Any 50's Dodge truck experts?

I have a few questions...

First of,the truck is a '55 C-3,6 cylinder with the 3-speed,all stock. I have some plans for it but at the moment I'm trying to get the truck road-worthy for some summer cruising.

The brake light switch needs to be replaced,so I figured I'd fix the few other brake issues while the system was open (rear brake line looks like hell and one of the rear bleeders is broken).

I pulled the wheels off tonight and was trying to remove the rear drums,the p***enger side came right off,but the driver's side won't budge,and I don't see a way to back off the shoes,what's the trick? I wanted to take the drums in and machine them but I might not if the drum won't come off (the wheel cylinder with the broken bleeder is on the side the drum came off of.)

I have a manual but apparently it's just a supplement and doesn't have much info

 

I bet if you went to the local Library and looked up a motors manual, or a search online. Not trying to be a smart *** btw.

 

here, maybe this will help, http://www.dodgepilothouseclub.org/know/manual/truckmanual_465-469.pdf

 

If its stock, this should be the kind of drum retained by a nut on the tapered end of the axle. It also will have a keyway with a woodruff key in it as well. They can be really difficult to remove, and require a heavy duty brake drum puller that has legs that bolt onto the wheel studs (regular 3 and 4 jaw pullers usually won't cut it).

***uming you have the appropriate brake puller and its still not coming off, you'll probably need to add some heat. I used a propane torch on mine, heating the taper area of the drum until the some of the grease from the bearings started to bubble out (do not heat the axle glowing red, it will de-temper it and render it useless). Once I did that I hit the drum with a small ball pean hammer, the shock releases the taper lock and the drum will pop off. No need for a sledge either, you're trying to "ring" the drum, so a faster hammer speed will get you a better shockwave (and less damage than a big hammer).

If for some reason it isn't the tapered axle type drum, its been replaced by a later axle. In which case, pull harder.

Below is the correct style brake drum puller for the tapered axle drums, in case you just got lucky with the first one.

 

Ok,I think I have it figured out,I will need the puller for the drums (I have one),The one on the right rear came off because the rivets holding it to the wheel bolt flange are missing.

 

I'd have to say that will need some fixing!

Glad to hear you've got it figured out though, we need more Dodge trucks on the road!

 

i have one of those pullers, if you'd like to buy it.

 

Actually I have one,got it many years ago in a parts lot for one of my O/T trucks.