| banjoQ | -- 11-24-2012 @ 11:07 AM |
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Greetings to all members, this is my first post on this forum. My name is Quentin and I am trying to bring a 36 pickup back to life after a 47 year sleep. This truck was driven into a garage and parked, with the E brake set quite hard. My problem is, I cannot release the brake shoes inside the hub. The brake handle has been released and I have gone underneath and pulled the cables in an effort to release the brake. Tried rocking the vehicle back and forth, no luck. Anything I am missing? I hate to put a hub puller on and destroy brake parts getting it off. There is also a possibility the hub will have a ridge, making the removal difficult. I need to get this thing rolling before it can be towed home. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Q
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| supereal | -- 11-24-2012 @ 2:21 PM |
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You will need to back off the adjusters on each wheel, and uncouple the brake rods. Work the brake shoe arms to see if you can loosen the cams that extend the shoes. After than many years, it is likely the entire braking system inside the drum is rusted badly, and the shoes are bonded to the drums, so keep trying. If you are lucky enough to get the drum loose enough to rotate it,using the correct puller may get the hubs and drums off the axle. If you just need to tow the truck, once you get the wheels so they will turn, you can choose a better time to remove the hubs and drums. The proper puller is the Winfield Tool Works KRW puller. It secures to the groove in the hub. Any other kind of puller is likely to damage the drums, which are very hard to find, and expensive if you do. Good luck with your project, Quentin. The members here will always be glad to assist you as needed. If you haven't already, be sure to join our Club.
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| CharlieStephens | -- 11-24-2012 @ 2:24 PM |
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What about car dollies under the rear wheels and winching it onto a flatbed? Once it is home you can be more patient and careful when you work on it. Charlie Stephens
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| banjoQ | -- 11-24-2012 @ 3:40 PM |
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I think I should provide a little history on this truck. This was assembled around 52' by my father in-law and a couple of friends. Come to find out it is a Heinz 57 of a truck. Already has juice brakes (early forties I am told). Has an 8BA flathead from around 50'. Our fathers were building these for a few hundred bucks back then, and working them hard. I thought about backing off on the adjusters, come to find the backing plates have no inspection holes. Although the truck has been stored in a garage, I too think that the brake mechanisms are going to be rusted badly. I intend to replace the wheel cylinders, springs, clips and retainers and possibly the shoes. I just want to avoid possibly damaging the drum pulling it off the hard way. I have the truck on dollies right now to move it around. Seems the building has changed configuration in the last forty years. There is no longer a door nearby to pull it out through. Not sure I want to try and pull it on a flatbed with them though. I will keep trying, Thanks for the tips, keep you all posted.
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| CharlieStephens | -- 11-24-2012 @ 4:08 PM |
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You have now added something else to the equation. With hydraulic brakes there is the possibility that the wheel cylinders are rusty and when someone pushed the brake pedal the shoes were forced into the drums where they remain since the rested wheel cylinders will not retract. Can you get a backing plate to study how the adjustments should be made to retract the shoes? There is a pin prick on the bottom adjuster (assuming they are early forties not late forties) to show the maximum retracted position of the shoes. Charlie Stephens This message was edited by CharlieStephens on 11-24-12 @ 4:09 PM
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| Stroker | -- 11-24-2012 @ 4:12 PM |
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Well, that additional information helps a lot! The backing plates have no inspection or adjustment holes. The hydraulic's instead have two large bolt-heads with springs under the heads. These turn "snail cams" on the other side of the backing plate that limit the distance that the shoe can retract, thus adjusting the stroke of the wheel cylinder. If you turn the front bolt head on the left side counter-clockwise until it stops, it will release the front shoe on that side, move to the rear bolt and turn clockwise. On the right side, turn the front bolt clockwise, and the rear bolt counter-clockwise. Then open the bleeder screws, and the shoes MAY retract all the way. The same goes for the front brakes. As Supereal has cautioned, beg, borrow or purchase a KRW puller for the rear hubs, NOT a puller that attaches to the wheel studs. Don't try to beat on the axle end to dislodge the hub. We used to do that, but back then, (1950's) a replacement axle could easily be sourced at the local salvage yard. I'd guess that the shoes may have simply "stuck" to the drums, Once you release the parking brake and back off the adjusters I would also guess that pulling the truck a few feet will break them loose.
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| banjoQ | -- 11-24-2012 @ 5:37 PM |
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You all have raised good points. I am aware of the importance of using the correct tool to remove the brake drum. Not surprisingly, I have been advised to reverse the castle nut and strike with a mallet. Also told about using a three or five legged puller that utilizes the wheel studs. Lucky for me I started my research early and learned about using the correct tool. It's very possible that the wheel cylinders have failed and cannot retract. Although the truck was kept in a garage all these years, the garage is in S.F. Ca. Not the driest climate for long term storage. Strokers info on the cam adjusters is very interesting. I will be going into the city tomorrow and will look for these. Maybe after setting them back I will be able to get some movement. Don't need much, just enough to get it out of there. Once home, I can begin doing a complete brake job on the truck. The original Holley carb has been rebuilt and is ready to re-install. Radiator seem OK so far. Are there any books or service manuals that can be recommended? Most of my experience is with 60s Chevrolets. This is uncharted territory for me.
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| supereal | -- 11-24-2012 @ 8:57 PM |
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Go online and pull up cgfordparts.com. They have dozens of very good books and manuals that will be indispensable for your project.
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