Brake drum removal HELP

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Cuda Hunter

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1967 barracuda front drums. One side no issue whatsoever. All bolts on this car remove very easy. However the passengers side drum will not release from the shoes. I've beat it, pried it, soaked it in brake cleaner, soaked it in blaster. smacked from the back and sides.
I have a plasma cutter. I have a sledge hammer.
But I need this thing to roll after I get the drum off.

Any suggestions?
 
Does the drum turn or is it frozen to the shoes? Heat on the shoe surface works good at that point. Very hard to get and spray past the overlapping edges of the drum and backing plate.

If it will turn then Back off the adjuster. Look at the other side with the drum off to see what to do, and what tools will get you there. They are a pain, but can come off without damage.
 
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Adjuster is frozen.
The car sat on a flat tire for 30 years. Got some dirt up in it. I vacuumed dirt out, sprayed it out with an air nozzle. sprayed more blaster in it.
 
413 is right. It probably has a frozen adjuster. Re-install the axle bearing washer & nut so it's snug first, then try backing off the adjuster all the way. A brake adjuster spoon & a very small flat screw driver will help a lot. Let the PB'laster work a while too.
 
Does the drum turn or is it frozen to the shoes? Heat on the shoe surface works good at that point.

Drum does not turn. I'll try an acetylene torch.

Blaster barely gets anything in through the back of the drum. I've sprayed a bunch through the oval adjuster slots hoping to free up the adjuster or the shoes.
 
I removed the drum from the other side without removing the cotter pin and nut.
The drum just slides off of the hub assembly. Drum has 5 holes for the studs and one hole in the middle for the hub.
 
I removed the drum from the other side without removing the cotter pin and nut.
The drum just slides off of the hub assembly. Drum has 5 holes for the studs and one hole in the middle for the hub.

Then that one has been replaced before. If the the drum you are fighting is still swedged on the hub, it will not come off without removing the spindle nut. It sounds like that's the issue. Look closely at where the studs come through the drum. If it looks like some of the stud material is pushed down around the holes in the drum, that's the issue.
 
I'm calming down on the torch or plasma cutter for the moment.

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Try grinding the nail heads off the back of the backing plate that hold the shoes to the backing plate and take the brake shoes with it....

The hardware and spring kits come with replacements, so you're not ruining anything that you can't replace...
 
I had that issue, drum rusted to shoes. I cut the drum. Was rear, but nothing else worked.
Now i would consider a garden hose and air hammer. Water and percussion will break up rust quick.
 
Try grinding the nail heads off the back of the backing plate that hold the shoes to the backing plate and take the brake shoes with it....

The hardware and spring kits come with replacements, so you're not ruining anything that you can't replace...

I was considering this. Will this really work?
 
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