brake drums stuck

[Green&Loud]

Ok so I feel really stupid about this, but I'm stumped. Ive been trying to get the drums off so I can clean up the brakes. Ive used liquid wrench on the studs and beat the tar out of the drum with a hammer but it wont budge. My parking brake IS off, and I don't know what else to do. Anybody?

[Mexdsk]

Heat

They usually get stuck on the center hub, get some good penetrating oil around the center

Heat and beat

Not aware of any tricks, just takes time

[FSJunkie]

If it's stuck solid, it's likely seized to the hub from rust.

If it wiggles a bit, the shoes are probably hanging on a ridge in the drum. Back off the self-adjuster wheel. That usually does the trick.

[serehill]

Yeah if stuck on the hub just take a hammer around the edge of the drum. You don't have to hit it as hard as you can just keep hitting around the edge until it comes loose. If the hub is loose then there could be a ridge on the drums from metal to metal usage. If the star adjusters won't turn to reduce diameter you'll have to cut the retainer pins on the shoes & brutally pull them off.

[Green&Loud]

Its not moving at all. I'll try some heat when I get home this evening. Thanks for your help!

[Stuka]

If they are really worn, the pads will be sitting inside a lip on the drum. I have often had to back the pads way off to get the drum off passed them.

Although if its not moving at all, its most likely stuck around the hub. If you have a decent size deadblow hammer, smack it good and hard, should break that rust weld.

[Green&Loud]

Still stuck. Ive tried EVERYTHING! Is there anything I forgot to do? I took the wheel off, bathed the drum in penetrating oil several times, beat it repeatedly with a freakin' big hammer, heated it some, beat it some more, and still nothing. Is there s bolt or something holding it on somewhere that dont know about?

[BCRAWLER]

at the 7 o'clock position on your picture there is a hole in the drum. Sometimes if you can thread a bolt in there you can provide enough force to break the drum free. best of luck.

[Stuka]

There is one other way, but its dangerous.

Put a jack between the leaf spring and the drum (NOT the backing plate, just the edge). And jack away. When the drum comes loose, there is a chance it may FLY off. The studs should prevent that, but be careful. A hydraulic jack is normally too tall, but a scissor jack (like an OEM one from a modern car) fits and works.

[GentleRF]

Stuka, that is a great idea on the scissor jack. Two might be even better if you have them (as I do). Also, to keep the drrum from being a safety hazard, put a couple of the lug nuts on a couple of turns. I've had do that a time or two.

[rocklaurence]

This happens all the time when I buy vehicles that have sat for years. Use a cut=off wheel at the 12&6 o'clock position to split the drum. Then bust the drum off with a BFH (hammer)!

[jpcoutts]

You can rent/borrow/make puller to get them off. Patience and some good penetrating oil like PBlaster helps. I nearly gave up on the rear drums on my J20 a few years back. My drums were stuck on the studs and the hubs but they eventually came off without breaking or cutting anything. I had to use a homemade puller and after tightening the puller nearly to the point of breaking it I used a hammer around the back edges of the drums to break them loose.

[letank]

Its not moving at all. I'll try some heat when I get home this evening. Thanks for your help!

Heat at the center, by the interface of the axle and drum... move the torch around to heat it evenly... for the metal to expand, and it will pop after 1min for me ...