3500 chevy brake problem

3500 chevy brake problem
hello - I'm new to this site so please be kind!!! I'm looking for help on replacing rear drum brakes on a chevy 3500 one ton. Can" figure out how to get the drum off. Any help out there for me?

posted by  elliok16

what year and van or truck
is it a 1 ton dual rear wheels
the drum maybe rusted to the face of the axle and you may need to hit it harder between the studs to get it loose

posted by  osborste

I'd go to autozone, pep boys, advanced auto or another place and pick up a Haynes auto manual. They're the most useful book for this type of work on a car! The one for my Chevy 1500 details exactly how to do it.

posted by  Jon_K

i always used to use a "10 pound chevy tool" for those (sledge hammer)

posted by  dodger65

LOL, ten pound chevy tool, aint that the truth?

posted by  Pinstriper38

okay there are holes in the drum correct. find a couple of bolts that thread into those holes then just turn them evenly untill it breaks loose. that is how you do it without harming the drum or the stuff in it. so please dont bash it with a hammer.

posted by  frizzal

incorrect. this is a one ton chevy truck, not a toyota... if you had ever seen these drums, you would realize that the chances of you hurting them w/ just a hammer are pretty slim...

besides, no threaded holes...

posted by  dodger65

well i guess i am mistaken. sorry. however there may be a place on the backing plate to get to the adjustment wheel. if there is then cant he just back the brake shoes down that should help with the process? oh and my chevy did have the threaded holes so that is why i say use them.

posted by  frizzal

what kind & year of chevy 1 ton did you have that had threaded holes? i hope i'm not coming off wrong in either post, here... i'm really not a dick....most of the time... :wink2:

posted by  dodger65

yeah mainly imports and a few newer small cars have the threaded drums, the one ton chev's not a chance, and if your able to damage a cast drum of that size you must be he-man or the drum needed to be replaced anyway, i usually use the 4 pounder on eveything just give er one good smack between the wheel studs(have to have good aim for it) an blamo the drum usually bounces right out, ive even seen journeymen fighting with drums pretty often, you just have to have the wrist action, much masterbation helps :thumbs:

posted by  BanffAutoSpa_ap

You can't remove the drums by themselves, they're a press fit by means of the wheel studs, onto the hub. First off, have you removed the 8 bolts in the center of the hub? On this truck, it has a full-floatingaxle where the drum comes off as an assembly complete with the hub. You remove the 8 bolts, and pull out the axle shaft. Then, you will find a big (I seem to remember it being something like 2-9/16 or so) nut, with a locking ring holding it. You bend down the tabs on the locking ring, and remove the big nut (you will probably need a special thin-wallsocket to remove then big nut). This should allow the drum/hub assembly to come off. Always make sure you put new seals in the back side of the hub before you put it back together, if you don't, they'll surely start leaking a week after you reassemble it. You could smack that drum with a 16 Lb sldege for a week and never get the drums off. I used to get $20 each at my machine shop to change over old to new brake drums for these trucks, and they're pressed together pretty good.

posted by  rooble55

oh shit.... he's right. i was thinking about the ford 1 ton trucks w/ the slide-on drums... :oops: :oops: been at least 2 years since i've been in a full floater, sorry :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

posted by  dodger65

someone caught on to why i had asked the year and dual rear wheel set up still seen no answer from elliok16

posted by  osborste

he said "f*ck it" and took it to a brake shop...

posted by  dodger65

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