Does anyone know how to remove one of these rear brake hubs? All the Haynes manuals say 'remove the retaining screw' and the diagram shows a big screw between the wheel studs - this brake hub doesn't seem to have a screw. Thanks
Rescued attachment 2005_0618snap0099.JPG

Nope, no screw on that one.
Gentle wacks all round with a rubber mallet on the side of the drum and a bit of levering with a screwdriver between the back of the drum and the back plate did it for me.

Pat...

P.S. Make sure the handbrake is off and see if you can spin the drum round first in case the pads have seized against the drum.

wouldn't that mean that the hub and therefore wheel is held only purely by friction and luck? I tried a hub puller, but when the pressure started mounting, I chickened out, so no to break anything. thanks

Nope, the studs go all the way through to the end of the half shafts, so the whole lot is clamped together by the wheel nuts (I think!). Various 'persuation' techniques as pat says should do the trick!

Andy

[Edited on 22/6/05 by andylancaster3000]

1) Back off adjusters as far as possible .
2) Use largish hammer and tap evenly around the sides of the drum and on the front face.
3) use a pry bar or screw driver to prise between drum and backing plate.
4) repeat 2, repeat 3.
5) if above doesn't work, replace hammer with larger one and try again.

its probly rusted onto the drive flange,a large hammer aimed between the wheel studs should move it

Just keep persevering. You are trying to knock the shoes back. There may be a lip in the drum that they catch on, they can be a chew but eventually they will start to come forward. Make sure all adjusters are backed off and handbrake cables are loosened (no tension on the shoes at all).

Rubber mallet is approved method. I used 4lb club hammer and pry bar. Worst case is you use big hammer and crack the drum. You might distort back plate a bit but these can be straightened up. Be prepared to fit new drums just in case you crack one.

You will find that the auto adjuster inside is sh1tted up and hence stuck out (hence chew to remove). When you rebuild these can be cleaned up nicely and will work fine.

This is one of those jobs that once apart it will become obvious how to remove - chicken and egg thing!!

Drums are principally held in place by the road wheels and nuts. The retaining screw is just there to hold it in place when the wheels are off - but as you have experienced they dont just fall off!

right, thanks guys - now I know brute force is needed, I'm up to the challenge, I just didn't want to use force where finese was required.

thanks much.

STOP !!!!

What are you trying to do ? remove the drum or the shaft ? What you can't do is pull the hub off the shaft. Looking at the picture you may already have damaged the shaft by using a hub puller, it should not have a circular crack in the centre.

The drum comes off quite easily just tap round the rim and lever at the same time.--- make sure the handbrake cable is fully slack or disconnected before you start.

Yes, now I've had the explanations above I see that a hub puller is useless for this job. I assumed in error that the studs were attached to the brake hub (hence the reason a purchased the hub puller). Fortunately the centre isn't cracked, but from the photo I can see how it appears that way - the shiny bit in the centre is not a crack, just a scratch through the grime/paint into the silver metal.

This crack like feature isn't on my English axle shafts.

[Edited on 22/6/05 by britishtrident]
Rescued attachment crk.JPG

ok, thanks, I'll check it out at the weekend. I couldn't say whether that line was there before I started, or whether it's a new and improved feature I've added :-)

I don't think I applied enough pressure to the hub puller to rip steel, so I'm hoping it's not serious.

cheers