remove rear tire?

[51Deluxe]

I'm sure everyone but me knows this- just tried to remove the left rear tire on my '51 to pull the brake drum, have the car jacked way up, there does not seem to be enough clearance between the brake drum and the fender for me to drop the tire. What's the secret?

[joefrazer]

Raise the rear of the car so the wheel hangs with no support. Remove the fender skirt and let out most of the air from the tire. I've found it easiest to have both rear wheels hanging.

[51Deluxe]

Got the tire off and removed the cotter pin and nut from the drum. Seems solid-  is a puller required?

[joefrazer]

Yes, you'll need one of these...and plenty of elbow grease.

This one is priced right.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/WHEEL-BRAKE-DRUM-PULLER-fits-STUDEBAKER-AMC-FORD-anything-w-Keyed-Axle-/391115026150?hash=item5b1045aee6

[51Deluxe]

Aborted the plan to take off the drum since I don't have a puller. Need the car for a movie scene this weekend and unable to get the tire back on. It is such a tight fit between the fender and brake drum that when I lower the car onto the loose wheel/tire, the tire wedges and can hold up the car's weight. That's with all the air out, and tilting the tire in assorted directions. Not a big K-F fan at this moment. How could someone possibly change a rear tire beside the road? Tires are 205R, maybe that's the problem but that's what I've got.

[JoeKeys2010]

I made a puller for my 49. If you decide to pull the rear hub let me know and I'll let you use mine.

[51Deluxe]

Thanks for the offer. I dodged the bullet - got the tire back on by moving it well forward of the axle, lifting it up and tilting it on the hub. Then test drove it and for whatever reason the brakes no longer lock up. I'm sure they will in the future at the most inopportune time, but for now, I'm back on the road.

[JoeKeys2010]

Ok.  Just let me know if you need it. I fought a rear cylinder on the passenger side until I finally gave in and rebuilt it. Works like a charm now but had to build a puller to get the rear hub off. Too impatient to order one.

[dusty]

Quite often the previous owner installed "shock absorbers " that had not been Kaiser sized meaning the shock will not let the axel drop to a clearance for the tire.

[51Deluxe]

Had no idea the axle was supposed to drop further- looks like new shocks may be in order. Hopefully I can get the right ones.

[boatingbill]

Years ago when leaf springs got weak, people would install overload coil spring shocks to assist the leaf springs. When you had a
flat the bumper jack would lift the car and the axle would not drop enough because the overload shock would hold it in place. I
never had a problem with KF products unless some one put oversize tires on the rear. Letting the air out can help, but even then
it can be a problem because how do you air up a oversize tire once you get it on.

[51Deluxe]

Maybe the oversize tires are the real problem. I think 205 radials are considerably larger than stock.

[joefrazer]

1951 Kaisers were equipped with 6.70x15 tires with 7.10x15 available as well. 6.70 in metric terms is 195 75R 15 and a 7.10 tire works out to 205 75R 15. So, any should fit in the rear wheel well. Installing and removing original equipment tires was difficult on the rear wheels of all 51-5 full size Kaisers, even back in the day. The bumper jack is marginal at best at lifting the car to proper height and when used, usually curled the bumper...and then fell over. I recall my dad cursing the jack one evening as we tried to repair a flat rear tire.

I learned the trick of letting air out of the tire from an old time tire guy who remembered well the problems with Kaisers...and others like Nash. The secret is to get the drum as far below the fender line as possible because the distance between it and the fender is less than that of even a 6.70 tire.

[boatingbill]

I bought a tripod jack as it did not bend the bumper like the standard bumper jack would. Maybe they can still be found
on the internet.