Hub Puller

[Touring29]

I'm going to have to pull the rear hubs off our 29 it has a leaky wheel cylinder. Looing on the internet there are lots of the three legged pullers available for around $50 to $250. The Cal Van for around $100 and the Truepower 2029 for $75 both have good reviews. Has anyone used one of these?

[Articifer Tom]

Some store you can rent . Assume you have wire wheels?

[ski]

Here's what I use to pull the hubs.

http://www.1948plymouth.info/28Q29U/index.php?msg=6800

[Touring29]

Some store you can rent . Assume you have wire wheels?

Yes I have wire wheels and I'm not sure that they are the 29 version. I have had everything between the rear end and crankshaft apart since we got this car but haven't ever had a need to take a wheel off. When I rebuilt the master cylinder and bled the brakes I caught the fluid in a glass jar. After setting a little bit it was about 2/3 water. I thought then "wheel cylinders will be next" Sure enough the RR is leaking. Since I don't know what I will get into when I take it apart I will wait till next month since my granddaughter wants to leave her wedding in it and its in a couple of weeks. I'm just trying to gather up what I may need. Our local small town parts store never has what I need to rent so I about quit even asking.

[Russ T. Fender]

You can use a knock off instead of a puller as the bearings are back to back but I have a thing about beating on an axle with a sledge hammer.  I have a puller that I got years ago at a garage sale and you're welcome to borrow it if you can't find one but it's heavy and I think the postage back and forth would be better spent buying a puller.  With the right puller I have never had a problem puling a drum so I don't  think you need to spend a ton of money to get one.  I tighten em up and if the don't pop off I hit them with the torch!

[Touring29]

You can use a knock off instead of a puller as the bearings are back to back but I have a thing about beating on an axle with a sledge hammer.  I have a puller that I got years ago at a garage sale and you're welcome to borrow it if you can't find one but it's heavy and I think the postage back and forth would be better spent buying a puller.  With the right puller I have never had a problem puling a drum so I don't  think you need to spend a ton of money to get one.  I tighten em up and if the don't pop off I hit them with the torch!

Well since you think the lower priced one will work and it has good reviews I think I'll order it. Then when I go to the next swap meet there will be one for sale on every row.  

[Russ T. Fender]

Your probably right about that.  I looked for the water gauge for my 1908 Locomobile for years without success and found four of them at Hershey the year after I finally found one on EBay.  As far as the puller is concerned,  as I said, I found that heat made all the difference with a stubborn drum and I would rather use the torch than the hammer.

[ski]

When using the knock off it is crucial to have the opposite wheel off the deck to allow the axle to be knocked out of the hub. If not the axle will have to overcome the friction of the other side being held fast by the weight of the car. I assume thats how the knocker in the first picture I posted got beat up since I received it that way. I've never had one that needed more than a coulple firm taps with the hammer as long as the other side was elevated and the side being removed on the deck to hold the hub still and let the whole shebang (axle,diff,other axle,other wheel) slide that few thousands of an inch to break free. If both wheels are elevated or both on the deck you are only beating the whole car away from you. Does that make sense?

[Russ T. Fender]

That's how I was taught to use the knock off and that is how I always used it when my car had wood wheels but I still was never comfortable doing it and on occasion I found that it took a lot more persuasion than a couple of firm taps. Much happier using a puller with wire wheels and I don't miss split rims either!

[Touring29]

I got one off! I beat on it for a while but I had to modify the puller to fit first. I was about to quit and fire up some heat and it came off. I had the nut on but it didn't need it. It just moved a little, no pop no jump. It was kind of disappointing  It was the one with the leaky wheel cylinder.
What I found was nearly new brakes a wheel cylinder with two size cups (1 3/8 & 1 1/4) a leaky grease seal and thisYou cannot view this attachment.You cannot view this attachment.

There is a bolt threaded through the drum! It nearly touches the wheel on the outside and has a slot in it like you might use a screwdriver on it. Its flush and seems harmless on the inside. I have never seen anything like it. Any ideas?   

[Touring29]

Wow did you see how I did that with one picture on top of the other? I have no idea how but its pretty cool even if I do say so.

[Articifer Tom]

That is inspection hole for brakes and can verify setup gap .

[Touring29]

That is inspection hole for brakes and can verify setup gap .

I have never seen such a thing and I have been to three county fairs, a strip club & a goat roping!   Thanks Tom!

[Articifer Tom]

Mostly found on inside backing plate front top . By having on moving part can use to do precise minor adjustment , my guess .

[Russ T. Fender]

My '52 CJ-A had them in the back and they were slits so you could get a feeler gauge in there to measure the gap between the shoe and the drum.  One on each side of the backing plate.  I guess having it on the drum let you have one opening and allows for adjustment as you rotate the drum.  If it was such a great idea I wonder why my 30-U doesn't have that screw in the drum.