day for the first time in 20 years and it ran pretty well, so brakes are next.

if you spray rust buster type lubes not WD-40 as I did mention earlier from the back side using a spray straw and removal of rust on the front side at the axle bore hole of the drum and spray that after a few days of spraying it will loosen the rust.. placing a small cloth saturated with the lube will keep it wet .. there is only the wheel lugs that hold this drum on . also spray at the holes of the wheel studs to help break the bond of the drum to the axle flange. the axle removal is another method to remove the drum if its that bad. then if necessary apply heat to the drum at the drum bore and hit the drum with a hammer moderate force. I don't like putting too much heat on the axles since this can damage the metal distortions or change the metals hardness .. when your planning to start an engine that's been sitting for a long time which is like a boat engine . the plugs should be removed and place 1 OZ of MMO marvel mystery oil in each cylinder. then with plugs removed rotate engine by hand allow to sit for a few days so the oil can penetrate the rings. when engines sit too long the rings can bind on the cylinder walls then they can crack when using the power of the starter. the MMO will after a few hours work its way down threw the piston rings preventing this , also reduce any scratches.

[Jacobswift70c10]

Originally Posted by j cAT

if you spray rust buster type lubes not WD-40 as I did mention earlier from the back side using a spray straw and removal of rust on the front side at the axle bore hole of the drum and spray that after a few days of spraying it will loosen the rust.. placing a small cloth saturated with the lube will keep it wet .. there is only the wheel lugs that hold this drum on . also spray at the holes of the wheel studs to help break the bond of the drum to the axle flange. the axle removal is another method to remove the drum if its that bad. then if necessary apply heat to the drum at the drum bore and hit the drum with a hammer moderate force. I don't like putting too much heat on the axles since this can damage the metal distortions or change the metals hardness .. when your planning to start an engine that's been sitting for a long time which is like a boat engine . the plugs should be removed and place 1 OZ of MMO marvel mystery oil in each cylinder. then with plugs removed rotate engine by hand allow to sit for a few days so the oil can penetrate the rings. when engines sit too long the rings can bind on the cylinder walls then they can crack when using the power of the starter. the MMO will after a few hours work its way down threw the piston rings preventing this , also reduce any scratches.

Thanks for your opinion on the drums. As for the engine I've been using mmo in the cylinders for a few months now soaking them every time I work on it. Also already started it a few times. Thanks

[Jacobswift70c10]

Originally Posted by Schurkey

Did you read my previous post? Apparently, you DON'T need to apply heat, and you never needed the "penetrating oil". Take the drum and the hub off the spindle TOGETHER.

There's no good reason to separate the hub from the drum at this point. The drum can be measured and reconditioned with the hub attached. We used to cut front drums with the hubs attached all the time...when we needed to. If the drum is salvageable, the drum never has to come off the hub. If the drum is genuinely junk--and the broken one almost certainly is, the other one might be--you can haul the drum and hub assemblies to a shop and pay to have them separate them. Simple, convenient, shouldn't be horribly expensive, and you've saved yourself a headache.

You will spend the rest of forever trying to heat the drum with a propane torch. MAPP-gas-substitute MIGHT be hot enough. Realistically, you'd need an oxy-acetylene "blue wrench", and I'd be surprised if you had that available.

There are some vehicles where the drums are semi-permanently attached to the hubs; either with separate rivets or an extra-long knurl on the wheel studs that digs into the metal of the drum. What I don't remember is, are the drums/hubs on your truck like that? A REAL service manual would be MOST helpful.

After a closer look it does look like there are rivets but I can't confirm it. I think I I'll take the front two to a shop and have them remove the drums for me. The rear brakes are also drum but are secured differently. How would I remove the whole assembly from the rear axle?

[Schurkey]

Originally Posted by Jacobswift70c10

After a closer look it does look like there are rivets but I can't confirm it.

Post photos. It's been so long since I've dicked with the semi-permanently attached drums that I'd have to research the service procedure. Mostly, we just reconditioned the drums while still attached to the hubs, therefore the drums and hubs were never separated.

It would probably be worth your time to see what the parts stores are selling for front drums. Maybe the drums come with the hub assembly. Maybe not.

Originally Posted by Jacobswift70c10

I think I I'll take the front two to a shop and have them remove the drums for me. The rear brakes are also drum but are secured differently. How would I remove the whole assembly from the rear axle?

I think it's an EXCELLENT idea to take the vehicle to a shop. Have them remove the rear drums for you, too.

Even if you perform the brake job, having the shop remove the drums will make the rest go easier.