Brake job turns Axel job

[danray48]

Since I bought my 79 CJ7 over a year ago, I've done several things to it, but get into any of the drivetrain. I just got the fuel tank back in with a new sending unit, fuel lines supply and return, painted the skid plate. So it has just been bugging me about the brakes. They worked, but I just had to know what kind of shape they were in. So starting on the rear, removed the tires, found the brake drums chipped, so I said, I'll replace those, the shoes where about half and thought well while it's apart, I'll just replace those. I'ts gonna be a show jeep, so since I'm painting the new brake drums, I'd love to get the back brake plate off, sand blast those and paint them. Since I bought a new spring kit, I blasted all the other brake parts and painted them. Shocks were good, but dirty white, and well since I can see em, I removed and painted them. Now, all this has got me to removing the AMC20 axels which has been a bear so far. I kinda damaged the dust covers taking them off so I got to buy new ones. They were stubborn. I went yesterday and bought a wheel puller that I thought for sure would remove the hub, but I quit before it busted the hub. After reading a whole bunch of stuff on here about the one piece , and it looks like I'm going to have to cut bearings off to get to the brake plate to blast and paint, (I hope the reverse brake drum method works pulling the axel out). I'm going to go with one piece axels. I checked and checked but haven't pulled the trigger yet. I'm leaning toward Moser. I know they're recommended a lot on here. Just want to make sure there isn't something new I missed. I'm scared to death to pull the front wheels off. Wonder how much that brake job is going to cost me?

 

[danray48]

After about 30 pulls on the reverse drum method I got it out, and surprise, that looks like . I topped it off with gear oil last year, but never pulled the differential cover yet. looks like this break job isn't going to end anytime soon. Do I need to pull the rear end and check everything out?

 

[Shifter]

I would... That does not look good.

 

[HackFabrication]

I'm scared to death to pull the front wheels off. Wonder how much that brake job is going to cost me?

Well, when you get the courage up, just to warn ya: The disc rotors are pressed onto the front hubs.