Seized Brake Drums

[dennishoddy]

Yes, and also the drum, both on the face and radially inward on the sides. No luck.

I know the pins of which you speak; the MGB has them, but I don't see them in the diagram for the A. And if I go to cutting, I hadn't considered a die grinder (I don't have one, but that's easy to solve), but I had planned to use a cutoff wheel on an angle grinder rather than a torch. Cut where I can, score where I can't, and use a hardened chisel to do the final break.

Also, I learned about a really neat tool yesterday: an impact driver. Not a power tool, just a tube about an inch in diameter and four inches long with a half-inch drive on the front end set up so that when you hit the back end with a hammer (we used a sledgehammer), it both forces the tool in and drives it to turn (selectable direction). Put the right hex socket (included) on the half-inch drive and the right screwdriver bit (also included) in the socket, and it pulled some screws we thought we'd never get out, particularly given that the heads were already damaged. You can put any other impact-rated socket on it and have an impact wrench, too. About $12 at Steve's Wholesale Tools for the nice, all-metal version (the Harbor Freight version gets lousy reviews).

I have the snap on impact driver. Anyone that works on aluminum motorcycle engines will own one after the first project. They are indispensable in that craft. Strip a Phillip’s head with a screw driver, the impact driver will remove it.

 

[doctorjj]

Get a bigger hammer.

 

[dennishoddy]

Just spitballing here but the redneck mechanic in my old hood on the cheap side of town was a master machinist from old school.

I was trying to remove a tie rod end with no success. Not even with a puller.
I consulted him and he came over, looked at the set up with the puller and took it off.
Took a 2lb ball peen hammer and a 4 lb sledge, hit the outer rims of the ball joint at the same time and it fell out on the floor.

He said a lot of mechanics do that. He said harmonics is the reason.
I don’t care, it worked.
All that being said. It could be seized to the center hub? I’ve experienced that before.
If the hub is stuck and not moving, it could be the axle bearing? If moving it’s stuck to the pads because the internals are on springs. .
I don’t know if the dissimilar hammer strikes will work, but it’s an option that keeps dad happy.
Sorry in advance if your arms get sore banging on that hub but thought I’d throw that in.

 

[MacFromOK]

Just spitballing here but the redneck mechanic in my old hood on the cheap side of town was a master machinist from old school.

I was trying to remove a tie rod end with no success. Not even with a puller.
I consulted him and he came over, looked at the set up with the puller and took it off.
Took a 2lb ball peen hammer and a 4 lb sledge, hit the outer rims of the ball joint at the same time and it fell out on the floor.

He said a lot of mechanics do that. He said harmonics is the reason.

Methinks you may have missed a detail or two.

1. You put the heavier hammer against the female part (where the tie-rod goes into) as a backup and hold it there firmly (it performs like an anvil).

2. You then whack the other side of the same female part with the smaller 2lb hammer.

3. Since the connection is tapered, you basically squeeze the taper and force the tie rod out of the hole. Harmonics has nothing to do with it.

However, it does work like magic.

 

[swampratt]

You can rip the brakes and springs off with a pry bar pretty easy.
I think your issue is the brake drum is rusted to the axle hub.

The area you need to play with is that area.
Heat the drum around the axle hub and lug nuts or if no heat then start adding brake fluid around the lug studs and center hub area and see if that breaks the rust loose so you can pull the drum off. Brake fluid needs to soak in for 30 minutes or more then tap tap tap and more fluid to get it to settle in the area then tap tap tap and try to pull it apart.

Shoes will not hold it near as much as a rusted hub

 

[Dave70968]

You can rip the brakes and springs off with a pry bar pretty easy.
I think your issue is the brake drum is rusted to the axle hub.

The area you need to play with is that area.
Heat the drum around the axle hub and lug nuts or if no heat then start adding brake fluid around the lug studs and center hub area and see if that breaks the rust loose so you can pull the drum off. Brake fluid needs to soak in for 30 minutes or more then tap tap tap and more fluid to get it to settle in the area then tap tap tap and try to pull it apart.

Shoes will not hold it near as much as a rusted hub

I get what you're saying, but the axle turns freely on the left side, so unless the right axle shaft is frozen internally (which I kinda doubt), the drum being locked to the hub shouldn't prevent it from turning. Coming off, I'd understand, but I don't see where that would keep it from rotating. Is there something I'm not understanding here?

 

[swampratt]

I thought both sides rotated and the issue was the brake drum would not come off.
I see said the blind man.
Here is an odd scenario. Dirt bike engine sat on it's side for 10+ years in the field.
All kinds of things were tried to free the rusted cylinder and piston.
Finally a last resort was to submerge the engine in a large pail of water. It soaked for a week in there and took it out and the thing would now turn over.
Just water.
I wonder if you could fill a bag like a lawn and leaf bag full of water and encase the drum in it and let it soak.

As you stated it is hard to get anything in there where the shoes are.
I have an old 9" ford rearend that the tires rotted off the rims and has sat for decades but was under a cover .. the drums were stuck to the shoes nice and solid.
I have had it sitting outside during 2018 and we got a lot of rain and it is no longer under a cover.
The other day I went to move it and the drums are no longer stuck.
I drug it 200 yards across a field where my buddy had it and it never budged and Pounded and pounded and pried on it and no luck.

Seems the rain on it loosened it all up.

 

[Chief Sapulpa]

It seems that job one is to move it to the barn. Can it be picked up by the rear with a wrecker truck? Once moved cut off the drum, set up a Go Fund Me account and this generous OSA family will fund a new drum; that should satisfy your Dad...

 

[NightShade]

I thought both sides rotated and the issue was the brake drum would not come off.
I see said the blind man.
Here is an odd scenario. Dirt bike engine sat on it's side for 10+ years in the field.
All kinds of things were tried to free the rusted cylinder and piston.
Finally a last resort was to submerge the engine in a large pail of water. It soaked for a week in there and took it out and the thing would now turn over.
Just water.
I wonder if you could fill a bag like a lawn and leaf bag full of water and encase the drum in it and let it soak.

As you stated it is hard to get anything in there where the shoes are.
I have an old 9" ford rearend that the tires rotted off the rims and has sat for decades but was under a cover .. the drums were stuck to the shoes nice and solid.
I have had it sitting outside during 2018 and we got a lot of rain and it is no longer under a cover.
The other day I went to move it and the drums are no longer stuck.
I drug it 200 yards across a field where my buddy had it and it never budged and Pounded and pounded and pried on it and no luck.

Seems the rain on it loosened it all up.

Doesn't surprise me. Water is actually a very good solvent, it will eat through just about anything but it has to be pure water. If you have really hard water or a water softener it won't work as well. Used to have an RO/DI system for water filtration and after the system processes the water you are not supposed to use anything other than plastic lines as the water will leach away any metals. This is the reason why a lot of these water and ice places have water that tastes off since the RO the water and then run it through a copper line.

https://water.usgs.gov/edu/qa-solvent.html

If you want to try it out just go get some distilled water and drop a part in to it. On the hub you would have to find a way to bag it and then pour the water in. Could take a couple heavy trash bags and zip tie a section around the axle tube then fill it with water and zip tie the top shut. Guaranteed to get in there at some point.