I'm trying to fix the drum brakes on this 1963 PV544 b18 but I keep running into problems. It seems that all 4 bleeder valves are frozen, so I am replacing the cylinders in the wheels (not sure what they are called). I see what I have to do in the front, and have taken apart the drums and removed the cylinders. I cannot get the rear drums off, though (have actually only tried the left so far).

The E-Brake is off and the wheel spins freely but the drum still won't come off no matter how much I bang on that lip. I don't have a drum puller. Is there a better way to do this? Can I make use of this hole in the back of the drum (covered by a rubber plug)?

thanks
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-Alex

Alex:

Where are you located? Perhaps someone will be kind enough to help out with a puller. If you are near Washington, DC you are welcome to use mine.

Best regards,

Joe M

you will need the puller no matter what auto zone and advance auto both rent them for a deposit you get all your money back even if you break it , trust me i know my left side poped after three hits with a 10lb sledge the right took 2 hours of heating and getting really pissed hit it 8 times and i dont mean lightly it popped and it broke the tool they didnt say a word that is what the warranty is for great deal you can keep as long as you want and get your money back not bad when not to many people have one of these tools

Another possibility is that the drum is worn enough that there is a ridge inside that holds the drum on. In this case loosening the brake shoes up may help. Then the puller will finish the job off.
Chris

Chris;

That ridge...

...will make it more difficult to remove the drum once released from the tapered axle, but it just doesn't have anything to do with dissassociating it from the axle to begin with...if those two surfaces have been intimately close, and under preload from the nut, the thermal cycling which occurs will serve to lock them together incredibly well...unless of course there is the slightest film of anti-seize between them...

Alex;

Use a BMF, HEAVY DUTY, puller to apply serious, and irresistable force and CONCENTRIC to the axle...anything else will fail or do damage...

This is a subject which comes up time and again...I hope you learn from this experience and reassemble with anti-seize when you're done in there...you'll be glad you did, next time! I bought, and currently use a medium duty puller, and with very little (if any!) sweat shed, because of the AS preprep!

...more reading here: http://www.intelab.com/swem/service%20notes.htm#Braking%20System

JohnMc;

I absolutely agree that heat is not really the answer (although in a pinch, if a BF Puller was not available, I'd consider George's heat and quench idea), but if properly applied (concentrically) the force which even a mombo puller imparts is not in the weak axis of the shaft...luckily?

Cheers

You MUST use a very sturdy puller that pulls by the lug bolts and pushes on
the end of the axle. Otherwise you will a) bend or b)break the brake drum
and probably c)not get it off.

Here are some pix of one I made that works great:









It has limited stroke because of the length of the lugbolts but you can
always put a spacer inside to push the axle further.
--
George Downs Bartlesville, Heart of the USA!

Thanks for the advice. I should probably stop messing with it until I get a puller although I couldn't find one at Sears today... I'm in Cleveland if anyone nearby has one. I bought a MAPP torch today but still ended up breaking off a piece of the drum lip - I think it will still work though.
--
-Alex

Heat isn't the answer.

A BIG gnarly puller is. Something that would generally be more suited for working on semis.

This is probably the single most frustrating task to do on an old Volvo. And to top it off the tapered axle is a weak point as well - known to break off when used hard.

The tip about finding such a tool for rent at a parts store is a good one. They cost $100+ new, and you just don't need them very often. I bought one used on eBay about 4 years ago for $60 and have only used it once since then. Just rent one for $20.
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I'm JohnMc, and I approved this message.

Keep in mind you will need a HEAVY DUTY puller... don't go buy the cheap little guys... you need one that attaches to at least 3 lug nuts, and you use a big hammer to crank it down.... Go somewhere that specializes in tool rentals, and get the biggest meanest hub puller they can offer you.

Check the archives here in the 122/1800/544 sections for more details of the type of tool to use, and the proper tecniques to avoid doing damage.


--
-Matt '70 145s, '65 1800s, '66 122s wagon, others inc. '53 XK120 FHC

It seems like we should have a 544/122 Faq by now similar to the 240 faq that is on the net.

That way we won't have to constantly reanswer drum pulling, OD installing, wheel size fitment, shocks, swaybars, charging issues. They just keep coming up over and over. I am not very good at navigating the archive but it seems like it would be pretty easy to cut and paste a very usefull document together in no time.

Just a thought.

That is a really great idea!