Wheel Hub question [1955 Ford]

J

Jayce

Member
On my 1955 Ford Customline 4 door the rear driver side brake hub looks a whole lot different than the front driver side. I looked it over and have no idea how to remove it.

I would post a picture, but I can't get it from my phone to my computer the darn thing won't send to my email.

In the middle of the hub there's a large circle, above a smaller circle with another large circle under. (That's confusing, sorry) but it looks like I need a special tool to remove it, any suggestions?

-Thanks in advance.
 
The rear drums simply pull off by hand after removing the tire/wheel assembly. If the drum seems to be stuck, then it is "grown" onto the rear axle hub with rust.
A couple months ago I had to remove the rear drums on my '55 Courier so I could replace the parking brake cable, but one of the drums was stuck. I used some "ingenuity" to remove it. I put a steel pipe coupling up against the rear axle hub right in the middle and got a wood 2x4 long enough to reach the outer diameter of the drum. I placed the piece of wood up against the pipe coupling. Since this was all up in the air, I had to sit the wood on stacks of wood blocks just to hold it where I wanted it (right in the middle). Now I took two large C-clamps and clamped the 2x4 to the back edge of the drum. Tightening the clamps evenly will pull the drum off the axle hub onto the pipe coupling.
Very crude, but it works. If you have a helper to hold the 2x4, you don't need all the wood blocks to hold up the 2x4. I didn't (and never do) have a helper. When you are desperate to get something done, you always think of a way to do it.
 
Jayce, is the hub your referring to possibly the flange of the axle shaft ? If so, you don't need to remove it to service the brakes.

Sal
 
Guess I should have been more clear in my first paragraph.
It is not necessary to remove the rear axle hub itself in order to just remove the rear brake drum. The drum just pulls off the axle hub. The hub stays where it is.
I would agree that backing off the brake shoe adjusting screw might be in order if the drum can't be pulled off by hand, but if the shoes are preventing the drum from being removed, they are adjusted waaaay too tight in the first place.
 
You can use the self adjusting kits and hardware kits for a 1967 Ford P-100 if you want to upgrade to self adjusting brakes.
 
bobss396 said:
OP, you need to pick up a factory manual for your car. They're inexpensive and quite valuable.
Click to expand...

I absolutely second that motion and I think everyone here at fordbarn would recommend that.
I have both the original print car shop manual and the Ford-O-Matic shop manual. That poor old car shop manual I have is falling apart from 40 plus years of usage. This would be an affordable investment you would never regret. They are available at many restoration parts suppliers.
 
the easy way for me is to get a long screw driver a real long on, put the blade between the drum and backing plate and pull out on it, take a brass hammer if you have one, if not any hammer will do, while pulling out on the screw driver whack the out side of the drum, not real hard that you break or crack the drum, do that all the way around the drum till it comes loose, that sends a shock wave across the drum and distorts it just enough to let the drum release from the axle flange, make sure the brakes are fully back off, , you might hit the axle flange straight on also while you have pressure on the drum
 
WestCoast said:
the easy way for me is to get a long screw driver a real long on, put the blade between the drum and backing plate and pull out on it, take a brass hammer if you have one, if not any hammer will do, while pulling out on the screw driver whack the out side of the drum, not real hard that you break or crack the drum, do that all the way around the drum till it comes loose, that sends a shock wave across the drum and distorts it just enough to let the drum release from the axle flange, make sure the brakes are fully back off, , you might hit the axle flange straight on also while you have pressure on the drum
Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice! I'll do that on the right side when we get to it. I just got the hub off today and man oh man was it a mess in there, you can tell the rear wheel hub hasn't been removed ever!
 
There is NO Rear wheel hub, at least not on a '55 Ford car.
What you removed must be the Rear Brake Drum.

I'm sure some here can help you figure out how to post a picture,
as it would be easier to help you with your question. ;)







.
 
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