Destruction of a Bay Rear Brake Drum

[rockerarm]

I have been working on a 69 Bay that this fella bought back about six months ago. I would be working on it during saturday's but always had to have it back together for his ride home. Most of the work revolved around getting the wiring in order, missing sheet metal on the engine, and a safety check. The front brakes had been recently replaced (shoes and cylinders) but the rear brakes needed imminent attention. The left rear axle nut took my striking hammer to remove and the cyl's were starting to leak and shoes 50 percent worn. The right rear axle nut was loose and drum refused to come off. This is the subject of my post here. So I advised the owner of this and we sprayed his "Kroil" penetrant onto the nut and would try and remove next sat. Next week the drum still would not move so I drove it around town for an hour with the nut backed off a turn or so and the cotter pin in place. Still no drum movement. I enlisted the help of Tim Caves of TC's VW here in LA as Tim has a drum puller. The studs began to pull out of the lug holes and no drum movement. I advised the owner we may have to cut the drum off so we need to begin locating parts. The owner tried two other people he knew of and one place was "wailing" on the stub axle with a steel sledge that had a 3'+ handle! Oh well, buy a stub axle too. I want to thank Ralph Chase of Goldmine in Whittier for the used drum, $40. The owner got the stub axle from the gorilla's with the sledge for $30. So, on the next sat armed with a new angle grinder and a few wheels my son began cutting at 9am and the drum didn't come off the Bay til 4pm! You should have seen the owner, pacing back and forth! One would have thought his wife was giving birth! The drums outer diameter rubbed on the lip of the backing plate and a $20 cut from the local auto machine shop fixed that. This was way back before X-Mas and to this day patient and owner are doing fine. Bay went home two days later, because of locating machine shop, wearing new rear shoes, wheel cylinders, a used drum, and a qt of Dot 3. Its been over a month and all is well as owner is bonding well with his bay after subjecting it to so much trauma!

I am, and have always been of the opinion that drums need to come off once a year to inspect wheel cylinders, bearings, etc. This procedure would probably have prevented the drum from happening. It should be said that these parts were not excessively rusted, though the Bay does have some rust concerns.
I hope this helps, Bill

[aeromech]

I've recently run into the same issue with the drums hitting the backing plate so I had some shims made. I'm surprised that a puller like this one couldn't get that drum off

_________________
Lead Mechanic: San Diego Air and Space Museum
Licensed Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic
Licensed Pilot (Single engine Land)
Boeing 727,737-200-300-400,757,767
Airbus A319,320,321
DC9/MD80
BAe146
Fokker F28/F100
VW type 1 1962,63,65,69,72
VW Type 2 1971 (3 ea.) 1978, 1969
VW Jetta
VW Passat
Capable of leaping tall buildings in a single bound

[rockerarm]

Roger that bro. I've used similar pullers as a dealer tech. Tim Caves tried his and the lug threads were ready to pull out, which to me indicated a 150 lb/ft plus torque. I remember your earlier post and was gonna send my son done to buy the extras if it came to that.
Bottom line is the job is done and, hopefully, owner is happy. You should see the look on this owners face as my son was cutting his drum up! Priceless!
Bill.

[aeromech]

I'm just curious how you charged him for that job. At shop rates and it taking your son 6+ hours that equals a chuck of change.
_________________
Lead Mechanic: San Diego Air and Space Museum
Licensed Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic
Licensed Pilot (Single engine Land)
Boeing 727,737-200-300-400,757,767
Airbus A319,320,321
DC9/MD80
BAe146
Fokker F28/F100
VW type 1 1962,63,65,69,72
VW Type 2 1971 (3 ea.) 1978, 1969
VW Jetta
VW Passat
Capable of leaping tall buildings in a single bound

[rockerarm]

Ahhh, I was hoping that wouldn't come up. Can I say learning experience has its cost. I charged the owner $100 to cut the drum off. I really didn't think it would take that long, but ??

[aeromech]

Sometimes you eat the bear and sometimes the bear eats you
_________________
Lead Mechanic: San Diego Air and Space Museum
Licensed Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic
Licensed Pilot (Single engine Land)
Boeing 727,737-200-300-400,757,767
Airbus A319,320,321
DC9/MD80
BAe146
Fokker F28/F100
VW type 1 1962,63,65,69,72
VW Type 2 1971 (3 ea.) 1978, 1969
VW Jetta
VW Passat
Capable of leaping tall buildings in a single bound

[rockerbus]

Did you try much heat on it? My little rosebud tip has saved the day more than a few times. Had a hot pitman arm launch into my lap once, though!
_________________
- James
Freebus is an April 1970 Kombi, 1776 Single port, , Freeway flyer. Undergoing functional reassignment from Kombi to Tin-top camper with transplanted Riviera parts.

[rockerarm]

We tried some heat but only with one of those propane cylinders with the screw on torch head.
Bill