1964 Dodge Dart - Wheel Stuck

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2ManyCars

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I have a 1964 Dodge Dart and the left rear drum is stuck. We removed the wheel/tire last night and tried to get the drum to move but no luck. We used PBblaster and thumped around the outside edges of the drum. Rust came out, but still no luck in moving it. How does the drum come off anyway? There isn't a castle nut to be removed, so how is it held in place? Thanks
 
Try backing of the self adjuter, pron the drum has a lp from break wear. Worse case cut the hold down spring from the back, prob need replacing anyhow.
 
If it's stuck on the center hub area (doesn't wiggle at all) don't just "thump" the drum, smack the crap out of it. Hit the outside corner at a 45 degree angle with a BFH. It should then pop loose. If it wobbles, but, hangs up on the brake shoes, do as halifaxhops mentioned and back off the adjuster until the drum can be removed.
 
The rim and the lug nuts really. Rusted I bet. They can be a pia for sure.
 
By stuck do you mean it won’t turn? Or it will turn but won’t come off the hub? They can get rusted to the axle flange. Hit it with a hammer in between the lug studs in a couple places.

If it won’t turn, do you have a torch? Heat up the outer braking surface and then try to turn it, with a wheel on or a pry bar between the studs. If nothing then let it cool a few minutes and beat on it and it will help the shoes break loose.

Please don’t cut the hood down springs on the back, this will allow the shoes to **** sideways in the drum and you will cause more problems than ever.
 
413 said:
By stuck do you mean it won’t turn? Or it will turn but won’t come off the hub? They can get rusted to the axle flange. Hit it with a hammer in between the lug studs in a couple places.

If it won’t turn, do you have a torch? Heat up the outer braking surface and then try to turn it, with a wheel on or a pry bar between the studs. If nothing then let it cool a few minutes and beat on it and it will help the shoes break loose.

Please don’t cut the hood down springs on the back, this will allow the shoes to **** sideways in the drum and you will cause more problems than ever.
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It is stuck as in it will not turn. We used a lug wrench in between the studs to see if we could move it but no luck. I guess I didn't want to break the drum, so I must have been too easy on it. I will get out the dead blow hammer and try it. I still don't understand how the drum is held in place without a castle nut to hold it, seems like the wheel and drum would just come off.
 
2ManyCars said:
It is stuck as in it will not turn. We used a lug wrench in between the studs to see if we could move it but no luck. I guess I didn't want to break the drum, so I must have been too easy on it. I will get out the dead blow hammer and try it. I still don't understand how the drum is held in place without a castle nut to hold it, seems like the wheel and drum would just come off.
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The lug nuts are what hold the drum and wheel onto the axle shaft. Why not get the car back on the ground and drive it forward or backward to break the drum loose from the shoes? Are you sure you released the hand brake? :poke:
 
Lug nut studs are pressed into axle flange. Drum sandwiches between axle flange and tire rim, held on with lug nuts. If you cannot turn drum, brake shoes are stuck to drum unless rear end gears are locked up. Turn adjuster wheel counter clockwise with a screw driver through the access slot in the back of the backing plate, its oblong with a rubber grommet press in it , bottom middle of the backing plate. You will see the serrated adjusting wheel and may have to push the adjuster off the other side of the wheel with an ice pick as you turn it. If the shoes do not collapse they are stuck and will have to collapse them by tapping on the drum with a hammer and prying the shoe any way you can. Some times they can be a ***** so walk away periodically so you don’t get frustrated.
 
Could be the e-brake cable is rusted while engaged. look at the back side 3:30 and 8:30 o'clock positions and you will see the 1/8" flat head of the shoe pins. drill the heads off. That should somewhat free the shoes but you still have the e-brake cable and springs to contend with. Are the lugs splayed?
 
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Don’t grind off the pins! You won’t be happy. Do it on a brake that spins free and see the problems that arise.
 
