Mule 3010 rear brake questions?

[LonestarMule]

Greetings from Texas

I have an 2002 Mule 3010. I was experiencing some "hollow knocking" coming from the right rear axle assembly. Thanks to RCW chain slap drum removal trick I went ahead and pulled both drums.

What I found was the right rear axle support bearing had come apart, and allowed the axle to "clank" around. A snap ring keeps it in the assembly, as well as a tight tolerance. The key I found to putting the new one is to polish the inner area that it is housed in, then I put the new bearing in the freezer a couple of days, then used some kroil oil to lubricate the inner walls where it was to be pressed in, then reused the old bearing as a driving force along with a pipe and sledge to "press" the new one in. Hopefully installing the axle into the center of the bearing will go as smoothly. Unfortunately the service manual I ordered from beartooth showed none of this, but thanks to the forum posts, I worked through it.

OK onto the questions. Since I am in the rear end anyhow, and everything is rusted and siezed and ready to be replaced, I will do a full rear brake job. My questions are: Does the parking brake lever linkage serve any other purpose other than the e brake? It appears to me that thats all it does, and since mine are completly siezed up and even sandblasting them didnt free them, I am hoping I will simply leave them out. This is assuming I can leave them out.

Secondly, RCW indicated in another post that he removes all of his brake drum seals as they cause more harm then good, unless you are in severe service areas or allot of sand, which I am not. I am in hot dry texas climate, doing some woods trail riding and farm work, niether of which require e brake or drum seals. My question is, how do you get the damn drum seals off. I have cut on them, used a bench grinder, pry bars, pear burner, dynomite, etc. All I have done is severly mangled them, and again, the dealer service manual doesn't show how to R&R these. Any help on these two subjects is appriciated.

[RCW]

The parking brakes are rear drum actuators only. I would not remove them, but would replace the rusted parts if Kroil will not break them loose. This is experience speaking, I snagged a downed pine tree and ripped my hydraulic brake line off about 50 miles in the sticks. I needed the parking brake to make it out of the mountains to keep me from running away on the down hill grades.

The rear drum seals can be a problem. They have a compression ring that locks them in place. They tend to rust in place over time and can be a real bear to remove. If you use a bit of Kroil on full circumference where they are pressed in, let them set overnight or even a couple of days, then use an air hammer with a chisel point to pop them out. It may be a slow process, but they will come out!

I use mine in the mud, and if I leave them installed I squeak everywhere I go, so I always remove them when they are new to avoid the rust in place problem. It is no problem for me to just hose out my brake drums now and then, to I do not need the seals.

[LonestarMule]

Thank you once again. I simply continued to sandblast/oil/beat on/repeat with the e brake level linkage free and is currently working like new. I never considered the contingency plan aspect of it all, thanks RCW.

I am priming/painting all the parts to eliminate surface rust then will be going back together back COB week. I will keep everyone updated as to any tips/tricks I may learn and post them for future reference.