Pulling Drums off of Full Floater

[bbudus]

I am going to be replacing the shoes on my truck, I read a couple post but I am still a little foggy on the axle part. Do you have to take the axles out? It seemed to me in a couple of post that that was not the case. I have never dealt with a full floating rear differential before so any help would be great.

Bbudus

[ronniejoe]

No, you don't. Just adjust the shoes in to clear the ridge on the drum.

I was one who said you had to before, but I have since learned...

[JoeyD]

You need to pull the axle and nut and bearing to change them on my truck. I think the Subs are the only ones that you can slide the drums off without pulling the axle shafts

[RT]

On my full-floating 14bolt you have to remove the axles to get the drums off. The drums are retained to the hubs with the wheel studs. To remove the drums you have to remove the hubs. To remove the hubs you have to remove the axles to get to the bearings and the bearing retaining/preload nut. Do a little research and you will find it is not a difficult task but the parts are heavy and the process is time consuming. Good luck, RT

[bbudus]

Yep, I had to remove the axles. Sounds worse than it is. Pretty easy. Unfortunatly for me once the hub and drum were off I found that I had no rear breaks. There was some life left on the shoes but they were cracked, the cylinder was leaking, and the adjuster was rusted and locked to the shoes. There is some ridging on the drum but not bad. That is only the drivers side :eek:

So, I am going to replace everything. I had noticed that I had not heard the anti-lock going under hard breaking, now I know why.

Thanks for your replies, they helped.

Bbudus

[bbudus]

Ok, so I decided I has better check the wheel bearings and cones while I was in there. How in the world do you get the outside retaining ring out Out of the drum? :confused: I can get it to compress, but I can't pull it out, I want to throw it but with it's buddy the drum and it's a little heavy. :mad:

Any suggestions? Help me before I have a corinary.

Bbudus

[DA BIG ONE]

Hello there, link below is 14 bolt full floater bible by off roading geru Bill Avista!

See: http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/billavista/14b_bible/index.html

[DaveNY]

Can only speak for my suburban 99 2500, and I do not have to pull axles to remove the drums. Just have to beat them to death.
Dave

[number two]

earlier '90's stuff was like the old days and wheel bearings must be removed as well as hub/axles to remove drum. Later models like '97 or '98 drums slip off while hub,bearings,and axles stay on truck if you desire. That outer bearing/race setup is different isn't it? All the GM 14 bolt 10 1/2 rear ends I've seen use that stlye. Wacky. Good Luck