It is expected the rear drum brake drum to not be easily removed on this '64 New Yorker but I want to make sure I am attempting to do it correctly. Once the axle nut is off then what is the proper way to pull the drum?

Put the nut back on but just flush with the threads.then you need the correct hub remover.The hub comes off with the drum.Do not try to use one of the socalled drum removers it will destroy the drum.The remover I have is 3 arms.They attach to the studs and lug nuts hold it on Then you tigten the center to the large stud in middle of drum.Then you smack the handle that slips on the end of the remover.The drum will pop off.Thats why you leave the large nut on but loose so threads dont get screwed up.Some say you can leave the large nut loose and drive slow in circles and they will pop.Ive never had much luck that way.The pullers are usually on Ebay for sale.I havent decided to sell mine or keep it as I dont have any early cars left.Oh yeah dont loose the keyway when the drum comes off.Rocky

One of these.

Well guess I'll spring for one of those pullers. I made a puller on that concept but nothing seemed to move. Either the tool I made could not get the power transferred enough to pull it or my lack of confidence was the hinderance. Thanks.

Usually the driver sides are really tight, tight enough to use a rosebud Oxy acetelene torch to heat the hub up with tension on it to avoid destroying the drum and hub Been there, done that(ruin the drivers side hub and drum without heat) more than once

So the hub is pressed on a tapered axle shaft? I have an original service manual that does not give any details or illustrations.

There is a trick to using the puller. Put as much force as you can on it then smack the center of the t handle in toward the end of the axle. Be sure you have the nut flush with the end of the axle. It helps if you spray the keyed part of the axle with PB blaster.

Does the drum rotate, and have you backed off the adjuster to get the shoes out of any groove in the drum?
That is two items that can interfere with removal even if you have that puller.

I've had a few,jacked up the back end,back off the nut about half the thread distance,drop it in gear,run the rpm's up a little and hit the brakes,worked every time.

and an extra little thing to add to stumpy's reply. take a small, solid piece of scrap steel about 1/8" or so thick. this doesn't have to be round. drill a hole slightly bigger than the centering point of the threaded shaft, so you can still use it to center on the axle center hole. use a dab of wheelbearing grease to hold the scrap piece to the pullers threaded shaft-this takes the "extra hands needed" item out of the procedure. then proceed as stumpy suggests. this adds an extra layer of protection to the retaining nut and shaft threads. most times, if the drum and shaft have been together for a looong time, the hit force needed is more than you would expect.

You really need to use the proper tool. It requires patience, and fortitude. Removing the driver's sided drum on my Polara took three days. If it hasn't been removed in 30 or 40 years it will need some heat to help it along too. Heat the hub, tighten the tool, and smack it on the end of the tool with a sledge. Repeat as necessary and eventually you'll here a pop and it will come right off.



Once you get them off, if you want to make servicing the brakes easier, you can convert your hubs to '65 and up slip on drums pretty easily.

Tapered Axle Rear Brake Conversion

Awesome stuff!

What about loosening the nut a turn or 2, installing a cotter pin so it stays there, then drive the car at slow speeds to pop the drum loose from the taper. Has anyone tried this way?

The loose and driving I tried a few times.Never worked for me.The puller always worked and as said some are tough to get off.Seems people are afaraid of hitting the handle.I use a 5 pound small sledge.Some sound like a rifle shot when they pop.Rocky

Once you remove the drum you can use a standard drum and install studs into the Hub, there is an artical written on the 62-65 b body website

I will look for a link and edit this post

EDIT LINK:
http://www.crankshaftcoalition.com/wiki/Mopar_tapered_axle_rear_brake_conversion

There is a a big difference in cost of the pullers on eBay. Are the cheap ones good enough to use twice? I don't plan on dealing with this again.

If you do the conversion. Then you can cut the studs off and remove the drums, then rent a large puller from the local tool store.
Make sure you read the conversion on how to cut the studs

I wrote the article and posted a link in an earlier response..... but thanks for posting it again.

Centerline, I owe you a debt of gratitude cause your article saved my friend and I a whole lot of grief, a few years back.

I missed your earlier link. But it is so helpful it deserves to be posted twice.

The cheap ones are just that cheap.I bought one and it lasted 1/2 a pull and the hub wasnt stuck hard.Then I bought the good one I have now.Its pulled a lot of drums and never a problem.I think mine is Mac or SnapOn but it dosent have a name I can find.It is old though.Ive never found a big problem once they come off.Just clean everything good and I use some antisieze on install even though some say not to.Drove the 57 and 62 at least 20K miles and never any problems.Rocky