A Question for more experienced metal bashers than me.
I'm trying to resuscitate my 1960 MGA hardtop as it has been sitting for the last 20 years while other things got in the way.
Anyway I tried to shift it the other day to get a better look, and the wheels just won't turn.
Checked the handbrake etc. Jacked it up and removed the rear wheel and the brake drum isn't rotating.
I slackened off the brake adjuster, removed all the bolts and gave it a few good bashes with a hammer, no luck.
Any thoughts on how to get it off?
Maybe some heat, like a blowtorch or something?
Peter
A blowtorch would be a long way down my list, due to the rubber, plastic, oil, whatever hiding in there. The brake shoe linings will surely be a) asbestos, and b) rusted to the drums. You might want to wear eye, and dust protection.
the drums are almost certainly made of cast iron, so getting brutal with them is going to end in replacement.
I’m assuming there’s no movement of either rear wheel relative to the axle?
if you’re not able to work around it, you’ll need some bogies or a dolly or something on which to shift it.
I would jack up, get it on some serious supports (not £10 Halfords special offer) and remove or release the linkages to the hand brake. if you can get a screwdriver into the drum, you might be able to free the linkage. You can hopefully also back off the adjusters, and remove the screws that hold the drum on.
Make or otherwise obtain a means of applying some leverage: a bit of tube with a metal plate welded to it, and bolted to the hub where the wheel would normally fit. If it’s wire wheels, that might be more of a challenge. If the tube is a good three or four feet long, you can get some serious leverage, which you should try both forwards and reverse. I’m assuming the rear brakes were single leading, single trailing, with an opposed piston brake cylinder, and the handbrake working off the fulcrum, so working it both ways will tend to loosen one shoe whilst grabbing the other, and vice versa.
If the foot brake still holds pressure, try repeatedly operating it, whilst a pal works the lever.
with a bit of luck and some repeated efforts…
I guess one of those hot air paint strippers might be a good idea. Not too hot, but enough to expand the drum a little, again, repeated efforts.
Patience will hopefully eventually be rewarded by removable drums, and nothing broken. Good luck!
