Anybody ever taken a 735 back wheel apart ?

All I want to do is remove the brake drum from the spokes for cleaning and painting, I have removed the nuts and spring washers but cannot remove the drum, is is pinned anywhere ?

Regards
Ian Vinton

Hi Ian,
I have not had to take my rear wheels apart on the 735 yet, but on the Brooks which is about the same, I have taken them apart.

The ends of the studs need to be cleaned up as they will have been peened over, then remove the nuts, the brake drum is centered from the hub, and is a tight fit, also any varnish from the wooden spokes will make the drum stick, I found a length of hard wood used as a drift though the spokes did the job.

hope this helps, Jeff.

I have received a drawing from America that has confirmed how the wheels are put together, and using wooden wedges between the spokes and the drum and gently driving them in, I have now removed the drum successfully with no damage to any components.

Regards
Ian Vinton

I think you need a wheel puller. Sometimes shaped like a Japanese bell or like a Chinese hat; goes over the hub (or screws into the hub) and has a bolt in the center that screws down on the axle. Do not use the spokes as a point to get some purchase. They will break. If you were running, you could back off the castle-nut a couple threads and drive around a while. You can also try heat. These wheels can really be stuck on, so be patient.

Here's one on ebay [cgi.ebay.com]