I have a frozen brake drum, left front 1953 XK120 there are no holes in the drum to release the shoes . all new parts with less than 500 miles on them. Car has set for 2 years. Ant ideas
If you have access to air tools, then I’ve used an old air chisel with the blade cut off, so its like a blunt “hammer”. I used this on a drum (not a Jag), working around the rim of the drum to try and loosen up the shoe, whilst using a large screwdriver between the drum and the backing plate to keep pressure on the drum to come off…
try towing it to free stuck drum then remove and polish off the surface rust. they are delicate and difficult to remove if very stuck, don’t beat on it. probably easy job if you have a little room to move.
I’m guessing with all new parts you dont want to flood the inside of the drum with WD40 or anything, as it would probably stuff up the shoe material…
Let’s state the obvious first! Open the bleeder to release pressure then try the towing to break it free. Mechanically it would be hard to believe that the wheel cylinders are pushed out and stuck if you just put all new two years ago! Unless it was parked outside in high moisture conditions. If it’s drive able a short rocking back and forth applying brake pressure should have loosened it up.
Very strange that this issue could have occurred on such a new system…was it put away wet? Meaning moisture caused excessive rusting? Brake adjusted too tight to start with?
Opening the bleeder is a good idea but, thereafter, I would suggest striking the drum quite HARD (with a hammer the size of the knock-off hammer), in several locations around the periphery, in order to break the bond between the drum and the brake shoes. Did you, by chance, use silicone brake fluid?
Good luck.
I have to disagree with HARD hammer strikes…lite to a bit more taps…I used a rubber mallett…all around…The impact wrench vibration idea is interesting…anyway it is .kinda like how it works to open a glass jar lid. Nick
Another old trick is to strike the flat front surface with a good sized ball pein hammer: I have often knocked loose frozen drums that way.
And no, I never broke one!!
A three pound shot filled soft face hammer should be safe and sufficient to shift the drum a hair on the backing plate, forcing the wheel cylinders in sufficiently to wiggle the drum off