Fuselage - Drums to Disc Brake Conversion

[saylor]

our local vatozone lends out tools, but if you dont have that option, here is the next best one.

go to lowesdepot or vatozone or somewhere and buy a little baby puller. like a pulley wheel puller or so. then rig it up to fit the drum, this guy used chain, but ive seen straight steel stock bar also.

basically you just need to bust it lose, one it is loose it will come right off there.




try not to die -

- saylor

 

[Wonderwagon]

The mopar part number for the alternate spindle/ knuckle is 2535422-3? With 2925 206-7 calipers? The mopar required parts are broadly described making sure I understand what is required to find. Imperals have a different part numbers for knuckles and calipers these do not want to be used?

 

[Big_John]

So Murphy shows up today.....
The damn brake drum will not come off. I've tried to pull it, rotate it while pulling it, wacked it, even prayed to it, then cursed it..several times, harshly. It's not budging. Thoughts?

View attachment 75313

There's probably a ridge on the edge of the drum from wear. As Stan said, open the bleeder and back off the adjuster.

Stick a big screwdriver in between the drum and backing plate at the rear and pry... then front... work back and forth. Don't be afraid of it. You aren't reusing these parts anyway.

 

[70_NPORT]

May I assume you backed off the adjusters and removed the bleeder?

On stubborn drums, I beat the **** out of it striking the sides all around to release any contact the shoes have with the inside if a drum.

You may assume. So that's it. Just beat the crap out of it then. I know drum brakes are APITA but this is ridiculous.

 

[70_NPORT]

There's probably a ridge on the edge of the drum from wear. As Stan said, open the bleeder and back off the adjuster.

Stick a big screwdriver in between the drum and backing plate at the rear and pry... then front... work back and forth. Don't be afraid of it. You aren't reusing these parts anyway.

Yeh I thought about grabbing the screw driver and wedging it back there but I was hesitant. Your right though, I'm trashing these parts so I might as well go for broke.

 

[Samplingman]

Not sure why you have to take the drum off at all. you are removing the spindles, correct? release the tension on the torsion bars, pop the upper and lower ball joints and the tie rod end and remove as a unit.

 

[70_NPORT]

Not sure why you have to take the drum off at all. you are removing the spindles, correct? release the tension on the torsion bars, pop the upper and lower ball joints and the tie rod end and remove as a unit.

Thx samplingman. Is there a special tool required to release the tension on the bars?

 

[traintech55]

So Murphy shows up today.....
The damn brake drum will not come off. I've tried to pull it, rotate it while pulling it, wacked it, even prayed to it, then cursed it..several times, harshly. It's not budging. Thoughts?

View attachment 75313

What always worked for me was after the outer bearing is removed, bolt the tire back on. The extra weight and leverage will let you work it past the shoes. If that doesn't work, then take a chisel and cut the heads off the shoe retainers then pull the tire again.

 

[Big_John]

Thx samplingman. Is there a special tool required to release the tension on the bars?

If you have put the jack stands under the lower control arms, you do not need to back off the torsion bars.

You don't need to pop the lower balljoints to change the spindle.

The drum has to come off to get at the bolt heads. There's a chance the nuts will spin off without having a wrench on the bolt heads, but that wouldn't be the way it would go for me.

 

[Big_John]

What always worked for me was after the outer bearing is removed, bolt the tire back on. The extra weight and leverage will let you work it past the shoes.

Wow... I never thought of that!

I learn something on here all the time!

 

[traintech55]

Wow... I never thought of that!

I learn something on here all the time!

So do I my friend, so do I.

 

[traintech55]

One other thing I forgot, Did you get new lug nuts for the new rotor? if your drivers side drum has an "L" stamped in the studs instead of an "R" you will not be able to use them. It might also be a good time to change the studs on the drivers side rear axle since you are doing the brakes. It ain't easy finding left handed lug nuts anymore.

 

[commando1]

Weren't they all RH by 1970?

 

[70bigblockdodge]

71 first year for RH thread. Early build car may still have LH.

 

[1966newport]

arent the drums swedged onto the studs?

 

[Samplingman]

Weren't they all RH by 1970?

Both of my '70s have left and right handed threads, one early the other late build.

 

[Big_John]

arent the drums swedged onto the studs?

Yes, and press fit to center hub.

 

[traintech55]

Hey guy's, we have all been so busy helping him with the brakes we all forgot about the lug nuts and studs. He better send us pictures when he is done.

 

[SF-66TC]

Not sure why you have to take the drum off at all. you are removing the spindles, correct? release the tension on the torsion bars, pop the upper and lower ball joints and the tie rod end and remove as a unit.

Samplingman, I would agree with you 100% if we were all Superman. The entire unit as a whole would be pretty durn near 100 lbs. I'd need to eat my Wheaties for a year and then some LOL!

 

[Samplingman]

LOL, I'm no Superman, but I was still able to tear down the front suspension with my bare hands! I actually pulled the upper and lower control arms, which in hindsight made it harder to remove the ball joints, and they were heavy. And yes, Big John, those bolt heads spun without a wrench on one end! However, if Gary is getting all of the parts from a '73 I would think all the hardware is included. Based on the number of pages in this thread at least we can agree, there are many different ways to skin a Newport.