Removing Rear Brake Drums

gazza1286 · Post by **gazza1286** » Tue Jan 24, 2006 5:04 pm

Ive just bought a 1999 Mk4 1.0 Polo and I'm planning to remove the rear drums shortly just to check all is well. I've removed the cover plate and see that the drums are kept in place with the hub nut. The car's only done 35K and the hubs don't look like they've ever been removed in the past. (only 35K on the clock). The design doesn't include a split pin which I've never seen before on a car. Other than tightening up to the specified torque, what is stopping the nut working loose??
Does anyone have any experience of removing these?

warrmr · Post by **warrmr** » Wed Jan 25, 2006 3:10 pm

http://www.tigerstyle.co.uk/poloforum/v ... ight=drums

there should be a splitpin.

gazza1286 · Post by **gazza1286** » Wed Jan 25, 2006 4:53 pm

Thanks for that warrmr -

However, The photos on the link (and in the HAYNES Manual) do not show the the design on the rear drums of my vehicle????

The 'cap' which covers the stub axle and nut is a flat disc with a lip. The nut which holds the drum in place is recessed and there is NO crown nut (or crown nut cover) and NO hole on the axel for a split pin.
What can be seen is a large dab of blue paint (which I think was applied in the factory) which straddles the axle and nut. If the nut had been previously removed this paint dab would have cracked across the threads.

As I've said I've never seen anything like this before. I'll post a photo unless I can figure it out.

Thanks again

warrmr · Post by **warrmr** » Wed Jan 25, 2006 5:44 pm

ok i havent had any experiance taking the rear nuts off but on the front it was extreamley tight. i had to use a 3 or mabe 4 ft tourque wrench set to 280nm to get it off. there only supposed to be tourqued to 180nm i think.

so get an assistant to sit in the car with the brakes on (take all to covers off and sit it on the gorund with wheels on and brakes firmley on. ) get your huge breaker bar or tourque wrench. and brute force it off if you are 100% that there is nothing holding the nut on.

i also used a can of WD40 on the front one when i did my CV

phat6n16v · Post by **phat6n16v** » Wed Jan 25, 2006 7:49 pm

the rear drums you have, you dont need to remove the centre hub nut there should be a cross headed screw on the face of the drum remove that and job done

you may need to use a pry bar or strong screw driver if the drums stuck

hope this help you mate

gazza1286 · Post by **gazza1286** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 5:29 pm

There is a screw which comes loose - but the drums must be rusted onto the hub. I'll give the drums a good whack with a soft mallet.
Thanks for that phats - I really didn't want to disturb the bearing nut if I didn't have to. There appears to be a radial groove about 2cm away from the hab cap. I presume this will be where the hub and drum join (and where the rust sticking them together will be)??

This design must be carried forward onto the MK V I suppose?

Thanks

phat6n16v · Post by **phat6n16v** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 6:28 pm

best way is to get a pry bar or big screw driver on one side wedged behind the back plate and hit with a hammer the other side, i'ld use a copper mer for the job.
Happy Dubbing

dragon_green · Post by **dragon_green** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 3:59 pm

i've just done the same job on a M-plate fiesta, and the hub nut didn't have any sort of retaining split pin.

gazza1286 · Post by **gazza1286** » Sat Feb 04, 2006 8:52 pm

Swift whack on the drums and they both popped off. A far better design than the earlier version I think. Very similar to what I'm used to on my Toyotas. I would think this type will have fewer bearing failures?

Applied some copper grease so they'll slip off nicely in future.

Thanks for the advice phat/dragon

phat6n16v · Post by **phat6n16v** » Tue Feb 07, 2006 7:43 pm

thats fine any probs you got just mail i'll try to be of service to you all.