AmphibAndy Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 My Dad bought a DUKW in about 1978 an its been sat in his shed for too long. Its now time to get it out and do something with it, I would like to restore it. unfortunately the brakes are set solid and I cannot move it. I assume the shoes have expanded with the damp and locked up. Now even getting the wheels off and the drums off seized on shoes will be a monster job before I start the strip down. Can anyone offer any quick fixes? I cant think of any myself Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulbrook Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 Where are you Andy? If yr not to far maybe I can help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
private mw Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 wow nice needs saving . :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmphibAndy Posted January 22, 2012 Author Share Posted January 22, 2012 the DUKW is in Shropshire but it will be moved to Kent once I can roll it! I have one suggestion of cutting the wheel cylinders out which sounds a bit severe if you are not good with the plazma cutter! There must be an easy way! I guess it may mean taking each wheel off and removing the hubs. I wonder how you get the hubs off it they are seized on. May be some sort of hub extractor thanks for the offer of help , where are you based? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Batchelor Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 I would get plenty of penetrating fluid on the brake adjusters, let them soak for a while then try to back off the brakes, this has worked for me in the past. If worst comes to worst you could be looking at breaking up brake drums but this is last resort approach. If you can find somewhere to attach a straight bar you can try rocking it forwards and backwards which may also do the trick. Have each wheel off and bang around the drum with copper mallet or using piece of hardwood between hammer and drum to try and dislodge rust build up before the pushing/pulling method is used. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vulture Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 Wow ! Best of luck with that, what a great vehicle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willyslancs Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 whats its history mate?........... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Suslowicz Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 ...the DUKW is in Shropshire but it will be moved to Kent once I can roll it!...l cylinders out which sounds a bit severe if you are not good with the plazma cutter! ? Do not, under any circumstances, use cutting/welding equipment on a wheel with a tyre attached. (Regardless of whether the tyre is leaky, deflated, valve removed or even with the bead not seated on the rim.) Death or serious injury may result. Brought to you by the elves who drink safe tea (because elfin safe tea is very important in these litigious times). Chris. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddy8men Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 i read about a chap that had a similar problem, he recommended heating the outer part of the drum which makes it expand thus breaking the bond between shoe and drum, then leave it to cool for an hour and it should come off but let me say that i've not tried it so i couldn't guarantee it works. there is another way which is easier and i'd try it first if i were you. get the biggest heaviest wagon you can lay your hands on and hook it up with a straight bar to the dukw and rock it back and forth and see what happens good luck with it rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Barrell Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 there is another way which is easier and i'd try it first if i were you. get the biggest heaviest wagon you can lay your hands on and hook it up with a straight bar to the dukw and rock it back and forth and see what happens good luck with it rick Ah, the REME way.......! :laugh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmphibAndy Posted January 23, 2012 Author Share Posted January 23, 2012 well thanks Guys, a few ideas here. I recall that we managed to pull the front shackle out once before when we moved it , so I think I would have to put something around the axle. I do have one of those adjustable US, I think Jimmy, tow bars with chains to go around the axle so that may be the tool we need. Trying to do any of the above work where the Duck is at the moment will be hard as there is no electricity on site. It would be good to get it out first. The history is that it is ex Army , British and we bought it from Crook Brothers in as I said about 1978 ish from memory. It was a lot better when we got it! It will need quite a bit of welding but my guess is that any unrestored Dukw that had been floated would need much the same as the slat doesnt stop working away. its fitted with an A Frame which i think make it one of a few as they didnt all have them. I need to get the UK serial number and chassis number to check out more details on year of manufacture etc. I would dearly love to get this restored but its a major project and the welding alone would cost a fortune. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean N Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 Andy, whenever I've had a problem with stuck brakes in the past the following has always worked: 1. Free up adjusters if possible and back them off fully 2. Get very large hammer, preferably nylon or rawhide or at least copper rather than steel. Tap drums and backplates hard and sharp in several places. If you can't get at the drum, hit the nave of the wheel. Don't hit repeatedly in the same place and don't beat the hell out of it - you don't want to damage or bend anything and if you do the cast drum may well crack. The idea is similar to tapping the eye a ball joint pin is fitted to to release it - a sharp rap will make the drum flex slightly which makes the rust let go, particularl if the adjusters are off so the return springs are trying to help you. I'm not familiar with GMCs, but if the brake drums are the type where you can put a forcing screw in to jack them off the hub, you can take the wheels off and try that, forcing gradually and tapping as you go - again, back the adjusters off fully first if possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon_M Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 Rocking it should work, but ... Ideally you would have driven it in nose first, so you could pull it out by the pintle hook. There really isn't a good way to hook onto the front of it if the towing points are rusty or broken. DUKWs have demountable drums, so you could pull each wheel and then each drum without pulling drive shafts and wheel bearings. Gordon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmphibAndy Posted January 23, 2012 Author Share Posted January 23, 2012 thanks, another very good idea. I will have to take some big mates with me as even taking the wheels off and on will be a big job! ah well, what the heck, it has to be done. Of course, it may well be only one or two wheels that are stuck which will help matter greatly. I need to try to take a couple of days off to sort this and then I can start to think about how I am going to tell my better half that we may be receiving a new house guest! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon_M Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 I've done that myself and it's no big deal for DUKW wheels, slightly heavier is you have 12 ply tyres though. Remember that DUKW linings are the ones that are less absorbant to water than GMC ordinary linings and I found little rust when I stripped mine. Pulling it out cautiously to see which wheels turn would help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vulture Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 and then I can start to think about how I am going to tell my better half that we may be receiving a new house guest!This bit could be the hardest part of all ! LOL Best of luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fesm_ndt Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 (edited) I was up in Shropshire last week but I only saw a shed full of Pinzgauers and a great fish & chip shop Didn't see no dukw, damnit Thinking what I could do with that and my mate the very cheap tig guy, makes me drool. Best of luck and be sure to post piccies PS dont tell the other half.... just say youre having an affair as they understand that. They dont understand guys wanting to spend alone time with vehicles Edited January 23, 2012 by fesm_ndt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willyslancs Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 well thanks Guys, a few ideas here. I recall that we managed to pull the front shackle out once before when we moved it , so I think I would have to put something around the axle. I do have one of those adjustable US, I think Jimmy, tow bars with chains to go around the axle so that may be the tool we need. Trying to do any of the above work where the Duck is at the moment will be hard as there is no electricity on site. It would be good to get it out first. The history is that it is ex Army , British and we bought it from Crook Brothers in as I said about 1978 ish from memory. It was a lot better when we got it! It will need quite a bit of welding but my guess is that any unrestored Dukw that had been floated would need much the same as the slat doesnt stop working away. its fitted with an A Frame which i think make it one of a few as they didnt all have them. I need to get the UK serial number and chassis number to check out more details on year of manufacture etc. I would dearly love to get this restored but its a major project and the welding alone would cost a fortune. my dad has somewhere a pic taken around late seventies with the dukws stacked at crooks , will ask him if he can find it.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmphibAndy Posted January 24, 2012 Author Share Posted January 24, 2012 thanks I would like to see the photo. There were three at the time we bought ours. I also bought my International M5 from them with a full REME folding A frame and raised rear body on. Took that one around Normandy in 1984 at 5.5 mpg. Dont think I could afford that now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willyslancs Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 thanks I would like to see the photo. There were three at the time we bought ours. I also bought my International M5 from them with a full REME folding A frame and raised rear body on. Took that one around Normandy in 1984 at 5.5 mpg. Dont think I could afford that now! asked him tonight mate ,he says if he remembers correctly they were sinking into each other , he will have a look for it ,when poss.............. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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