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Helps that the Ford axle is half the diameter and a shorter taper, the Studebakers were known as a steady-breaker but it was actually a good running car that would go 65 no problem… Until you tried to stop with the 2-wheel mechanical brakes, then it just skidded along on those skinny tires for a long way. Amazing what a difference just a few years made in the 20’s and early 30’s.
Another method that sometimes works for getting the drum/hub to let go of the tapered axle is to loosen the nut about 1/16″, just enough that the washer is loose. REINSTALL THE COTTER PIN !! [for safety reasons! ]
Then drive the car around the block, hit a few bumps, and maybe drag the rear brakes to warm up the drum.
Sometimes this works. Sometimes you have to put a puller on the drum/hub and drive it.
On my 1925 Series 80 rear hubs, which are a painted hub, exposed and not hidden by a hub cap like he later cars, I put a puller on the hub, with the nut loosened, and cotter pin reinstalled, and drove the car for 2 seasons !! and it never let loose, I kept a wrench and hammer on the floor in the back seat area. I’d get out, whack the puller with the hammer, curse and walk away. Some people may remember the puller on the car a few years back..
I had used a heat-guy AND an induction heater on the hub with zero effect. This time last year I decided I HAD to get the hub off, the car was going to the west coast with me for the Annual Meet in Rohnert Park, and then to the Modoc Tour, both the meet and the tour had plenty of steep mountain roads that would ‘tax’ the brakes on my car..
So, I finally used the ‘blue-tip wrench’.. an Oxy-Acetylene torch. I had the hub up to 350″ or so with the induction heater and the hot air gun combined, with no luck. I un-wound the wire for the induction heater, and use the torch to raise the temperature of the hub.. The paint had just started to blister when I heard something.. I put some pressure on the wrench on the puller, and it moved.. just softly moved and the hub gently came free. It gave up without violence. I would never have expected it to give up quietly.
Sorry, I know this thread got sidetracked from the original Air Filter Element subject.
Greg Long