Seized Brake Drum '78 C30 - HELP!

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tpripps

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I am trying to unstick the drivers side rear brake drum on my C30 Project. I've removed the wheel and have beating the tar out of it with a 6# sledge. I'd like to try to preserve it if possible since they're so expensive to replace but I can't do anything with it seized like this. I've also tried prying on the lugs with a pry bar (gently) to try to to put some spin on it. No dice. Next is heat and more pounding. Any suggestions? Y'all have been tremendously helpful so far.

Broken main leaf addressed in a separate post.


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SirRobyn0

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Hey buddy, that's not a slide off drum. That axle you have is called a full floater and it's on of the best in terms of weight hauling and durability.

To remove the drum you'll need to take the 8 bolts out on the end of the axle, that's those small bolts in your picture. Once those are out the axle will slide out. Inside of that will be a bearing set that will be somewhat similar to a front axle. After you disassembly the bearings the drum will come off.
 

Turbo4whl

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Tyler, you better get a book or watch some U tube videos.

That full floating axle drum is held on the hub with all 8 studs.

1) Take off the 8 axle bolts (center)
2) Remove the axle
3) Remove two axle nuts inside the hub
4) Now the hub, bearings and drum will all come off together
 

Blue Ox

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When you say seized you mean it's stuck to the shoes and won't turn, or as above you're just trying to pull the drum off?

If it's stuck to the shoes you can try to go through the backing plate port and push the adjuster lever out of the way and back off the star wheel to allow the shoes to retract more which may help them unstick.
 

Turbo4whl

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Tyler, 2 more quick points: Best to have a heavy piece of plywood under the jack when lifting a truck on a soft surface. A jack stand, also on wood is a missing safety too.
 

tpripps

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Tyler, 2 more quick points: Best to have a heavy piece of plywood under the jack when lifting a truck on a soft surface. A jack stand, also on wood is a missing safety too.

Thanks for the feedback but I had a 2 x 12 under the jack while jacking, now it's just sitting there. There are also 2 jack stands in concrete pads farther back out of the picture. This aint my first rodeo ;-)
 

FireTruck1984

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Hey buddy, that's not a slide off drum. That axle you have is called a full floater and it's on of the best in terms of weight hauling and durability.

To remove the drum you'll need to take the 8 bolts out on the end of the axle, that's those small bolts in your picture. Once those are out the axle will slide out. Inside of that will be a bearing set that will be somewhat similar to a front axle. After you disassembly the bearings the drum will come off.
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Turbo4whl

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Thanks for the feedback but I had a 2 x 12 under the jack while jacking, now it's just sitting there. There are also 2 jack stands in concrete pads farther back out of the picture. This aint my first rodeo ;-)

I am glad to hear this. The picture looked dangerous.
 

tpripps

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When you say seized you mean it's stuck to the shoes and won't turn, or as above you're just trying to pull the drum off?

If it's stuck to the shoes you can try to go through the backing plate port and push the adjuster lever out of the way and back off the star wheel to allow the shoes to retract more which may help them unstick.


Yes, the drum appears to be seized on the pads, or the bearings are seized altogether. I got the other side to turn but it feels pretty crusty. I'm just assuming the pads are seized to the drum. Eventually I'll want to pull the drum off but for now, I just want the truck to be mobile. i'll try loosening them up.
 

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Yes, the drum appears to be seized on the pads, or the bearings are seized altogether. I got the other side to turn but it feels pretty crusty. I'm just assuming the pads are seized to the drum. Eventually I'll want to pull the drum off but for now, I just want the truck to be mobile. i'll try loosening them up.

If it's stuck to the shoes you should be able to pick up a slight amount of movement because of slack in the assembly. If not there may be more to it. Let us know how the unloosening goes.
 

SirRobyn0

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That's a picture of me!!!!!

Funny side story, I use to work in shop years ago that the building was built in 1910. It was this funky L shaped building that once had an apartment over the oldest half, which we used for parts storage. The bathroom was added on. It looked like it hadn't been given much love in the last 50 years and the office was extremely small. Yet it the door to the parking lot opened in, against current code it was grandfathered in. The office was so small a notch was cut out of the front counter so the door wouldn't hit it. Despite the signs people would also try to open the door the opposite way. Sometimes it could be quite comical. Sometime I'll have to tell you all a story about that place.
 

Vbb199

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He said it wont spin, has nothing to do with removing it .


Have you tried backing off the star wheel that sets drum brake adjustment?

Its accessible thru the backplate in a rectangular hole.
 

Blue Ox

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He said it wont spin, has nothing to do with removing it .


Have you tried backing off the star wheel that sets drum brake adjustment?

Its accessible thru the backplate in a rectangular hole.

That's a great idea.

Wish I had thought of that.
 

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