Front Drum Brakes - How To Separate Hub From Drum?

[RallyeMike]

What is the process to separate the hub from drum on a 69 charger with 11x3 front brakes? Do I need to have them pressed out at a shop or can this be done at home?

The drums are scuffed and warped, and the new drums from NAPA come without the hubs.

[Fred]

Just take the big nut off the knuckle and slide the drum off. 

[Rolling_Thunder]

I think he's asking how to get the drum off the hub....   

The wheel studs are staked and can not be pushed through. There is a tool out there that cuts down the swedge and allows the stud to be pushed out easily...   

[Cooter]

What is the process to separate the hub from drum on a 69 charger with 11x3 front brakes?

I usually just beat the hell outta it with a hammer. The studs are kinda "Staked" in the drum so it won't take much effort.

[RallyeMike]

%&*#$. Another reason I will add to the list of why I like 3rd gen cars better. Gimme single piston discs



So..... knock out the studs, put some PB Blaster or WD40 on the hub center, and beat the hub out. I'm good at bashing things, so this step should be ok.

Seems like reassembly will be chellenging in making sure that the braking surface of the drum is perfectly perpendicular to the spindle center line. Do I need to swedge the lugs back in, or not? That is the step that seems would most likely cause the drum to be slightly misaligned? At what these drums cost, I want to make sure i get good wear and no vibrations.

Funny - I couldnt find any of this in the 69 service manual. I guess that they used to replace the entire drum and hub assy back then?

[Dino]

Tools of choice, three leg puller, heavy hammer, torch, box of band aids, case of beer, more band aids, something stronger than beer, bigger bandages, phone number of someone who can do this crap for you.

[John_Kunkel]

Knocking out the studs without first removing the swaging can enlarge the hole in the hub enough that the studs will no longer be tight in their holes.

[Fred]

Tools of choice, three leg puller, heavy hammer, torch, box of band aids, case of beer, more band aids, something stronger than beer, bigger bandages, phone number of someone who can do this crap for you.

Way to go! 

[68 RT]

Just did this last weekend, you just have to get the studs back far enough to release the drum.  Then knock them back in, put the hub on the spindle, and slide on the drum. It took less than an hour a side. The swedge is only there to hold the drum on during assembly. 

[RallyeMike]

That sounds like a good plan. The drums won't be here for a few more days.... I've had the the existing set up soaking with WD for 2 days and will be knocking them apart tonight.

[Rolling_Thunder]

Good luck -  Srt68 and I put one in a press to push the studs out and it did NOT work...     we ended up warping the hub          I needed to get the wheel studs out - not just take the drum off of though - hopefully you'll be easier off

[RallyeMike]

Answer:

Soaked both hubs where they meet the drum in WD for 2 days

Hub 1: Hammered each stud out one at a time with a 3lb maul. Half way through the 4th stud, the hub broke free of the drum. Proceeded cautiously from there as not to twist the hub, but all 5 studs are ruined. They don't look bad, but the threads are obviously compressed as they will no longer take a lug nut.

Hub 2: Backed off to medium force and tapped each stud one at a time. Had to go around about 15 times, but the hub broke free and no studs were ruined. The studs remained in the hub, with each one backed out about 1/8". Tapped them back into the hub and now ready for a new drum.

[68 RT]

You may be able run a 1/2-20 die down the studs, forgot to mention you should screw and old lug nut onto the studs to protect the threads. 

[Cooter]

%&*#$. Another reason I will add to the list of why I like 3rd gen cars better. Gimme single piston discs

Most of the 2nd Gen cars already have the single piston discs installed??..

[RallyeMike]

Most of the 2nd Gen cars already have the single piston discs installed??..

Yes, 69-70 IF they had disc brakes. Disc brakes are MUCH more prevalent on 3rd gens.

Basically, I just hate front drum brakes. The dont' work that well, PITA to work on compared to disc, and if you lose a bearing yer more likely to be F'd.

forgot to mention you should screw and old lug nut onto the studs to protect the threads.  

Standard practice for me, .... but if you have to hit them hard enough, even the lugs don't save the threads.