Quick Drum Brake Question

[jay79cj7]

OK, I have a '79 narrow track with an AMC 20 axle. Tomorrow is the day of work... Doing the rear drums. I am getting in and spraying down with PB tonight, and I don't see that the drums should just slide off. It looks like this thing in the center needs to come off first. After looking through Chilton's and Haynes, I am getting conflicting info. It sounds like I have to take off this dustcap, cotter pin, and axle shaft nut. Is this right? The torque spec to put it back on is 250 foot pounds! How do I do that??? Here is a picture. Please let me know what it will take to get this drum off. Thank you!

If this picture isn't working and you want to help me, please right-click and choose properties, then cut and paste the link into your browser. I think that should work.

[firemanharry]

I may be wrong but from what I recall from my old 2 piece axles, the drum should come off without taking all of that outer stuff apart. I guess we'll find out for sure tomorrow. Good luck

[jeepin916]

i think the drum slides off what year is the axle? ill check on my spare axle if u need help and ill walk u thru it if u want me to, i got the axles outside on the drive way and ill take them apart juss for the fun of it drum brakes are fun.

[jay79cj7]

Thanks guys. I am going to see what happens. Do I have to be careful beating this thing with a metal hammer? I know a disc wouldn't like that much...

[Inspector-Gadget]

Hello again jay79CJ7,

I recently replaced the rear drum brakes of my CJ-7, and it was not necessary to remove the hub cover or axle nut.

I lifted the picture of your brake drum and added arrows to it. The arrow heads indicate where the drum meets the axle hub. At least that is where mine separated.



I hope this proves helpful.

Gadget

[jay79cj7]

Go, go Gadget! Thank you sir.

So can I beat this thing with a hammer or what?

[Inspector-Gadget]

Hello Jay,

First, a correction to my previous post. You do have to remove that cover, but it is just a rubber cup that will easily pry off, but the axle nut and cotter pin do not have to be removed.

My apology for that error.

Second, You can pry and beat on the drum to some extent, but don't go crazy with a wood splitting maul.

Funny how it works....I had a brake drum puller available, so I used it. One wheel needed the puller, but the drum on the other wheel slid right off after the three Phillp's-head screws were removed.

One never knows.

I believe that backing off the star-wheels and parking brake adjustment were mentioned by someone in the previous thread about your brake jobs. Sometimes the brake shoes wear a brake pad width groove in the drum. If that happened, you will need to do a lot of backing off to easily remove a drum.

Third...You are welcome.

I hope this proves helpful.

Gadget

[jay79cj7]

Thanks again inspector g. I forgot to mention in my previous posts, the screws are missing on both sides. The threaded holes are there, but no screws. Should this concern me?

[Inspector-Gadget]

I would install new screws or at the least put a few of those brake drum retaining clips that go on the threaded lugs.

The wheels when re-installed will, of course, hold the brake drums in place, but those screws must have been put there for a reason.

Gadget

[jay79cj7]

Success! It went pretty easy. The drums were on there pretty good, but a few moderate taps with a hammer and serious beating with a rubber mallet got them off. The hardest part was just trying to get the old broken stud out and the new stud in because it didn't want to seat all the way. I found out that the pads weren't too bad in there, but the cables were snapped on both sides, and the emergency brake struts are missing too. (the part that goes side to side from the front shoe to the arm.) That may explain why that doesn't work! Now I can't find a place that carries them. Anybody know of a place that would sell me this part?

And the XJ still has as much pad after 65k miles as the new CJ shoes I just installed. I won't be doing those any time soon. I had heard that they should be ready to be replaced by now.

Thanks to all for all of the advice!

[BostonJeep]

I THOUGHT THIS WAS A QUICK QUESTION!?

[Inspector-Gadget]

Hello again, jay79CJ7,

HHHOORRRAAAAYYY!!!

Way to go, Bud!

We can all breathe a collective sigh of relief now because of your success.

I will check my ever growing pile of Jeep catalogues later this evening to see if that e-brake part can be purchased separately.

Also, I replaced both e-brake cables as part of my recent rear brake job. Both cables were frozen/corroded and would not move, but that part of the brake job was the proverbial piece-of-cake: an easy job.

Regards,

Gadget

[jay79cj7]

Thank you sir. I checked out some of the websites that I know to carry "everything" and stuck out, so I placed the burden upon the members of this site. I plan on going back in there and making that ebrake work as soon as I find the parts. I will probably buy all new cables because I think mine are frozen too. I figure now that I know my way around, it won't take me long at all.

[Inspector-Gadget]

Hi-Ya Jay,

As promised:

The missing e-brake part(s) "equalizer bar" is available in the Fall 2003, 4-Wheel Drive Catalog.

Page 189, item 9.

There are two item 9s with individual part numbers because of the differences in CJ-7 rear brake sizes.

A spring (item 1) slips over the forward end of that bar, but the spring appears to be available only as a part of a brake "hardware kit."

E-brake cables (possibly available in your locale -- mine were purchased at NAPA) are also listed on the same page.

If you don't have a catalog and are in a hurry, the number is 800-333-5535.

Gadget

[jay79cj7]

Thanks for all your help! I will check that out...

Jay