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I am having a problem with my drivers side fromt wheel and cannot remove the drum because it has seized on the spindle. Any suggestions on how to get the bearing out so I can re-use the backing plate etc-most likely the drm and spindle will need to be replaced. Also how to you remove the ball joints from the spindle-pickle fork or can you hit them with a hammer? Thanks.

Have you tried putting a wheel back on with the lug bolts loose (engaged about 4 turns in the drum) and using the mass of the wheel as a big slide-hammer? Some longer 12mm lugbolts (Rabbit, etc.) will give you more throw; some shock bolts even more.
5-lb sledge applied to the side of the spindle next to the balljoint studs will pop them free. A pickle fork will work if you don't care about tearing up the boots.

I made some extensions for a wheel puller to remove a stuck drum. Is it the bearings or the brake shoes that have it locked on?

It is definately the bearing-how did that drum puller work out?

You sure you don't just have a break hanging up on you can you back of adjusters?

I am sure it is not the shoes-the other spindle did the dame thing a while back-someone tightened the spindle nuts down too far and didn't leave the recommended play for heat expansion.

Pulled the drum right off. Had to use it on the front and the back drums.

I used square tubing from Loew's to extend the arms long enough to reach the back of the drum.

"G"

Personally I have never tried to remove a drum without the wheel and tire on it for weight and leverage. If its a stubborn one after backing off the adjusters I use an air impact round nose shaft on the center of the stub and it will just walk off the shaft. Good luck. Bob Ingman

Bang on the drum with a 5lb hammer just stay away from the inner edge or it will break. If you got another just bust it off and you have an excuse to give your wife that it needs disks all the way around

Seriously did you back of the adjusting star from the backside of the wheel after removing the rubber covering over the hole. Stick a medium size screw driver in there and use it like a lever to rachet the star downwards to move shoe away from drum as far as posible. If it don't move you probably got a brake shoe hung and will have to bang or pull off the hub. Try having your friend drive it a few feet while jumping on the fromt bumper it may break loose--worth a shot just have him go backwords so you won't get run over!!!!!!

I had to do this when I was a kid because my also cold bug sat sometimes in the snow in the cold Montana winters and the shoes rusted to the drums. My second one at 17 had a gas heater and got used year round going were only 4 weelers dared, sometime It slid over the tops of drifts they could not even manage.

By the way Bob if you remove the tie rod and stabalizer bar could you unbolt the torsion arms top and bottom and pul the whole shabang of the car or will presure from the torsion bars keep the arms from releasing and comming off. I never removed the steering knuckle on a ball joint front end and wonder if you must press out ball joints first or if you could do it after you get arms and all out of the car.

Good luck don't be gentle with that drum do what you have too--also I think you can rent drum pullers from most rental places that have car tools. Bang on it while you pull if need be.

74 Thing on you question about ball joint.

The book says to remove the ball joints by pressing the threaded end from the steering nuckle; removing the torssion arm and ball joint (after realeasing the tie rod and stabalizer); and bring in the arm to VW shop to have ball joint pressed out and a new one pressed into the arm. I've tried to get alternatives with no responce yet.

In the book "How to Keep Your VW Alive" page 442 it says you can: remove the nut from the top of the ball turn it upsidedown and put it back on just untill no threads show and hammer it out of the stearing knuckle. You still have to take the torssion arm in to have the ball plessed out and a new one pressed in.

I don't know when I'll get to changing mine but I'm currently driving with no boot on one lower ball. Odly car seems to handle just fine but I am sure I will soon start to have problems. If you beet me to it please post how it went.

That's one of the Idiot Book techniques that probably will NOT work, you're dealing with a taper-fit and beating on the end of the stud is likely to damage the threads before anything separates. If you don't have the proper tool, strike the spindle on the side of where the tierod end or balljoint stud passes through it - the momentary distortion of the hole will break the taper-lock. The upper balljoints will typically pop free fairly easily bringing the camber eccentrics with them - removing the eccentrics from the joints is another matter. You may get them free by smacking the eccentric on the side against an anvil. I'm spoiled, I have a press for this - but I can tell you that some of them are seized on there mighty good!

The balljoints will function normally with no boots installed...for a while. With nothing to keep the grease in and the water & dirt out they'll wear out prematurely. In case you missed it in the other thread, Bug boots fit 181 joints.

Thanks MARC, I doughted the idiot guides wisdome and that is why I asked.

I was going to remove torsion arm and have shop press ball in and out. Can you put on a boot without removing ball? Can you comment on procedure for replasing a boot-- do you just remove treaded side from knuckle and slide the boot on the joint..

Thanks again, Steve