1950 Dodge Pilothouse brake problem

My rear driver side drum locked up last night, I thought " no big deal, it's probably just the spring broke"

It's the first time I'm diving into these particular breaks. I popped the wheel off, and loosened the wheel bearing nut to grease up the bearings while I'm in there. I started prying off the drum and it's seems that's its not going anywhere. At first I figured it's just normal break bull***t. I looked in my manual, and it just says remove wheel and drum. Also in the book is has directions to adjust the shoes from a couple of screws on the back of the hub. I did that and confirmed that the shoes are not against the wall of the drum. I can quarter turn the drum about back and forth.

I got paranoid, because is looks like on the hub it could be some kind of retaining ring. It looks a little beat up, because it is a retaining ring, or someone before me thought it was also. But there is nothing in my manual that say so.

Am I missing something, or do I just need to be more persistent?

Thanks,

Punko

 

If the truck rear axles are anything like the dodge car axle of that same era, you need a drum puller, as the drums are bolted to a tapered axle, and often will be stuck to the axle. But again that's the issue with the dodge/plymouth cars of those same years, not sure about the trucks.

try going to www.pilot-house.com and checking on that forum if nobody here gives a better answer.

 

You need a drum puller, a GOOD drum puller with at least three arms to attach to the drum/lug bolt holes. Keep the nut on the end of the axle so the drum won't fly off. It'll take a bit to pop it free. If the truck is driveable, sometimes you can have the nut on loose and drive around the block a few times, might loosen the drum.

 

I thought something was up. Thanks for the info. At least it's a good excuse to buy another tool.

 

Before you buy something, note that the drum puller the guys above are talking about is not the slide hammer type. It has a threaded shaft in the center with big "wings" that you hit with a sledge hammer.

 

This is what you need. The arms attach to the drum with the lug bolts, you tighten the screw against the axle and hit with a bfh. It's more important to tighten the screw as much as possible THAN to hit it hard with the hammer. Damage can be done to internal parts by hitting it too hard!!! Heat, wax, and/or penetrating oil dosen't hurt. Remember to keep the nut on the axle, when the drum pops it's under a lot of pressure. Good luck!!

 

The tapered axle and hub should be DRY when ***embled so be sure to claen off any lubricant, wax, etc. you used to get it off.

 

I borrowed a blue point from a friend and got it off no problem. Thanks for the tip also on not lubing up I didn't know that also.

 

Glad that worked for you. When you readjust your brakes, be aware that there is adjustment for both the heel and the toe of the shoe. The anchor pins are an adjustable eccentric. There's a special tool (Amco 1750) to make it easier, but homemade tools work as does trial and error by feel.