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So I bought new brake shoes and went to pull off the drums...grrr not coming off. I soaked them with WD-40 several times rotating the drum while tapping it with a hammer for the last hour aside from beating the crap out of them with a hammer is an easier way known or do I just need to let them soak a bit more. Thanks guys

I think you are going to have to get a wheel puller.packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/newbb ... ic.php?post_id=78389#forumpost78389 This is the type that has been used by several and is necessary for pulling the tapered hubs off rear axle. This one in the link is a huge one but there are some a bit smaller and should be available for rent at various places. You do need the type that bolts to the hub and pulls straight. Prying or trying to remove it any other way could bend or damage the drum. Several threads here on the use, hints and cautions.

i'm guessing 41 is probably different, but my 55 clipper took the one you can rent from autozone just fine.

Hank

Vintage41, The following has been repeated here many times. When you get the puller and start to pound on it, be careful to only hammer on the "dogbone" part. Don't strike the end of the puller. This will damage your rear wheel bearings. Also, leave the axle nut on loose and screwed on by a few threads. This will prevent the drum and puller from flying across the garage when it breaks loose. But, before you start, back off the brake adjustments (foot and parking). When you go to reassemble the drum onto the axle put it on clean and dry. Do not use any lubricant. Good luck.

(o{I}o)

After you start turning the wheel puller, it pulls back the rim. How far do you go? Just imagine the lips of a horse laughing before it actually pops. The loudest bang I ever heard in my life. After, when you realize that you and the hub are not severely injured, it makes you laugh that it actually came off without damage. That how it was with my 40 160.

Joe

Hi,
When pounding on the hub puller presumably with the transmission in park, as shown in the 55-56 service manual axle section the only thing stopping the turning motion of the back axle must be the parking pawl in the transmission. Is there any chance of damaging the transmission before the hub eventually pops off. I gave up on mine recently not being able to find a puller up to the job...
Dave UK.

Packards right up to 55 used tapered axles that required a puller, in 56 they used a flanged axle.

to Joe, please explain what you mean by "it pulls back the rim??" When using a puller the rim ( road wheel) must be removed. The correct type puller pulls on 3 of the 5 wheel mounting studs.

I have had axles so stubborn that I have stripped a medium duty puller. In most cases I have had to strike the end of the puller on the axle axis to break it free. And I had to use a large sledge hammer. Never encountered any wheel brg damage.

Quote:

Fred, My comments were based on what I was taught: To never strike the end of the puller. I would not subject my bearings to that kind of force. Maybe others have experience doing this job, and can offer some comments?

(o{I}o)

I just googled "how to use" "brake drum puller" and came up with over 1 million references. Most of the leading ones referred to cars like GM's where the drum is placed on the axle flange and there is no keyed tapered axle like Packard. The puller they explain and show is a light duty 3 jaw gear puller, not the behemoth that is needed on Packards and similar vehicles.

A light duty gear puller weighs 3-4 pounds, a heavy duty drum puller weighs 20 pounds. The pullers I've used have a center shaft whose top end is machined so that years of pounding will not mushroom it and make teh removal of the "Dogbone" handle impossible. I have seen many experienced mechanics pound on the end of hte puller it the force of the Dogbone turning with a smaller hammer does not work.

As far as I understand, the problem with pounding on the end (axial) of the puller is due to potential damage to the differential, particularly when there are 'thrust blocks (?)'.

I have found that medium force, mild heat, and patience have been very useful in getting rear hubs to part ways with the rear axles. Of course, nobody is paying me by the hour.

I just hate pounding on stuff like differentials, even if the pounding is separated by the distance of an axle.

To each their own, and to all wishes of great success.

Tom