Brake drum removal - 1932 Marmon

[ricosan]

Hey guys,

 I’m trying to remove the rear brake drums from my 1932 Marmon. I’ve attached a hub puller

to the drum and wound it up pretty tight.  I sprayed a penetrating oil at the axle/hub area and allowed it to sit overnight.  With the puller attached, I heated the axle/hub area (small propane torch) and gave the tip of the threaded rod a few good whacks. It won’t budge.

Any suggestions of something else to try?

Richard

[plymouthcranbrook]

Well if Mopars are similar and it looks like they are my best success has been to keep pressure on the drum and over time slowly tighten the puller.  The every once in a while give the end of the puller a good smack with a robust hammer.  Looks like you have a very good puller and from what I can see you have left the nut on the spindle. When it comes loose you don’t want it to fly across the garage.   Be patient and I suspect you will succeed.

[edinmass]

First, wrap a tie down around the drum......they have a nasty habit of flying five or six feet when they finally part way...........

 

You can really crank down hard on the puller......than hit it with a sledge ........being careful not to hit the car, or your leg. I have had pullers on a drum for a week or more before it let go. Makes a big noise........take you time, be careful, and don’t use heat. 

[Robert G. Smits]

I agree with Ed.  My 41 cad had never had the rear drums removed and it took me a couple of weeks for one of the drums.  I finally removed the dog bone and used a 3/4 inch quality air impact wrench beating on it for 15-20 seconds twice a day.  When it finally  let loose I was glad I was wearing ear muffs.  Be patient

[zeke01]

It is going to sound silly, but make sure that the spindle nut is not snug against the drum. It happens. Zeke

[Frank DuVal]

Keep at it....  Time Time Time

 

What size hammer? 2 1/2lb is minimum. 5 better. Sledge can be up to 10 pounds.....😉 

 

DO make sure the car is steady, no need to hit the puller and knock the car off the jackstands...😳

 

I don't see any mushrooming of the dogbone yet, so HIT IT!👍

[Frank DuVal]

I was going to suggest getting two of the pullers, so you can put five legs on one puller, but, your car has 6 lugs, so it is already pulling evenly using three lugs. On 5 lug drums, using three legs on a puller seems unbalanced, so I got two similar pullers and can use 5 legs if needed. Probably just overthinking it as usual.😄

[ricosan]

Thanks for all the great advise guys, this is what I needed to hear.  I think I was approaching the job too timidly.  I was using a 16 oz hammer.

 I have a hand sledge that’s about three to four pounds.

richard

[edinmass]

Beat on it like a redheaded stepchild!

[Ken_P]

Is the spindle nut loose? It looks like it might still be tight in the picture. I do keep it loosely on, so that nothing goes flying when the drum comes free.

Second vote for beating on the dog bone. Good luck!

[dictator27]

It is said patience is a virtue.  This is one job where that is a definite truth.  As noted above it could take several days, even weeks before it breaks loose.  Hit it as hard as you can with as heavy a sledge as possible.  If you use heat an acetylene torch is the only way.  Propane won't do it.  

When you put it back on, DO NOT put grease on the axle taper.  Doing so runs the risk of splitting the hub because it will move farther up the taper when the axle nut is tightened.  A few thousandths of an inch is all it would take.  It must go together dry.

Good luck! 🙂👍

[DFeeney]

My Ex Mother-in-law could have stared it off.   Just a thought.

[MikeC5]

Cough!  my beer just came out through my nose...

[john hess]

Need a BFH..... 

[Flivverking]

Cycle the heat a few times with a real torch will probably do it..

Be carefull of too much heavy handed tightening and beating or the axle end will mushroom and or ruin the threads also.

Since you don't have a puller set up with a proper axle end,enclose cap nut...reverse the castle nut to aid in keeping the axle end from spreading.

