Date:         Tue, 7 May 1996 23:56:29 -0500
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         farchmir@milwaukee.tec.wi.us (Randy Farchmin)
Subject:      Re: drum brake adjustment

>I was all set to change the second cylinder last night, but I couldn't get
>the darn drum off! The passenger side drum came off with a couple of taps.
>The driver-side one seems to be rusted to the shaft in the middle.

There's probably alip on the drum that's hanging up on the shoes.

>I thought that maybe for this one we could try to take the 46mm nut off.
>... the tools I have won't get it off...I got a 46mm socket but have to use
a >converter and the point of pressure end up too far away from the wheel
>perpendicularly.

I'm not sure what you mean by *converter*.  Do you mean an adapter from 3/4
in to 1/2 in or 3/8 in drive?  I twisted the socket lug around on my 3/8 in
breaker bar so that it's offset by 45 degrees.  Had to take it back to Sears
for a replacement (no charge, no questions - lifetime warranty).

>I don't have a torch to heat it up.

I tried that - it didn't help.  I finally decided that I'd need to be
smarter than the wheel (some days, that's a stretch). Here's what works for me:

For Removal--

Couldn't find a 46mm socket at any parts store or dealership locally, so
with the aid of a caliper and calculator, I determined that a 1-13/16 socket
was a match to within 0.04 mm (close enough for rock and roll).  I found one
for $8.99 at Farm-And-Fleet, along with a 3/4 diameter slide handle for
$17.99, both in 3/4 in drive.  Being a fiscal conservative [really cheap], I
agonized over the purchase at first, but it turned out to be money well spent.

After removing the rusted-in cotter pin, I slipped the socket onto the axle
nut, snapped in the 17in handle -- and slid a 2 ft pipe most of the way over
the handle. With the extended handle angling up about 6 inches from
horizontal, I stepped onto the end of the pipe and the castellated nut
slowly gave way!  Worked like a charm.  The tire and hub came of easily.

For Replacement--

The nut needs to be torqued to some ungodly spec (390 ft-lbs?).  I don't
have a torque wrench in that range, so it was time to resort to basic
physics [non-calculus treatment ;-)].  I weighed myself (massed myself for
you hardcore chemistry majors) and determined the torque arm needed to get
the specified torque.  After turning the nut on as tight as possible with
just the wrench, I put the pipe on and g-e-n-t-l-y let my weight down on the
marked spot on the pipe while holding on to the roof gutter.  The nut slowly
turned to almost the exact index marks that I had marked on the nut and
spindle before removal!!  The cotter pin slipped right in.

Ain't physics wonderful?  Good luck.   -- Randy

Randy Farchmin    --->            farchmir@milwaukee.tec.wi.us
Dept of Natural(?) Sciences
Milwaukee Area Technical College