89 Rear Brake Drum Removal

[robertlb]

Hello All,

 

Can anyone tell me a good way to remove the rear brake drum on my 89 MJ? Mine seems to be stuck. I've turned the adjuster all the way both directions and no avail.

 

I'm pretty frustrated with it!

 

Any help is appreciated.

 

Robert

[offroader461]

whack it with a hammer...might just be rusted around the wheel studs where they come through the drum....

[robertlb]

Tried that! I guess I need to get a bigger hammer! I'll give that a try Saturday morning....

 

Thanks,

Robert

[Pete M]

The last time I struggled with a drum it was due to the shoes wearing into the drum and creating a little ridge on the inside edge that kept the drum from sliding off.

[JeepcoMJ]

BFH

 

hit it in a cross-pattern, just like you're putting lug nuts on.

[jtdesigns]

this may sound obvious,, but did you make sure the ebrake is all the way off/? Like check the cable and see if its binding.

[Wildman]

Assuming you backed the adjuster all the way down, the drum tends to "rust weld" around the axle shaft hub.

 

Try a little heat, eather from a torch or even a propane torch around the hub, on the drum it's self, and that will expand the metal alittle and it will pop off. Put the heat between the studs and the hub, and go all around the drum.

 

Take it from some one in the rust belt, it works :D

 

Oh......and welcome to the ComancheClub :waving:

[tjbliley]

try adjusting the ebrake cable so far out it would take days to apply the brakes. this should help. you can also try a ggod penetrating lube like Knocker'loose

 

it can seep inpretty well.

[robertlb]

Thanks for all the suggestions guys. I took a much bigger hammer to it this morning and it loosened up. I was then able to work it off with my hands.

 

Regards,

Robert

[Eagle]

When you reassemble it, put anti-sieze around the center of the hub where the hole in the brake drum fits over it. That's usually where they freeze on, and the anti-sieze will make future service much easier.

[Pete M]

And if anyone has steel wheels and lives in the rust belt, I recommend putting a dab of anti-seize on the drums where the rim contacts it. Nothing ruins your day like being stranded on the side of the road with a simple flat tire but you can't get the bad tire off. :( (happened with my sisters TJ when she was running the rusty rims off my 86 MJ)

[robertlb]

Pete -

 

Funny you should say that. I removed the left rear wheel today and it was rust-welded to the drum. I had to lower the tire slightly back to the ground (I could still turn it by hand) and the kick the heck out of it to loosen it up.

 

Robert

[Eagle]

I picked up an '89 MJ lasy year with steel rims. All four were pretty badly rusted onto the drums/rotors/hubs. I was able to get three of them off by putting a 2x4 against the tire and beating it with a sledge hammer. The right front, however, was not cooperating. I eventually gave up on the 2x4 and tried whacking the tire directly. No better. Then I looked at the numbers of alloy rims I have, and the number of steel rims that I'll probably never use or be able to give away ... and attacked the rim with the sledge hammer. I got it off, but there isn't much left of the rim.