63 Buick Riviera stuck drum

[Alanthecardude]

With some nicer weather finally coming I decided to go and tackle this stuck brake drum. I’ve tried everything I could think of to get this stuck front drum off but nothing is working. I have the bearing off the spindle, I’ve cut the rivets off the hubs, and the adjustment wheel is totally seized all the way extended. The hub and drum wiggle quite a bit on the spindle, but it’s like something on the inside of the drum near the top will not budge and won’t let the hub and drum come off. Any suggestions?

[plymouthcranbrook]

High heat?  Bigger hammer? Both?  Seriously sounds like saving the drum might be the main hope here so heating and pounding might work. Have you tried a big puller. Sometimes steady pressure will do what force won’t.

Edited October 20, 2021 by plymouthcranbrook (see edit history)

[Oldtech]

The extended adjuster is your problem. I would soak it in whatever favorite penetrant you have and try to get it to turn. If that fails you may have to sacrifice something  Sorry, but cutting the rivets is a waste of time. It comes off the spindle where the bearings are.  Likely the shoes are tight to the drum and there is a wear lip on the edge of the drum which means you are pulling on the shoes, and no they aren't coming off. 

if all else fails I think I would try to cut the adjuster, although that may require damaging the backing plate. 

[trini]

It appears the linings cut grooves in the drum leaving a lip on the edges. You may have to turn the shoes adjusters  down. They may be rusted. Do not damage the backing plate.. Drill a 3/16 hole,use the nozzle of the penetrating oil and squirt inside generously. Sometimes Vaporust works fine.   

[avgwarhawk]

I have found in these situations prying the drum off works but cutting the heads of the both spring hold down at the back of the backing plate is required. See pic of spring hold down location.  Look behind the backing plate and you will see the hold down spring heads.  Grind or cut off.   This allows the shoes to move forward.  Usually all of the springs go flying.  

 

Edited October 21, 2021 by avgwarhawk (see edit history)

[EmTee]

Maybe also disconnect and unbolt the wheel cylinder.  Basically try to remove the 'loaded' drum...

[trini]

The idea is to get the shoes down. This adjuster may have "cogs wheel". There is a tool to insert through a hole either in through the backing plate or the drum. The tool pushes the "lock" away from the cogwheels allowing the tool to grip cogs and back  off the adjuster wheel. I do not know what type you have but I do recall the Bendix system was very common to most american cars. Snap on use to sell a variety of those tools with different shapes. Flat screwdriver ?

[Frank DuVal]

13 hours ago, avgwarhawk said:

cutting the heads of the both spring hold down at the back of the backing plate is required.

This!

[trini]

It will be helpful to get a picture of the brakes ( diagramme ) setup so you will know what you are dealing with.  

[Gary_Ash]

Here is a photo of the Riviera brakes I used on my Indy car.  Backing plate was rotated 90 degrees to clear the knuckle, but the shoes, springs, self-adjusters, links, etc. are stock Buick.  

 

Riviera brakes installed on 1932 Studebaker Indy car, rotated 90 degrees from standard position.

 

Buick front brakes from service manual.

[trini]

Gary-Ash, a breath of fresh air.

[JACK M]

So Gary, How do you bleed that.

Dangle the car from the rafters or bleed before installing?

[Gary_Ash]

Bleed before install helps, but when I put it together, I assembled the brakes, took the backing plate off with everything in place, rotated it to get the wheel cylinder at the top, put a spare drum over the shoes, then used a hand vacuum pump to bleed.  Brakes work OK.  I just hope I don't have to bleed too often.

 

Also, cutting the rivets probably does nothing.  All the Riviera drums I've touched have the studs with serrations pressed into the drum.  They'll come out in a hydraulic press with a big socket behind the stud heads, but holding the drum on the press is very tricky to keep the studs moving straight.  Here's the Dorman 610-080 stud, OE part is 1349518, I think.  I have lots of leftover Buick front hubs if anyone wants them.

 

[Mikefit]

Just cut the shoe hold down pins off with a chisel on the backing plate pull the drum off pickup all the parts that fall out sweep the floor your done

[Oldtech]

As Mike says. Probably the best.

[Frank DuVal]

AS Mike, Old tech, Avgwarhawk and myself have said..........😉