It's been years since I pulled drums myself. Decided to do it on my 97 F150 XLT Extra cab. Bought an apparently crappy book as it describes a different drum than mine. Any help getting the drums off would be appreciated. I got the truck jacked up, wheels off, and shoes backed off. There appears to be a center hub that needs to be knocked off/unscrewed to get the drums off? The book says the drums just come off....

 

If the drums are not coming off by simply pulling them off with your hands, then smack the center of the drum between the wheel studs with a dead blow mallet. If the drum doesn't come off after a couple whacks, then try loosening the brake shoe adjusting screw. Then smack it a couple more times and it should pull right off unless it severely rusted to the shaft.

 

Thanks for the help but the drums seem like something is holding them inside. I tightened the adjusters until the shoes rubbed and then backed them off again just to be sure. I've whacked them more than a few times and soaked them with WD-40. Any suggestions???

 

min just pop right off but try soaking them with liquid wrench and letting them sit for a while and you might have to beat them a little.

 

Have you taken the little clips that the factory usually puts on one or two of the lugs??

Nothing else 'mechanical' holds them drums on... Mine had the clips on the lugs,then the drum just pulled off.

I didn't put them back on or anything like that either....

Good luck!

Mitch

 

Those fan washers that hold the hubs on are just for the factory workers - safety issue - It use to be part of the SafeToWork program, that's now known as the M.U.S.T program.

Suppose to discard them deals anyho Mitch , your not in trouble

 

The drums just just pull off. But there not always going to be easy. Like the one guy said use a dead blow. But dont hit to hard or in the same place. Hit at like 12 3 6 and 9 oclock. The if u can take a big flat head and go in from the back and pry it off using one hand to pull on the drum. And if shes just fcked u might gota heat it up. I did the brakes on my 79 ford and they were on there solid. Just add a little heat and itll come off nice.

 

they can be a pain. i usually take a 2 foot piece of 2x4 and beat it like a rented mule. dont have to worry about smashing the drum etc...or denting anything.

 

I just got out a small sledge and started beating the damn thing it sucked. Have a small hammer so you dont hurt the threads and beat inbetween the lugs. Rotate it after every hit with the sludge i hit on the outside right on the corner by the bend shouldnt hurt anything. after about 2 hours got both sides off my 97

 

Guys not to be negtive but dam 2 hours to take drums off. FCK shop rate is prolly 2.0 for whole brake job hahaha.