Hello members, first post....
I'm helping brother with his 2000 Ram 2500 Cummins, withrear drum brakes. Trying to catch up his maintenance.. Took off the rear diff cover today to set up for lube change. We pulled the axles and want to pull the hubs to check the bearings and replace the oil seals. Tried to pull the spindle nut keepers out, but they just crumble like cheap pot metal. Very thin and brittle, and I imagine they are original. With needle nose pliars, all we could do was pull pieces off and crumble them. Waiting for the 2-9/16 rounded socket to arrive, so have not tried turning the big nuts at all.

I need a reality check from people more experienced than me. The keepers seem past simple pulling out. Would it make sense to drive what is left of the keeper "ears" flat into the keeway and then try to turn the nut out over the top of them, then clean out the keyways after the nut is off? Planning to put the Stage 8 X-lock kits on these during the go-back, so not worried about damaging the original spindle nut. Just don't want to ding up the spindle threads. Any advice appreciated.