I'm trying to remove the right rear wheel hub to repair what sounds like a broken spring in the e-brake assembly. I've loosened the e-brake adjuster and tapped around the outside of the hub with a hammer to try to loosen it. It doesn't want to come off(there's a surprise), so I'm looking for suggestions on how to ease its' removal. I was thinking of spraying some of that PB Blaster around the wheel stud areas to loosen it. Thanks...
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Re: '66 REAR WHEEL HUB REMOVAL
I just had to remove the rear rotors-hub on my 70'for it's first brake rotor turning. What was required was drilling out the 5 alum. rivets that hold the hub on next to the wheel studs. Didn't take long but sure did work to remove the hub! Hope this helps. -
Re: '66 REAR WHEEL HUB REMOVAL
The rotors on my car have never been removed from their hubs either. Sound like I'll have to drill out the rivets also, too bad they're steel, wish I could use a drill press.Comment
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Re: '66 REAR WHEEL HUB REMOVAL
Good luck on drilling out the rivets of your rear rotors in that this will not cause more problems later. This could cause brake loss problems later if you drive your car on the highways and interstates. If you are going to trailor your 66 everywhere no problem. To replace the springs on the emergency brake shoes removing the spindle with the rotor as an assembly will give you all the access you need to repair the emergency brake components.Comment
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Re: '66 REAR WHEEL HUB REMOVAL
Jim,
If I understood your posting correctly, you feel that the rivets should not be removed? My understanding is that the rivets were originally used as an aid in the assembly line to keep the rotors in place. The chassis service manual indicates there is no need to replace the rivets if they are removed for any repairs or replacements. Anyway, it turned out everything was fine in the e-brake assembly. I'm still hunting for the cause of a squeek. I've checked the u-joint already, and it was fine. The pin holding the pads is rusted and I'm thinking the rotor might be a bit out of round, moving the pads just enought to squeek against the pin. I'm going to replace the pin with a new one.Comment
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Re: '66 REAR WHEEL HUB REMOVAL
Rob,
If you suspect the squeak is coming from the brake pad, you might try carefully lubricating the area of the caliper housing where the pad would make contact on the forward edge. This is not a permanent repair, just a test. If the squeak goes away, that will tell you that the rotor is running untrue and causing the pad to move in and out against the caliper housing. Another quick test would be to drive the car forward at slow speed and lightly apply pressure to the brake pedal. If the squeak goes away when the brake is applied, it's a good sign that you have rotor runout.
If you suspect the parking brake, the same test can be performed. Roll forward and lightly apply the parking brake. If the squeak goes away, you have parking brake shoes moving back and forth across the backing plate causing a squeak.
If the problem is indeed the brake pad/rotor runout described above, the rotor can be refinished without a problem if a few simple precautions are taken. 1st, mark the rotor and the spindle so the two units can be reassembled in the same position. Use a dial indicator BEFORE and AFTER the rotor machining operation to make sure that it is running true.
Often, the inside surface of the rotor that mates to the spindle flange is rusted and untrue. If not reinstalled in the original (clock) position, there's not much chance it will run true after repair.
The rivets that retain the rotor are easily removed with a drill bit of about 1/4" dia. It's not necessary to drill all the way through the rivet. Just center punch and drill until the rivet head pop's off. The rotor can then be easily removed.Comment
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Re: '66 REAR WHEEL HUB REMOVAL
Mike,
Thanks (again) for the info. I'll try both of those suggestions. I drilled out the rivets without much trouble after marking the position on the spindle, and everything appears fine in the e-brake dept.Comment
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Re: '66 REAR WHEEL HUB REMOVAL
Mike,
Can the e-brake assembly be replaced after removing the rotor, without removing the drive spindle?Comment
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Re: '66 REAR WHEEL HUB REMOVAL
Rob,
I've taken these apart this way but never tried to reassemble one with the spindle in place, although I've heard it can be done. Would be difficult as there's not much room in there. Maybe others that have done it can advise.Comment
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Re: '66 REAR WHEEL HUB REMOVAL
Mike,
The "squeek" does not go away applying the brakes, or the e-brake, although it is not there in reverse. Occasionally now, it sounds like something is catching and moving around. When I looked at the e-brake assembly, everything appeared o.k., shoes not broken, springs in place and in tact, adjuster works, etc. It souns like removing the drive spindle is something I can't do myself, that's why I asked about removing and replacing the e-brake assembly without removing it.Comment
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Re: '66 REAR WHEEL HUB REMOVAL
Hi Rob:
Yes,the entire E-brake mechanism can be replaced without removing the spindle. It's tight working in there, but not too hard.
One thing that helped me was a special spring tool that several Corvette supplies sell (I think Eckler's is one). This tool looks like a screwdriver with a notch in the side of the blade. This tool makes it much easier to remove and reinstall the spring that holds the brake shoes together at the top.
If you have the area open, you may want to install a stainless hardware kit. I don't think the shoes themselves need to be stainless, since a little surface rust on them can't cause problems. Besides, some of the replacement stainless shoes are not quite compatible with some backing plates. The shoe slides off the three bearing "bumps" on the plate and gets cockeyed.
This happened to me and when I spoke to the supplier, they said "oh yeah, we've heard about that problem." When I used OEM replacement shoes, everything worked fine.Comment
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Re: '66 REAR WHEEL HUB REMOVAL
Joe,
Thanks, that's good to hear. I was wondering if you worked through the holes in the spindle for brake adjustment for any part of it?Comment
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Re: '66 REAR WHEEL HUB REMOVAL
Hi Rob:
I rebuilt my whole brake system last year, so my recollection of some of the details is fuzzy. If I recall correctly, there are two holes in the spindle flange. The E-brake is adjusted through these holes using a screwdriver to turn the star wheel.
You must be certain that when you reinstall the rotor, the holes in the rotor line up with the holes in the spindle flange. Otherwise you can't adjust the E-brake. Install at least three lug nuts to hold the rotor tight to the flange before you adjust the E-brake.
One thing I noticed was that depending on which way you reinstall the adjustment star wheel, the direction that the star wheel must be turned to tighten the E-brake will be different. I'm not sure it makes a difference, but I made sure I installed mine so that the adjustment direction corresponded with the shop manual (the 1963 base manual, not the thin 1967 supplement). Besides, knowing which direction is tighter or looser will save you from having to experiment when you adjust the E-brake.
Also, when you adjust the E-brake, be sure to follow the sequence in the shop manual. You must first disconnect the main E-brake cable, then adjust the shoes using the star wheels. Once that is done, you reconnect the main cable and adust the nuts on the main cable to get the E-brake handle in the right place.
By the way, I've followed your efforts to locate the source of the squeak in your wheel. I've always heard that bad spindle bearings can squeak, but I seem to recall that other respondents pretty much ruled out that possibility earlier. Anyway, while you have the rotor off you have the opportunity to disconnect the half shaft and turn the spindle freely. So, if spindle bearings are still on your list of suspects, now might be a good time to try that.Comment
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THANKS JOE *NM*
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Re: Hi Rob
Can you get the squeek with the car up on jackstands without the car's weight on the drive line?
I've lost track of your thread on this issue and forgot if you had already inspected the drive shaft joints?
Not squeeking when backed up seems to me to be a joint loading issue as u-joints work significantly harder moving forward as opposed to (reverse.
I've experienced bad u-joints that would rumble like thunder under a load and then be silent as a tomb when the gas was backed off and the vehicle coasted.
Plus the early warning signal, the dreaded forward motion "squeek"
I can't wait to read about what you finally find Rob.
This would drive me nuts!
ChuckComment
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