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I have been reading the information and doing research on how to remove the rear brake drums so I can redo the brakes on my '37 Touring Sedan. From what I've read, the fronts will come off fairly easily, so that should be no problem. However, I have not located anything in my research on the best way to reinstall said back brake drums. I would not think you would beat on them with a hammer until they popped back into place. What would any of you out there suggest would be the best way of getting these back on so I don't have a surprise as I am going down the highway?

The brake drums should go right on(I never had any make car give this problem),if the emergency brake is off and the brake shoe adjustment backed off. If you put a new emergency cable on or adjusted it without the drums on(adjust the brake shoes first),that's your problem. Do your drums have a lip on the outside edge worn in them? That might also be your problem. Also make sure the key doesn't get in the way. Are you lining the drum up with the key and key slot?

G'day R Howe,
to PackardInfo. The advice convert has given you should get your rear drums on without any dramas, you don't have to use force. Getting the rears off though can be another matter altogether and usually requires a heavy duty drum puller and requisites amounts of muscle.

And I invite you to include your '37 Touring Sedan in the Packard Owner's Registry here on PackardInfo.

Thanks, Convert. I'm not quite to the point of actually removing the drums yet, but just wanted the information on how they went back on. I'm still not understanding as to why it takes a heavy duty puller to remove them, but they then just slip back on without requiring the same amount of force in the opposite direction to reinstall them. Does it have something to do with the tapered shaft?

Exactly, the tapered shaft and the fact that the axle nut is torqued to something like 250 ft. lbs. Do not grease or oil the taper on the axle and in the drum. They go up dry and clean. There have been many discussions about drum removal on this site and you should be able to find those discussions in a search on the subject. A special drum puller is required along with a big hammer/sledge. You'll see it all in the discussions. Good luck and let us know how the job progresses.

(o{}o)