Flathead Ford Brake Drum Removal with KRW tool

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Idea is to repair the threads by starting on the inside good threads and working outward. Correct tools are needed of course. If they are not bad an axle re-threading tool may straighten them out, if a little worse an adjustable split die like Little Giant or a Rigid bolt die holder may do the job. 9/16 threads may not take the required torque (and you still have to figure out how to cut them correctly).

Hard telling without seeing the threads; but if they are as bad as you make it sound; best course of action would be to replace the axle.

"How hard is it to change an axle?" somewhere between involved and nightmare; really depends on you.

 

I found that the 12 ton gear puller from Harbor Freight works well. I used it on my 1933 BB to remove the drum. I suggest if you have an old wheel that you can sacrifice use it to pull against, not the hub flange. M***ive amounts of heat maybe required to loosen the tapered shaft. Be sure and back off the brake adjuster as far as you can. The puller is currently on sell down at HB. Now my question is how do you get the rear shoes off?

 

Sometimes you can just loosen the axle nut and drive the car... My dad use to do this all the time on old Dodges..Starting and stopping and turning corners helps...

 

I spent a small amount of time turning some s**** plate and tubing into a puller for the drums on a 40 axle. With God as my witness, I removed the nuts and the drums came off with a slight tug of the bare hands. Both sides. Strange.

 

Sounds like they were never tightened properly. That's how keyways wind up twisted/broken.

 

Probably...It was far from being a clean ,low mileage original car.

 

I like that idea!

 

Digging this up but I tried to pull the hubs from an A or '32 rear end with 40 brakes. They are loose on the tapers and not bonded to the shoes at all but catch with about 3/8" thread showing on the axle. Both sides. Could the bearings in the hub be hanging up on the inner race somehow.
I've done a couple As and a 40 that bent one axle at the threads but this is a new one to me.
Looking for ideas.
D

 

Do you have safety hubs installed to keep the hub/drum coming off in case of an axle failure? Look at the 4 bolts that hold the backing plate to the axle, if two of them are studs with nuts you have safety hubs.

Charlie Stephens

 

I considered that as that's exactly how it felt to me but thought they would be external(never had those before). In fact two bolts on each side are about 4" long and the others are castellated nuts so, yeah. It's definitely been screwed with a lot in the past and likely raced so...
Just remove all 4 backing plate bolts on each side?
Thanks for the speedy reply!
D

 

Or maybe the shoes catching in a groove.

 

If it was done the usual way you would see two studs with nuts and two bolt heads. Bottom line, take all 4 bolts out.

Charlie Stephens

 

Thanks guys! Alchemy, the shoes are free and actually look pretty good..... considering. I'll go pull those bolts today. Appreciate the help a lot!

 

That’s all it was for me! Gracias!