front drum stuck... any ideas? with pics!

[cudadude013]

I'm swapping my old drum brakes for NOS, but after removing the three nuts I can't get the brake to slide off the upper bolt. This is my first time messing with the brakes so maybe I'm missing something. Any ideas?

Heres pics...

[cudadude013]

...and closer

[tommymac]

It comes off with a pickle fork tool.Kind of a "u" shaped wedge tool you hit with a hammer.

[cudadude013]

Thanks, I've been pulling on it for over 2 hours. That should save some time now!

[tommymac]

Why are you putting on Discs.

[John_Kunkel]

The upper "bolt" as you call it is actually a taper pin and fits very tightly in the spindle.

The aforementioned pickle fork is one way to remove it but if you're really careful a couple of heavy hammers will also do the trick. Hold one hammer tightly against one side of the spindle to act as an anvil and hit the opposite side really hard with the other hammer; if done correctly it will compress the spindle and push the taper out. Hit the threads and you ruin the pin.

[Chatt69chgr]

It'a amazing how good the method John posted works.  I wrestled with one of these at a junkyard and just could not get the thing off.  Finally gave up.  Went home and asked around and found out about this trick.  Went back out to the junkyard and one good whack and the thing came apart.  Like magic. 

[tommymac]

Thats a good thing, because the fork thing tears the boot sometimes.I diddnt know that way also,Thanks

[Finn]

I remember it being a bitch with even with the picklefork lol