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47 Cadillac Rear Brake Drum Removal

Started by Lincoln41, September 18, 2007, 12:55:00 PM

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Lincoln41

Need help in removing Brake Drum off from my 47 Cadillac. I hit it with a hammer but wouldnt come off.
Tony #22054

CLC#12231

It takes a heavy duty wheel puller, available at most tool rental places.  Attach the puller to 3 wheel studs after loosening the axle nut 1 or 2 turns.  This is important safety precaution to keep the drum contained when it does pop off.  Then tighten the puller and pound on the puller screw with a sledge hammer until the drum pops off.  When it does you will understand why you only loosened the axle nut.  Also a pair of ear plugs are a handy thing to be wearing as the noise frequently sounds like a 12 gage shot shot gun going off.
Frank

Peter Nieuwlandt

Hi
The procedure described it the previous mail is correct,however I migth add that when the drum doesn't want to pop just leave it sitting for a couple of hours with the puller on maximum strength that You can put on it!
Sometimes it takes some time before the drum will loosen!!! And You will hear by the bang when it comes!!!!
Have fun!!!

Peter
Peter Nieuwlandt
CLC 17863

Jeff Maltby 4194

Won't a dab of anti-seize cure this all too common problem ?
Jeffo 49er chapter

CLC 1985
Honda Gold Wing GL1500

47bigcadillac

here is a photo of the tools I use for my 46 & 47 Cads rear drums. A 5 leg, rotating axle puller and a high-power impact wrench (for trucks). all the drums always pop-out at the first try with this.

http://bigcadillac.com/jan07/puller2.jpg

Rob
R. Brandys

1932 355B  5 pass Coupe,  Fleetwood          
1935 LaSalle Coupe  5077
1947 Club Coupe      6207

Dennis

Signed:  Dennis DeLay

The Tassie Devil(le)

Quote from: Jeff Maltby 4194 on September 19, 2007, 07:26:52 PM
Won't a dab of anti-seize cure this all too common problem ?

Me thinks that using Anti-seize in this area wouldn't be advisable as one wants the joint to remain very tight, and any compound designed for non-stickicity would be counterproductive.

One doesn't use Anti-seize on Ball Joints and the like, for the same reason.

Bruce. >:D
'72 Eldorado Convertible (LHD)
'70 Ranchero Squire (RHD)
'74 Chris Craft Gull Wing (SH)
'02 VX Series II Holden Commodore SS Sedan
(Past President Modified Chapter)

Past Cars of significance - to me
1935 Ford 3 Window Coupe
1936 Ford 5 Window Coupe
1937 Chevrolet Sports Coupe
1955 Chevrolet Convertible
1959 Ford Fairlane Ranch Wagon
1960 Cadillac CDV
1972 Cadillac Eldorado Coupe

homeonprunehill

Quote from: Lincoln41 on September 18, 2007, 12:55:00 PM
Need help in removing Brake Drum off from my 47 Cadillac. I hit it with a hammer but wouldnt come off.
LINCOLN41 I have read all replys to your post and the only thing I can add is be sure that the brakes are loosen-up, so you don't damage the brake-drum while usuing the "hub-puller"
Good Luck,JIM
USED,ABUSED AND MISUSED CADILLACS AND LA SALLES

yumanian

Hey guys

I'm uploading a pic

1947 cadillac series 6109 4dr fastback (rare)

It's of the drum brake housing center , I'm having trouble getting the drum off

Everything is loose on the back of the backing plate

Line is loose and I've loosened the adjuster

If you look , there's what seems to be a retainer right in the center

The flange I call it has a bump on one side and one across

Was going to say nipper but

Anyway

I can't see if I put on a puller how it would help really , if there's a retainer I need to figure out how to get out?first?

I've used heat , sledge hammers , light to forceful tapping


Bobby B

Follow the above instructions. That drum is a BEAR to get it to slide along the length of the keyway on the shaft, especially after it's been on there for a long time. The right tools will make it easy.  Good luck!
                                                                                                                            Bobby
1947 Cadillac Series 62 Convertible Coupe
1968 Mustang Convertible
1973 Mustang Convertible
1969 Jaguar E-Type Roadster
1971 Datsun 240Z
1979 H-D FLH

m-mman

Everything above is accurate and is the correct way to remove a drum in the 21st century.

However way back when this design of using a tapered shaft (3/4 floating) was commonly used by most every make of car, the shade tree method of removing a drum was to back the axle nut off a couple of turns and then drive the car around the block a few times until it popped loose. (sometimes you needed to take a few sharp corners to loosen it up)  ;)

Home mechanics said that after it popped off you could hear it clunk and rattle. You would then drive it back home slowly and hopefully you had not damaged the axle.
It was another time. . . .  :-\
1929 341B Town Sedan
1971 Miller-Meteor Lifeliner ambulance
Other non-Cadillac cars
Near Los Angeles, California

CLC #29634

Steve Passmore

[quote'

If you look , there's what seems to be a retainer right in the center

The flange I call it has a bump on one side and one across


I can't see if I put on a puller how it would help really , if there's a retainer I need to figure out how to get out?first?


