Can't get these *#^% drums off!!!!

[ValiantOne]

Hey All,

Trying to get the drums off my 00 Ram 1500. Stuck on there like a mutha! Smacked at 'em with a dead blow. No luck. De-adjusted the adjusters. No luck. There is a little peep hole on the rear of the backing plate and I can see that the shoes are definitely backed off the drum. It is like the drum is rusted to the axle face. I soaked the studs and the axle end down with penetrating oil but who knows if it is even getting in there.

Any of you guys have some magic tricks for getting these things unstuck???

Thanks for any ideas,

Chris E.

[W2-408]

I've hardly ever had them require more than a couple of good whacks with a big hammer right between the studs. Use the flat end of the hammer. I'd say about 1 in 20 rear brake jobs I do require heating the drum up around the center with a torch, then a little tap and it'll pop free.

[Joe-Dokes]

Couple of thoughts:

1) have you removed the factory retainer clip that slips over one or two of the wheel studs to hold the drum in place during assembly at the factory?
2) spray the hub with a little liquid wrench and then hit the drum with a ball pean hammer, wait ten minutes and then try to remove.

3) try this: http://www.dieseltruckresource.com/dev/showthread.php?threadid=45008

Hope this helps

regards

Joe

[moparrr07]

get some pb blaster and a torch

[GTS225]

Anybody suppose that the drum is staked onto the studs?

Roger

[oldkimmer]

The Rams  usually require some heat from a torch to free the drums from the axels........kim.........

[71 demon child]

Deadblow aint gonna cut it.Get something much larger like a 12 lb sledge and smack it on the corner...It'll let go.

carl

[ski]

I think Joe-Dokes has it. 

[oldkimmer]

And they say u cant teach an old dog new tricks....but they do say u learn something every day               ......Thanks for the link Joe-Dokes.............Kim...........

[ValiantOne]

Thanks guys,

Yeah the clips around the studs have been removed. Back when I first got the truck I was really fastidious about cleaning/adjusting/lubing backing plate, etc. So the drums have been off. Now I have 170,000 mi and I have never replaced anything back there. Just want to have a look.

I'm going to give the joe-dokes tip a try. If that doesn't do it I guess I'll have to resort to some heat and a sledge. Yuck, I hate breaking out the torch for stuff like this.

I'll report back! Thanks again.

Chris E.

[kawazuki8097]

heating the drum up around the center with a torch, then a little tap and it'll pop free.

This trick worked very well on my F-150 and also on the Dak.
No need to break out the big guns on this, a MAPP or Prop torch works just fine.

[moparteacher]

The drums are probably grooved and the shoes won't retract far enough. Use a good pair of dykes and cut the head of the the hold-down pins off from the back side.

[65DartGT]

I've always had good luck using a ball pean hammer, using the round end hit between each of the studs , then using the flat side hit he axle instead of the drum. It usually jars the drum off the axle. if that doesn't work get out the PB blaster and torch. Just my 2 cents.

[318_Magnum]

Who ever thought something so simple could be so difficult? Kinda like changing spark plugs on a V6 import, or installing cheap traction bars on a 1st Gen GM F-body, "Oh yeah, no big deal, I'll be done in ten minutes..."

[flyboy01]

I once had to bang the drums off my old Escort with a large sledge hammer, me and my buddy had to take turns beating on it with all our strength for about 20 minutes, we used heat, cold, penetrating oil, it finally took the 12lb sledge about 50 blows, the brakes had never been off in 150000 miles. I was sure the suspension or hubs were going to break before the drums came off, but they finally did. That was the last Ford I ever owned.

[moparrr07]

 ^^^

[ValiantOne]

Well, here is the update:

The Joe-Dokes trick didn't work!  I think it has something to do with rear anti lock brakes. When I put her in drive, reved it up and stabbed the brakes it made a sound like when you lock up the brakes on wet pavement. The the drums stopped turning in stages. It was really weird. I even tried standing on the pedal with both feet. 

So finally I broke out the map gas and a sledge. I did manage to get the right rear off with heat and sledge persuasion. The drums and the shoes look GREAT !!! With 170K miles no less. Do the rear brakes even do anything on the Ram??? I am on my 4th set of front pads and the second set of rotors.

Anyhow the right rear still won't come off. There is no shoe drum interference. it is definitely the drum rusted to the axle. So, for now I just adjusted them up and I'll hope that the left rear is an indicator of what the right rear looks like.

Thanks again everyone,

Chris E.

[Stroked GT]

last time we couldnt take off the drum it was the stupidest thing that we all overlooked.... The E Brake was still on!! im sure you have made sure its not on but if you havent, well it could be the ebrake 

[flyboy01]

Now thats funny! 

[magart]

are the drums moving at all?...if they're not, they may be stuck behind rust build-up on the axle spigot...does'nt take much...use a good Snap-On seal pickand scrape it clean...does'nt take much...I've ruined drums and over looked that

[Joe-Dokes]

RE: Drums turning in stages.

What you see happening is the anti-lok brakes are engaging.  Simplest thing to do is to go to the fuse block and pull the anti-lock brake fuse.  This will disable the anti-lock brakes and should allow the brakes to stop with a much greater sudden force.

Hope this helps

Regards

Joe

[ValiantOne]

RE: Drums turning in stages.

What you see happening is the anti-lok brakes are engaging.  Simplest thing to do is to go to the fuse block and pull the anti-lock brake fuse.  This will disable the anti-lock brakes and should allow the brakes to stop with a much greater sudden force.

Hope this helps

Regards

Joe

   I am such a dope! I will definitely try that the next time the wheels are off. Thanks again Joe