[Graham Man]

That is a pretty light duty puller for a 1932 Marmon.  I use a Blue Point hub puller 4567G, the threaded rod is 1 1/4" fine thread (yours looks like 3/4"?).   I use a 3 pound hammer to tighten the dog bone, when it is so tight you are sure it is about to break something, it is just right.  Now for the 5 pound hammer, I like a sludge, one good firm hit to the center, if it is tight it will take three hits.  Remember to retighten the dog bone between hits.  If everything is perfect the sludge hit will "ting" like you are hitting a black smith anvil, when the sound changes to a thud, it is loose.  I always leave the axel nut on just loose (removing the washer normally gives a couple extra threads).  You have to hit it with authority,  it is not a job for the timid.  A strong strapping young man is the perfect sludge person.  You want to use your wheel lug nuts, they are hardened steel and tapered, so you get more threads on the studs.  I have never failed or had anything fly apart.  Remember: always wear your safety glasses

 

This is my tool of choice... nice selection on ebay $150 to $225 go for the free shipping, it is about 30lbs. (ten years ago you could not find one to save your soul on ebay) 

 

I have had hubs come off just by tightening this tool, I can not imagine the force it generates.

 

Edited May 13, 2021 by Graham Man (see edit history)

[Oldtech]

You can apply heat carefully to the hub center. the problem is that the hub extends in there 2 1/2 inches or so and you can only get at the front, so it's less than perfect, but anything can help. If you heat the outer part you can warp the whole hub with the puller. Not pretty. Mine father did that to a 59 Plymouth. 

[Mark Wetherbee]

I had the same issue with one rear wheel of my Pierce, after the other three wheels were re-lined and installed I finally set up two propane torches on blocks pointing at the hub and within 5 minutes it came loose louder than an 8 gauge shell... even with the nut holding it from flying it was violent for lack of a better description!

 

 I did have more hub showing but it is still worth trying. I did keep a close eye on the torches and had an extinguisher at hand just in case....

 

edit: Before anyone asks, I flipped the castle nut upside down because I have actually seen them get distorted along with the shaft threads before, this gives more support to stop any distortion and keeps the hub from poking through the wall when she lets loose.

 

 

Edited May 12, 2021 by Mark Wetherbee (see edit history)

[broker-len]

if you are going to use heat do not heat the axle since heat will make it expand heat the drum area close to hub

[c49er]

Brake shops did these drums in 5 minutes...use a H-duty puller...though I believe if you tighten the one you have up tight enough the drum will pop loose WITH OUT heat!

I have done several big 30's Packards with the same puller as yours. I sometimes use five or six legs.

I also use an old Snap-On Blue point puller too.

The drums always come off in minutes...no heat just real man swings on the dog bone with a 4 lb hammer.

No heat ...no days of waiting.

[edinmass]

Most come off right away. I have had so much force applied to a puller it made me very nervous. Used liquid nitrogen on one once.........I have had several that took weeks on the puller. The issue......you can smash he shit out of it........and just go to Napa and get a Marmon drum and axel. No thanks, time and finesse. It it’s a Chevy best the he’ll out of it. 

[c49er]

No abuse... just use the correct puller and finesse... get'er done.

No problems.

[Graham Man]

I had an "old timer" mechanic tell me once the only ones that come off hard, is when they lube them putting them together.  Always assemble dry. 

 

With my Blue Point they come right off.  I had a smaller one, it was always a problem.  Normally I only have to tighten down the dog bone and they pop loose.

[ricosan]

I got them off!  I got the big hand sledge and kept fighting for 2 days.  Ion the second day i gave it a few good whacks on the threaded rod and in “popped” loose. The right side came off easier. The shoes looked good.  I adjusted both sides and took it for a drive today. Brakes are working good.

Thank you

Richard

[Terry Harper]

Than you for sharing the outcome! Its always great to see a good ending!

[Graham Man]

Good deal, I still have a couple to get out and running...

[chistech]

I found a much easier way than beating the hell out of the puller. I got a blunt tip for my air hammer. The air hammer makes waves of vibration that works so much more effectively than the single blows of the BFH. We all know what damage vibration can do. Well that vibration is your friend when getting the hubs off. 
      Another thing with an air hammer. Using a block of aluminum and the blunt tip, I’ll put the block on the backside of a brake or fuel line fitting and give it one quick light vibration with the air hammer. Those connections unscrew like new lines. Especially good when removing a in line filter that everyone seems to twist and break the lines doing. Give it a try and you’ll be amazed at how good it works.

[Jason55]

Is there any way to adjust the brake shoes in on these? I usually do that when drums get stuck like this.