16 replies to this topic

[tipcat]

Let me try to put myself in the best light... Nah, forget it - I messed up! I changed the wheel cylinders and shoes on my rear wheels... Put the drum on the first side - it offered some resistance - and once i 'persuaded' it, eventually went on - and wouldn't move! :gasp: I tried the drum on the other side - it had resistance - but before I forced it, my eye fell on the box the shoes came out of - the one that said 'FRONT'. The shoes from the box that said 'REAR' went on surprisingly well!

Now - can the collective mechanical minds of TMF come up with a way to get a drum off, when the shoes inside are too big? Please?
I considered dropping the car onto its wheels and driving it for a while in the off chance the shoes might loosen enough to get the drum off... but I don't want to think what else might loosen by doing that!

Any ideas? Anyone? (unfortunately I think small-yield nuclear devices are out of the question!)

[Bungle]

you have tryed the adjuster on the back of the drum have'nt you ?

[tipcat]

Yeah - the adjuster is all the way out. It wasn't going to be that easy!

[Bungle]

thats as far as my knowledge gos but some one on here will help you

[mini998]

try unscrewing the brake nipple,it will release any pressure loaded(if there any)

[Guess-Works.com]

Simple answer is, it went on so it will come off... The problem is you will probably need a new set of front shoes, and maybe a new drum...

Get yourself a realy large three legged bearing puller and put round the drum and pull it off that way... or, if that's not possible, remove the hub nut and try withdrawring the rear hub with the drum attached.

[Jordie]

chisel and bfh (big f**king hammer) will sort it.

[Guess-Works.com]

Not the BFH.... :saywhat:

I had to use mine on a track rod yesterday... it's total last resort...

[Jammy]

(unfortunately I think small-yield nuclear devices are out of the question!)

Large-yield nuclear device?!

[tipcat]

It might come to that! (Watch for the mushroom cloud over Cambridgeshire!) I might try to find a bearing puller somewhere... maybe they sell them at T*sco's! Thanks for the comments, all... and any more ideas will be appreciated!

[Guess-Works.com]

You can get a fairly cheap, but workable set from Machine Mart Clicky don't know how far you are from Peterborough.. as there's one there

[Dan]

This is really confusing because front and rear drums on Mini's are basically the same size. The only difference is the width of the shoe, so there is a patch on the inside of the drum which hasn't worn down and has left a ridge I guess. Should come off though.

I think Guessworks is onto the right track with the hub puller. You are going to have a hard time finding three legged puller large enough to deal with a 7" brake drum without spending a load of cash (unless you know a friendly engineer), so try pulling the whole rear hub off and the drum with it. This will give the straightest pull too. You might start bending the backplate though...

Make sure there's absolutely no tension at all in the handbrake cable as well, it might help a bit.

[Guess-Works.com]

The largest one in the set above will fit round the drum, as I've had to do that on a siezed drum before.. the only thing which is a hinderance is getting the forks between the drum and the back plate..

[bluebottle]

you see this is what happens when you let electricians loose with tools!.....it always ends in tears!

pop over ground equipment or the facilities department they should have a big puller there somewhere!


good luck anyway!

[tipcat]

you see this is what happens when you let electricians loose with tools!.....it always ends in tears!

I know, I know! I should never try anything that involves any tool bigger than a set of side cutters! I just forget myself sometimes... comes from 'working' around all you fitter types! I guess I'll try some of the various hints and see where I get to.
'This is really confusing because front and rear drums on Mini's are basically the same size. The only difference is the width of the shoe'... that's the problem, Dan... the front shoe is wider than the back shoe - that's why the drum is stuck. I didn't think there was much difference before I started - so I didn't check the box close enough! (That's my excuse, and I'm sticking with it.)