How to Release Tension on Drum Brakes to Allow Hub Removal

Published 08/17/2016

Question:

It is 1am and Im frustrated. Im trying to replace a wheel bearing on a loadtrail tandem axle open car trailer after removing the outer bearing,the brake drum seams to be hanging up/on. do I just un-adjust the brake shoes like in your video to adjust new shoes? but turn the opposite direction, or is there something else Im doing wrong? Thank you.

asked by: John

Expert Reply:

If your trailer's hub/drum does not want to come off the spindle odds are that it is the brake shoes that are causing that friction. You can indeed adjust the brake star wheel to release the pressure on the pads. Another albeit extreme possibility is that excessive heat on the inner bearing damaged/fused it to the spindle, but if this were the case you would probably have noted that same heat damage on the outer bearing too. A gentle rocking motion often helps get the hub free of the spindle.

expert reply by: Adam R