Drum Removal?

Message

Warner Bigend · #1 Post by **Warner Bigend** » Thu May 11, 2006 11:32 pm

Anyone got any bright ideas about getting the drums off my mk2? They\'re not binding at all, and I\'d like to be able to at the very least inspect the shoes and adjusters (the handbrake isn\'t great and the footbrake could be better IMO). I\'ve also got to grease the splines, and I think that\'s best done by sliding the hub/ driveshaft end out the suspension arm? Trouble is they clearly haven\'t been removed for inspection/ servicing very reccently, and so have rusted onto thehubs ratehr too well for me to shift them. I don\'t have heat, and I\'m not sure I\'d be too happy getting an area so clost to the bearings all that hot anyway, but I need these drums off! I\'m reluctant to fork out for new drums if there\'s a mystical method of removing mine intact and unwarped...

#2 Post by **Trevan** » Fri May 12, 2006 12:36 am

Hi
A Triumph specialist had the same problem with my MK2 last week and the drums were off this time last year. He used heat and a big hammer and tried a slide hammer too - still took him 10 or 15 minites of intensive effort to get one off to adjust the handbrake.
Good luck
Best wishes
Trevan

Warner Bigend · #3 Post by **Warner Bigend** » Sat May 13, 2006 6:06 am

I\'m going to have a crack at them with some of that freeze/ release spray (it might work if it does what it says on the tin, given ambient temps at themoment), failing that I\'ll add a pair of s/h drums to my list and take a grinder to the old ones when the time comes... I figure if you had a specialist struggle to manage *with* the right kit and knowledge, I probably don\'t stand much of a chance doing it myself

#4 Post by **Trevan** » Sat May 13, 2006 3:22 pm

Hi
I happened to be at the same specialist yesterday (more expence!) and mentioned your problem. He reckons if you get hold of a blowtorch and persist with the big hammer you\'ll be ok.
Best wishes
Trevan

Warner Bigend · #5 Post by **Warner Bigend** » Sat May 13, 2006 5:04 pm

I\'ll try that if the freeze spray doesn\'t do the trick then - Thanks for mentioning it!

I did try removing the screws, slackening the wheel nuts and going up and down the drive yanking the handbrake on, but the rears are so feeble no real load was put through to break the seal. The brakes are OK when driving though, and the handbrake certainly holds the car, but I really want to be able to get at the shoes and cylinders to make sure everything\'s moving OK and in good order. The car had been used incredibly infrequently buy the previous owner so I\'m worried that he didn\'t do any checks (he never did the oil/ filter in 5 years!) and things might have seized here and there.

#6 Post by **Alec** » Sat May 13, 2006 6:55 pm

Hello Warner, 
 
make sure that the handbrake levers are right back, removing the clevis
pin can help. (By the way that was the only way I could get self
adjustment when I had a MK 2, brake hard with the hand brake
disconnected got the ratchet adjuster to click) 
Some plus gas on the studs and around the hub centre. I have never used
heat but find that a heavy hammer alternating front and back usually
does the trick, once moving some leverage  to ease them off. 
 
Alec

#7 Post by **Poole_A** » Mon May 15, 2006 5:38 pm

I had the same problem yesterday, but found that disconnecting the cable by removing the clevis pin, and beating the drum outwards with a hammer and large screwdriver did the trick.
The shoes may not be binding along the plain of rotation but may be binding across it.

#8 Post by **Alec** » Mon May 15, 2006 6:30 pm

Hello all, 
 
 
[QUOTE=Poole_A] 

The shoes may not be binding along the plain of rotation but may be binding across it.[/QUOTE] 
 
this may be made worse if the drum is worn as the unworn ridge binds on
the shoes. One of the benefits of manual adjustment is that the shoes
can be backed off to help removal. 
 
Alec

Warner Bigend · #9 Post by **Warner Bigend** » Mon May 15, 2006 6:48 pm

If it were shoes binding at any point on the drum then surely teh drum wouldn\'t turn so freely by hand? There\'s absolutely no movement between drum and hub even with no apparent binding

There\'s also a ring of rust between the hole in the middle of the drum and the hub - I have a feeling that\'s where the problem lies as it looks very rusted together. Once I get some play in the assembly then I\'ll porbably run into problems with the infamous lip, but that\'s the leatst of my worries right now! In my Autodata it says the self adjusters can be backed off by levering something - I couldn\'t spot it when looking last week and I don\'t want to release them till I know I can get the drums off and make sure they\'ll re-adjust! I\'m hoping to havea crack at it and the column bush later this week if everything turns up, will let you know how it goes

#10 Post by **Alec** » Mon May 15, 2006 7:12 pm

Hello Warner, 
 
the binding normally shows up asthe drum starts to come off, which you have yet to reach. 
 
Rust would seem to be a factor and a proper release fluid is best such
as Plus Gas as I mentioned earlier, not WD40 and the like. 
 
Another trick, but if you do it you will have to get the drum off, is
to knock the studs in so giving another area to get fluid in and allow
more drum movement. You do need to hit the drums very hard when they
are tight, I use a copper hammer but even so sometimes little areas of
the stiffening ridge break off. 
 
The self adjusters can be released - only when the drum is off.

Alec 
 
 

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