Gasket replacement on brake drum

My Haynes repair manual reads "before installing the drum, remove the thin gasket from inside the drum where it mates with the axle flange and clean any rust from the drum and flange before installing a new gasket". Is this a gasket that I can make myself from gasket material? Does the thickness matter? I assume the gasket is there to help prevent the drum from rusting to the axle flange. Can the old one be reused if its not damaged?

 

its just a piece of paper clean the old stuff off apply anti sieze and your good to go

 

I wouldn't worry about it, at all, ever.

 

I have always seen that little gasket discarded. It really does nothing that I can tell from what I have seen. The drum housing is exposed to water and such through so many different areas, that the gasket at the drum is really ineffective. I would suggest just to be sure you clean off the old gasket if it breaks on you, and then put everything back together. If the gasket stays stuck to one part or the other, just leave it be.

 

My drum stuck on due to salt n snow. How do I get darn drum off??!

 

My drum stuck on due to salt n snow. How do I get darn drum off??!

I’m gonna torch it

 

You have backed the adjuster off so the shoes are no longer so close to the drum??

Myself using the Parking Brake is such a habit many times mine is applied when I start a rear brake job .

 

Drum stuck to axle. N bolt broken in back out 8mm