Help with 8 hole drum brake removal.

[EliPotts]

Hey all.. first post here, so happy to have found this forum. I have 66 GMC k1500 and I cannot get the rear drums off… I see these flathead bolts that have been messed with at some point. Are they required to come out to remove the drum?? Can’t get those to budge either. Any help would be appreciated!!

[EliPotts]

Crud… floating axle. Genius over here haha

[BobBray]

Yes, if you can't get the drum screw loose you can just pull the shafts and remove the drums with the hubs. Nice thing about these trucks is the rear drums are 'outboard' mounted, so if you eventually get those screws off you can service the brakes without distubing the wheel bearings.

[Simonsays]

Flathead screw might be seized in place. Look up impact screw drivers. That might help. Don't believe those flathead bolts need to be removed, those are the axle flanges .

[James]

Yes those slotted head screws need to come out to remove the drum. If the impact don't get them out, I would drill off the head. Personally I would not reinstall them, the rim will keep them in place.

In case you don't know, the floating hub get its oil for the bearings from the differential. So pulling the axles and hub (to get the drum off) will allow the oil to drain out of the differential a little. Also the spindle nuts is torqued (preloading the bearings) in place. And if you do it this way you will need to top up the differential oil. DO NOT use grease in the hub bearings.