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Subject: IML: 61 rear brake drum challenge
Date: Mon, 14 May 2007 02:21:11 -0400
Mark- could it be that the drum is 'frozen/rusted at/behind the wheel lug studs? It recently took me 3 days of several hours each day to pull a wire wheel on my 72 E-Jag V-12.
The grease on the splines (plus worn splines) had become like glue and the tapered spline acted like the hub of the center hole on abrake drum. So your heating the center, but what about the drum near the lug nuts themselves?
If the wheel spins, then the shoe distance should be 'OK' as far as pulling the drum.
A
few years ago I had a similar challeneg on a simple drum brake on a Jensen GT. 13" wheels, you'd think no pronblem. Had to torch for two weeks around the hub 7 the wheel lugs. RUST welding had taken place.
We had another Jag club member trying to pull a rear drum on a 50's Mark X. Same challenge as yours.
Took him several months- he had to wait till spring (vs the winter) before he had success. The tapered hub was his problem. He found the drum had rusted at the 'hub' as well as around the wheel lug studs. Too bad you can't put the whole car in a freezer, then heat the drum to help it 'pop'.
I remember a friend having the same challenge in 2001 with a 49 Plymouth drum. He had to torch and cool (with water spray from a glass cleaner spray bottle)
for several weekends before he had success. He also kept 'tapping' the drum all around while turning it-the idea was to send vibration to the rust to 'break it up'. Just passing on all the things I've seen in this arena.
Obviously 'something' is rusted or binding or sticking- and the challenge is to figure out exactly what it is. keep at it, don't dispair. We are here to give your moral support!
Sherman
