Hawk-Rear brakes (removing rear drums) what's the trick?

[Brewster]

I've got my Hawk up on stands--obviously you have to remove the cotter pin and big nut--now I was told, you need a hub puller that bolt's on behind your lug nut's-that will pull it off .It appears there is a groove with a "key" also.Any words of wisdom?--Also the rear diff. has a tag that say's (45B) and appears to be a TT - both drums rotate forward at the same time.All drums are fiinned, maybe all '61" are?--- Brewster

[Swifster]

Hub puller...Any car built before 1965 will require the puller.

[rockne10]

Here's the puller you need. You can often rent or borrow one.

[StudeRich]

Brewster, it may help also if you back off the brake shoes adjusters all the way loose.

All 289 Engine equipped Cars from 1956 to 1964 and 283 V8 '65-'66 Drum Brake Cars have the Finned 11" front and 10" rear Drums.

Of course that leaves out LARKS from '59 to '61 except the very few Cruisers with the optional 289 Engine, also the '59 Silver Hawks.

The Twin Traction was optional on all years and models, 1957 and on.

[studegary]

Before using the hub puller shown in post no. 3, put the castellated nut back on in reverse, even with the outer end of the threads.

[RadioRoy]

When you reassemble the rear brakes, the key goes in a certain way. If you do it wrong, you can damage the drum, damage the seal, or even crack the axle, which can lead to catastrophic failure later (the wheel and brake drum fall off - a real brown pants moment).

When you reassemble the rear brakes, push the drum, without the key installed, onto the axle as far as you can by hand. Then line up the keyways and put in the key with the taper pointing inwards and towards the axle. Think of the tapered end as complimenting the taper on the axle groove where the groove gets shallower and disappears. Press the key flush with the outside of the hub but no deeper, put on the washer and nut, and tighten the nut. You want the key to end up as far outboard as possible, and the key as far away from the taper on the axle as possible.

What some folks do is put the key in wrong, put it on the axle first, then press the hub onto the axle. That forces the key into the axle. Climbing up the axle taper, the key can tear/break out the inside of the hub. The protrusion of the broken hub can tear up the felt seal. In the best case, the drum/hub will be much harder the remove the next time.

In the worst case if the hub and key are forced together, the end of the axle can crack and eventually break off. If you are driving when it breaks off you will lose the entire rear wheel and brake drum. This means you will lose all braking ability. Definitely not good.

It's only a small thing to do right, easy to do wrong, and disastrous if done wrong.

If your hubs have been broken out by the key being forced too far into the axle groove, you should have the axle magnafluxed to find any cracks before reassembling the brakes.

Please believe me. I had an axle break while going downhill on a curvy mountain road.

[Warren Webb]

One more thing to remember is, no matter how tempting it may be, reinstall the hub/brake drum onto the axle dry, no grease, oil or anything! Clean, even go as far as sanding the inner hub area & the axle shaft end with a 220 grit, making it nice & smooth. Then torque the axle nut to 175 ft/lbs & THEN tighten to the next opening in the castle nut.

[rknight89]

If it's anything like my Lark, Get the hub puller AND a sledge hammer. The drums hadn't been off in probably 40+ years. If you're planning on replacing the seals and turning the drums on a lathe...bring a torch to the drum pullin' party too. After all that, take it to a professional with a bigger puller, bigger sledge hammer, a hotter torch and a lathe. THEN you reach in you pocket, give him the new seals and a fist full of cash and sit in the waiting room until he comes out with a grin on his face and blood on his hands. THEN, you give him some more money, thank him and leave sheepishly. It's easier if you skip the first few steps and just go straight to the professional, but what's the fun in that. Now, wasn't that easy.

[RareBird]

Btw you'll hear one heck of a loud bang. My son was in garage first time I pulled mine and he about wet himself when it finally let loose

[StudeRich]

Btw you'll hear one heck of a loud bang. My son was in garage first time I pulled mine and he about wet himself when it finally let loose

Yes that often happens, so DO NOT let anyone including yourself stand in it's way, it could go 4 to 6 feet!

[studegary]

Yes that often happens, so DO NOT let anyone including yourself stand in it's way, it could go 4 to 6 feet!

That is one of two reasons to put the castellated nut on in reverse (the other is to prevent axle mushroom).

[55 56 PREZ 4D]

Brewster:
Was it found that a hub puller was needed "BEFORE" an attempt to pull the drum ?
Depending on how much and what type of persuasion was used there may be damage to the drum.

[thunderations]

SOMETIMES....it is advisable to get the hub puller on and tight (with the hammer) then go get a beverage of choice and a sandwich. You might even go smack the puller with the hammer a couple times while taking this break, just for fun. Somewhere along about the time you're sure that the last person to work on the brakes had welded the hub to the axle, it will pop loose. Sometimes it even helps to sleep on it and wake up in the morning to the hub having popped loose. Good luck.