We just had to butcher a rear drum on a '53 Imperial so that we could remove it. We learned something and would like to learn a bit more. First off, after busting three different pullers, heating the snot out of it and beating the tar out of it, we finally took a grinder to the studs that join the hub to the drum and removed the drum. We think that we can put the drum back on with out worring about the studs. The lug bolts thread through the drum and into the hub. We might never need to put the hub and if the 6 ton jack that we welder to our puller won't pull it, it ain't moving.... Now on the brake shoes. The original shoes lining were attached with a process called "Cyclebond". The shoe and lining are put into a clamp and backed at 400 degrees for a bit. I would like to use this process in my shop and save the h***le of paying through the nose and waiting for a week for brake shoes. Anybody remember how to do it and where to get raw linings? What is the adhesive that is used in "Cyclebond"? Here is a link to the info I have found. http://www.imperialclub.com/Repair/Lit/Master/009/page17.htm
There is a place in Seattle I've gone to called something like "brake and clutch", down on 6th; I don't know if they re-do bonded shoes, but they can sure rivet the linings on. BTW, on these old mopars, there is a deep puller to remove the hub from the tapered axle. Runs about $200+ from the tool pimp on the truck. But if you use penetrating oil, back the nut off until it's a little loose (leave the cotter pin on), and drive around the block a bunch of times, it's supposed to do the trick. If you don't have a manual covering one of these, gimme a holler and I'll see if I can dig up some scans of pages. The adjustment on these is a little tricky (at least for me...) and can be done wrong in a couple ways. I have some rear brake parts for '54 NY'er; may or may not be same. PM me if you need anything. -bill
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