Rear brake drum removal

[Britt Boyette]

Well, after much cussing and fussing with those rear brake drums on my 74 260Z, trying to remove them, I've deceided to ask for help.

I followed the Haynes manual and that didn't work. I backed off the shoes adjuster wheel all the way, disconnected the E-brake, used Liquid Wrench (lots!), tried heating the drum with a torch, and a little hammer action (no fins were hurt). What have I missed?

Also, is a rear disc brake set up from a 280ZX a direct bolt up to my 260Z?

Britt Boyette

[mperdue]

Hey Britt,

There are Nissan adaptors for putting 280ZX calipers on the rears - i recently bought a set but haven't used them yet or even tried a fit. I don't think they make the adaptors anymore but you may find them around. see this http://www.zdriver.com/articles/full_article.php?ID=11

Dont know about removing the drums (haven't gotten there) but I've heard it's a pain!! Good luck

Michael

[hmsports]

Sorry for the obscure reference to a Todd Rundgren song...

I got so frustrated once with my rear drums that I finally took a 12 pound sledge and gave a good whack right in the middle where it centers on the hub. It popped right off with no damage.

I cleaned/sanded everthing and used some Molybdenum grease to keep it from grabbing hold again.

[2ManyZs]

Here's a link to another post that might give you a couple more ideas on how to get them off.

http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2003&highlight=Rear+brake+drums

If you have a question, try using the search function. Nearly all questions about a Z have been discussed here at one time or another.

Sounds to me like you have done nearly everything there is to try except for tapping around the hub where the drum is probably corroded fast. Aluminum against steel will always cause corrosion, so this is where they will bond together. Don't use too much heat on the aluminum drum or you may run the risk of cracking the drum and have to replace it instead of possibly just turning the drum when you get it off.

[smg1404]

I'm afraid that I got rather impatient, and pounded the hell out of mine when I took them off. I had to buy new ones. About 100.00 each.. Oh well, I wonder if a little heat would help?? I know the big hammer works, but it is a little expensive..

[beandip]

try this it works for me. apply wd 40 to the center of the drum where it contacts the axel and let it soak. If you have kroil so much the better. if you have a dead blow hammer use it other wise use a rubber mallot and strike the drum on the front corner where it curves to the top, hit on one side and then the opposite side back and forth and check the center for movement and keep repeating , you then can try to go form top to bottom. what you are trying to do is to get the drum to rock sligtly back and forth, and this will start the movement out . on reinstall use antiseize on the axel to drum contact area. It seems counter productive to strike the drum in the front but it does work to loosen the center which is what is holding things up . If you strike the drum from the rear you can brake fins and or crack the drum .Good luck Gary

[Britt Boyette]

The hammer action worked. I did put on the lug nuts as a drum catcher and that worked out well too. I seldom use a big hammer for working on cars but it sure is nice to have one when you need it.

Thanks all,

Britt Boyette

[2ManyZs]

Glad it worked. Before you put the drum back on take a flat file and go around the hub flange and make sure it is smooth and has no areas where it is swaged outward. Also clean up the inside of the drum where it fits over the flange with a file or sandpaper to make sure there is no corrosion, or else it will be hard to remove the next time. It is also a good idea to clean up the holes where the studs come through the drum of any corossion also. It should fit easily over the flange and you should be able to get it on and off with little effort once the brakes are backed off.

If when you go to put the drum back on you can't seat it with just a slight tap with the palm of your hand, you need to do a little work to make sure it won't get stuck again...