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Subject:Re: Rear Drum removal
From:Tom Young
Date:Wed, 6 May 1998 15:41:04 -0700

On Wed, 6 May 1998, Kenn Draymon wrote:

> I'm having a heck of a time removing the brake drum from my '85
> GL.  Lug nuts off, drum bolts off, it's stuck tight to the hub.
> No amount of smacking with blunt objects or sacrificing of small
> farm animals budges it.
>
> Suggestions?

Assuming the shoes are not stuck to the drums, then you're just not
hitting the drums hard enough.  I'd use a heavy hammer or light sledge; hit
the drums around the rim, on the face of the drum, not the diameter.  A
rust seal can form between the inside drum face and the hub, and it's
that "sticktion" you're trying to break.  Work up to it a step at a time:
give the drums a few moderate whacks and try to wiggle the drum free;
then try again a little harder, and then harder still.  They _will_ come
off and you'd be hard pressed to do any damage to the drums, assuming
you're not swinging at them with a 30-lb. sledge held in both hands!

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Tom Young               young@sherlock.SIMS.Berkeley.EDU
Lafayette, CA  94549    '81 Vanagon
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