You need to get a bigger hammer and hit out on the bottom and then the top switching back and forth. Just go ape **** on the Rat bastard something has to give sooner or later. More then likely most of whats in there is junk anyway. including the drum.
 
Oldmanmopar said:
You need to get a bigger hammer and hit out on the bottom and then the top switching back and forth. Just go ape **** on the Rat bastard something has to give sooner or later. More then likely most of whats in there is junk anyway. including the drum.
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UPDATE - The studs look straight, not splayed. We put WD40 at the base of the studs and then banged on the back edge of the drum. I can see where the drum is not 100% stuck, the left edge is moving just a little, just enough to see that the studs are staying in place. In the middle of the drum is a blue center piece - see attached picture. Does this need to come off before the drum comes off? Also, we found the cable going to that wheel from the parking brake. The brake is off, I set it and release it a couple of times - seems to have some pressure, but that doesn't mean it isn't rusted and stuck. I am uploading a couple of pictures to help. Thanks again, Ed
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the drum rides on the axle center hub as does the stock rim . lugs just secure it on location and drive the rim of course . but a wheel cylinder can be stuck and not returning which keep the shoes from leaving the drum . do back off the adjuster and smack it with a hammer to break it lose from the shoes . that is if the drum will not turn .
 
pomonamissel said:
the drum rides on the axle center hub as does the stock rim . lugs just secure it on location and drive the rim of course . but a wheel cylinder can be stuck and not returning which keep the shoes from leaving the drum . do back off the adjuster and smack it with a hammer to break it lose from the shoes . that is if the drum will not turn .
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So, the center blue cap doesn't need to be touched, correct?
 
that blue cap ? that center hub is the axle hub . it can be stuck to the drum from rust , its a very tight fit . if anything i would heat the drum around that hub and tap on the outer part of the drum .
 
start by backing off the adjuster . your shoes are holding the drum from rotating .
 
just beat the F out of the back edge of the drum. Its probably wasted anyway. The middle hub is not captive, the drum slips over it very closely as these are hubcentric rims. if you end up cocking the shoes, you can use a screwdriver to bang them back parallel. If all else fails with the cocked shoes, drill holes in the drum close to the edge and use a drift to pound the cocked shoes back while pulling on the drum. Then you can get 10's!
 
2ManyCars said:
Oh, and yes, the drum will not turn at all...
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That center with the blue paint is the axle shaft. It stays with the rear end. The wheel and drum will normally slide right off once the lug nuts are removed. It sounds to me like the brake shoes are stuck to the drum, but, not the axle shaft or wheel studs. If so, put the wheel back on, tighten all the lug nuts, and drive the car forward or backward to break the shoes loose from the drum. Then pull it back apart and the drum should now come off.
 
The blue thing is not attached to the drum. Here's a picture showing the adjuster at the bottom. Thete is a slot on the bottom of the backing plate. Stick your screwdriver in and rotate the star screw to close the shoes together.

Drums get stuck. After you move the adjuster in, beat on it. It will eventually come loose.

IMG_2174.JPG
 
66fyssh said:
The blue thing is not attached to the drum. Here's a picture showing the adjuster at the bottom. Thete is a slot on the bottom of the backing plate. Stick your screwdriver in and rotate the star screw to close the shoes together.

Drums get stuck. After you move the adjuster in, beat on it. It will eventually come loose.

View attachment 1715923211
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Thanks for the picture, that helps, I will adjust the brakes with a screwdriver tomorrow. Sorry about sounding simple about the blue center cap, but with my picture I thought it would help to point it out to get help.
 
Hey man, no worries, we're here to help!

Shoot, my 66 Barracuda drums will be hard to get off after 6 months. So, we all know how much of a bear they can be.

Funny thing is...when it comes loose, it seems to come all at once.
 
I would judge that by the looks of it that this car hasn't moved in awhile and that is why the OP is trying to get the drum freed up. So moving the car back and forth is not an option unless you want him to drag it with a big **** truck.

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