I struggled with removing my brake drums. Either seized onto the axle or the shoes held it fast with frozen adjusters. I came across this gem that helped me out big time.....

Using the arms from a gear puller I had, a length of chain and a scissor jack, a home brew drum puller was born. The pic is just for illustration purposes only. A word of caution, when cranking on the jack I was concerned about the chain letting loose, so I used a piece of plywood for a shield. I also used a small piece of 1.5" round stock to sit on the axle so it would have more length of pull.......

I also had to drill off the heads of the retaining pins and drag the whole mess out on one....

 

Or you can do it the right way. See the small threaded hole in the drum. You screw in a bolt that fit in them (I don't remember the size) tighten them down evenly and it will pop the drum off. Not many people know that the smaller holes are threaded.
You do get an A for ingenuity.

 

Being in Texas (or down south in general) that sounds like a good plan. I'm from Michigan, and never had one that wasn't rusted so badly that the threads didn't just tear out. I've dealt with some ridiculously seized on drums before.

 

Another tip is to power-brake it with a wheel jacked up. You can get one drum baking hot in no time! (very helpful when it's seized on the hub). Problem is it's only easy for one side. With one off you can't hit the petal for the second.

 

Thats pretty funny actually I bet you could just do the other side after you finish working on the side you took off

 

Believe me, We get a lot more rust down here then you may think. When I first moved down here from Cal. I drove my 65 Chevy P/U with very little rust (nothing major just minor surface rust) and within the first year I had to do a LOT of rust repair.

 

Can't be done, as you would need to remember how it goes together!
(also it's nice to have both off to make a parts list/run). Waz a Scout I had real trouble with. I tried putting the first back, but when it cooled it re-seized! (the puller just bent the drum, then broke)

 

i havne't come across any that the bolt holes haven't worked. lived in michigan my whole life, dont plenty of brakes.



when you pull the carpet up from a 13 year old XJ, do they look like this?
I don't want to hear about your texas rust "problems"

 

Then don't read what I was saying to someone else. LOL I hate to say it but I have seen many vehicle rusted that bad down here too. Mainly because I live about 20 yards from the water and all of the humidity and the salty air. Maybe not quite as bad as when the salt the roads like where you are from but it does get pretty bad.

 

That will only work IF those threaded bolt holes exist Sadly, mine didn't have them.....

 

+1 never seen them on either of my XJs. Wonder why. (particular aftermarket brand?)

Good little invention. It'll be a while before the wife's XJ gets discs so I will certainly be needing a bit of assistance! Thanks!

 

Really? All of my XJ's had them. Maybe like salad said because of the after market. I had to use them on all of mine except for my current XJ. Never even payed attention if the holes are on them since they always came off without much problems. I have to see if it has them.

 

I thought of looking at some spare drums in the barn. First I've heard of them on Cherokee just here. Early 70's Toyota's have them. X2 with RT, Cherokee drums don't seem to "seize" like some can. MAN, I've had wheels I needed to lay under the rig and kick off though!