[/quote]

Everything you are looking at J Webb is part of the drum casting. There is NO separate retainer. It all has to be pulled off together. There are many different types of pullers out there. It needs to be very strong.
Steve

Present
1937 60 convertible coupe
1941 62 convertible coupe
1941 62 coupe

Previous
1936 70 Sport coupe
1937 85 series V12 sedan
1938 60 coupe
1938 50 coupe
1939 60S
1940 62 coupe
1941 62 convertible coupe x2
1941 61 coupe
1941 61 sedan x2
1941 62 sedan x2
1947 62 sedan
1959 62 coupe

harry s

Put the large axle nut back on enough turns to secure the drum when it "pops" and use a puller like this. Good Luck,      Harry

http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NDU1WDUwMA==/z/-WQAAOxy7nNTVid9/$_3.JPG?set_id=2
Harry Scott 4195
1941 6733
1948 6267X
2011 DTS Platinum

Bill Ingler #7799

As Steve said there are several types of drum pullers. Go back towards to the beginning of this original posting and look at the puller that was posted by 47 bigcadillac. There is also a 3 legged puller that you can buy but I prefer the 5 legged puller. Tighten up the puller as tight as you can get. I use a long breaker bar attached to a socket. After you get it as tight as you can, hit the treaded end of the puller a couple of times with a brass hammer. This sometimes is enough to release the drum. If it does not come loose, tighten again and then leave it set for several hours and go back and tighten some more. Sometimes the drum then will come loose on it`s own.

My first attempt years ago in pulling a drum resulted in hammering , tightening and tightening with the drum winning the opening battle. I gave up for the night and went to bed. Our bedroom was right above the garage and in the middle of the night, the drum let loose. The noise of the drum coming off the axle and then the puller plus drum hitting the floor got everyone in the house awake.    Bill 

fishnjim

For what it's worth, this problem is due to the outboard axle design that was used in this period.   My '49 Packard is similar.  The rear ends were made and designed by suppliers.   I've had similar discussions with other make vehicles and this design was tossed for the reasons people have with it.   Of course, there's those that swear by it and other that swear at it.
Arguments erupt over whether to use antiseize or not or it's the interference fit (commonly called "friction" but friction needs movement to occur.  No movement here.) that holds the wheel on and how tight it has to be?  There's seems to be a lack of torque specs for most of these also, and I hear from hand tight+ to cheater bar and gorilla tight.   A table of typical torque value exists for 3/4 or 1" nuts.
From an engineering perspective: A keyway's job is to transmit the torque (otherwise their wouldn't be one on there).   The pinned castle nut prevents the wheel from falling off.   The taper centers the wheel.   
I don't see any problem with a very light smear of antisieze or lube on reassembly as this sticking is a symptom of galling due to over tightening.   I'm sure some will chide me for that statement.   Just a bad design from that era.
For nostalgic gossip, I'll say I've seen them jack them up and put a wood block under then let the car down to try and dislodge to wheel also.   Not a safe manuever but illustrative of the removal problem.

Smedly

I had this issue a few months back. I sprayed with penetrating oil several times, bolt on the puller described above and used an impact gun on the puller, then a breaker bar with a 4 foot pipe for extra leverage to get it a little tighter . sprayed again with lube and walked away, the next day tightened a little more. then BANG like a gun going off. Off it came. You will not want to be in front of it when it lets go. The second wheel I put the puller on snugged it up with the impact and it popped right off. Trust me the use of the puller will back this a much easier job.
When a Doctor "saves a Life" it does not necessarily mean that that life will ever be the same as it was, but he still saved it. My 46 may not be as it was but it is still alive.
Sheldon Hay

Quentin Hall

Good timing that this gets another run as this is my next job on the 39. Just to clarify that I understand does anyone have a pic of the drum removed. If the nut on the shaft is left intact but backed off two or three turns then the drum can only pop that far without the flying off risk??? Correct?? 
53 Eldo #319
53 Eldo #412.
53 Eldo #433
57 Biarritz
53 series 62 conv
39 Sixty Special Custom
57 Biarritz

Smedly

Yes it will come off to the point it makes contact with the nut.. I did not get a pic while it was off.
When a Doctor "saves a Life" it does not necessarily mean that that life will ever be the same as it was, but he still saved it. My 46 may not be as it was but it is still alive.
Sheldon Hay

harry s

The 1948 service manual gives a torque spec of 285 to 315 ft lbs for the rear axle nut.      Harry
Harry Scott 4195
1941 6733
1948 6267X
2011 DTS Platinum

Steve Passmore

Quote from: Quentin Hall on January 03, 2016, 07:08:27 PM
Good timing that this gets another run as this is my next job on the 39. Just to clarify that I understand does anyone have a pic of the drum removed. If the nut on the shaft is left intact but backed off two or three turns then the drum can only pop that far without the flying off risk??? Correct??

Correct about the nut and heres pictures of a removed drum Quentin.
Steve

Present
1937 60 convertible coupe
1941 62 convertible coupe
1941 62 coupe

Previous
1936 70 Sport coupe
1937 85 series V12 sedan
1938 60 coupe
1938 50 coupe
1939 60S
1940 62 coupe
1941 62 convertible coupe x2
1941 61 coupe
1941 61 sedan x2
1941 62 sedan x2
1947 62 sedan
1959 62 coupe