Rust frozen brakes

[Mike N Mo]

I have quite a few brake assemblies from styled A's that are rusted/stuck tight. I now need a couple for a project, so I'm looking for ideas on how to get them dissembled. Many years ago, I used the brute force method, but broke the "ears" off of the adjusting pins. I'm considering building a charcoal fire to heat them up. Thoughts????

 

[Mike M]

Loosen up the drum nut and then put a hardwood block on a concrete floor and then hold it up and drop it straight down onto the block. Some of them you have to force them down onto the block a few times. They usually loosen up. It doesn't get them moving I'd soak in a bucket of diesel fuel for a week or so and then repeat.

 

[susandiane]

Agree with the soak if acetone and trans fluid doesn't work. Have used lead hammer on loosened nut rather than dropping. Whatever works works!

 

[Mike M]

Dropping them uses the weight of them to help get it apart. A trick an old timer JD mech. taught me.

 

[Mike N Mo]

MIke, I tried dropping them on the wood block already. I remembered you suggesting that many moons ago. I'll try soaking them in diesel for a while. I won't need then for a few months.
Thanks

 

[Mike M]

Won't hurt to let soak for a few months. I don't think I ever had any that stubborn yet. I have broken some break drums trying to move tractors with stuck breaks. Sometimes just a few taps on the drum will let them turn and other times it cracked the drum ! Amazing how easy some split. But the split frees them up. lol.

 

[Frank 41]

I have had guys tell me to put something frozen from rust into a running stream. My cousin put a 4 section rotary hoe into the creek and it worked. This time of year, you may have ice to deal with.

 

[treeman53]

Evapo-rust. Stuff really works...