1971 C-50 removing rear hubs/ brake drums

I am replacing the brake lines and wheel cylinders on a 1971 Chevy C-50 and I need to know how I would get the rear hubs and drums off. I took the little cover on the center of the hub off and it looks like the axle. Do I have to take the rear end apart tap the axle out? Any idead would be great.

Usually you unscrew the bearing retainer, may need a special tool for this and the axle slides out, some fluid also.

On the older ones I worked on, the axle comes out once you take out the bolts that hold it to the hub. This is a true full floater, none of the load is transmitted to the axles. The hubs to the housing carries the load.

Once you get the axles out, there is a locking tab that secures the hub locking nut. Bend that out of the way and the axle nut should be fairly loose. Most of the time I tap the nut off with a screw driver, but there are hub nut sockets available. One place I worked at had them so borrowing it was no big deal.

Make sure you inspect the bearings closely, the races too. And those rear hub/drums are heavy! I always left the brake shoes a bit loose so I could adjust the wheel bearings without the brake drag. Then finish the brake show adjustment.

Bob

Usually you unscrew the bearing retainer, may need a special tool for this and the axle slides out, some fluid also.

Ok where is the bearing retainer and do you know the name of special tool? Is that in the rear end?

On the older ones I worked on, the axle comes out once you take out the bolts that hold it to the hub. This is a true full floater, none of the load is transmitted to the axles. The hubs to the housing carries the load.

Once you get the axles out, there is a locking tab that secures the hub locking nut. Bend that out of the way and the axle nut should be fairly loose. Most of the time I tap the nut off with a screw driver, but there are hub nut sockets available. One place I worked at had them so borrowing it was no big deal.

Make sure you inspect the bearings closely, the races too. And those rear hub/drums are heavy! I always left the brake shoes a bit loose so I could adjust the wheel bearings without the brake drag. Then finish the brake show adjustment.

Bob

Ok would you be able to dumb it down for me. Know I have to take the wheel off but from there I am lost. I can not get at the back side of the rear hub bolts they are inside the rear brake drum.

Ok, real slow. Jack up the rear and have it on jackstands. Remove the rear wheels. Remove the bolts in the center of the hub, these hold the axles in. Slide the axles out. Now you should see the hub retaining nut and locking ring.

Unbend the tab on the locking ring, pull it out. Now you see the big nut that holds the hub on, the hub and drum are all one piece. You remove nothing from the rear of it, the works is held on by the big nut, which might be square or a big hex. It might come off by hand or by tapping it counter clockwise with a screw driver.

Be ready to catch the outer wheel bearing as you pull the hub off. You might need to back off the brakes if the drums are badly worn. Once the hub/drum is off you will understand everything. Try to hit the local library, they should have car and truck manuals in the reference section. Or look to buy a chassis manual for your truck if you plan on doing more work on it.

The inner bearing will be in the hub, you have to pop the oil seal off to get it out. A brake spoon works well for this. I'd advise to work on one wheel at a time, get all new hardware, have the drums cut or replaced. Any good truck parts place can cut yours or press new ones onto your hubs.

Bob

Be sure to grease the wheel bearings before you re-install them. They get their long term lube from the differential fluid, but it can take 100 miles of running before the diff lube has oozed its way out along the axle shaft to reach the bearings. So they need the short-term lube of the grease you knead into them.
Be sure to replace any diff fluid that runs out.
You might want to use a new paper gasket when you bolt the axle shaft back onto the hub - or a thin layer of RTV gasket maker. This will keep the diff fluid and bearing grease from making your hubs greasy as months go by.

Not wanting to insult you but it may be a good idea for you to go and get a manual with illustrations if you are having trouble with the help here.

Not wanting to insult you but it may be a good idea for you to go and get a manual with illustrations if you are having trouble with the help here.

I agree. This is not really the type of repair that a novice should try. Many of the repairs here follow the same line, I can visualize guys with no experience and next to no tools getting way over their heads fast.

But help is out there, take an after hours adult ed course in car maintenance. Get a manual to see what goes where, invest in some good tools and equipment if you're serious about working on your own ride. Hang out with some friends that are into cars, join a car club.

Bob