Do I need to remove the hub to get a front drum off?

I've been trying to get the front drums off my parts car for a few days now with no sucess. Are they just stuck, or do I have to disassemble the front hub to get the drum off?

I don't need to rebuild the brakes, just take a look at the wheel cylinders.

Thanks!
:3gears:

 

surely u removed the castle nut + cotter pin that holds the hub/drum to the front spindle ? once that is done , if the brake shoes are not seized to the drum &/or u have backed of the brake shoes , u merely pull off the hub/drum .

 

Ah, that would be why the drum won't come off.

 

You also probably need to adjust the shoes all the way in, through the backside, using a brake adjuster tool...this will release the shoes from the drums, and let the drum come off...you probably still have to persuade the drum off with a hammer, but use a wood block, or a synthetic hammer, or you may break the casting...sometimes they're pretty tight at the hub

 

Actually, I had no idea there was a nut and cotter pin.

I thought front brakes were setup just the same as back brakes. ou:

 

i had the same problem as joe. I had no idea i had to remove the the castle nut + cotter pin to take the drum off. thanks for the info!

sean

 

We aim to please :laugh:

 

Thats not nearly as bad as my next door neighbor kid and his "Fast and the Furious" Honda street-race car
He and his genius friends were changing out a rear rotor that he burned out and warped power braking, drifting, and other dumb stuff spoiled kids do

and he torque the castle nut to 60 foot LBS! the same as his wheels and tried to drive it, he though the new shoes just needed to "wear in a little"
Well he had the car towed to the repair shop and they had to replace the whole assembly!
It almost ruined his weekend beer and drinking binge with his buddies, but his (hard 6 day a week working) daddy came to the rescue again and paid for it to be fixed (about $400 I heard)

 

Geez. Did the wheel even roll with it being that tight, or did he sit in place with the engine struggling as if the brake was set?

 

It rolled!
He did lug the engine hard taking off out the driveway (like I said he though the brakes just needed to wear in)

I would have said something but he and his gang member buddies needed to be taught an expensive lesson!
I understand he made it 2 miles before the wheel froze up