fakemike

My rear drum has leaked so I know I have to replace it. My problem is that I can't take off the outer drum to get inside of it. In the Haynes manual(crap) It says that the shoe has worn grooves in the drum and now I should move the adjuster bolt by inserting two screw drivers in a pinky finger size hole on the back of the drum. This seems to be nearly impossible because I have tried this for about two hours. Is there tool I can buy to make this easier? and I don't have the $ to switch to 4 wheel discs.

thanks to anyone that can help
Mike

sivik2nr

find a screw ( i'm not sure what size though, i can't remember ) but anyway, find twoscrews that fit into those little holes on the front of the drum.. give it a few turns and the drum should come right off.. I tried FOREVER to get mine off , thought it was stuff.. it spun freely but wouldn't come off.. I tried that screw trick and easy as cake Just gotta find that right sized screw.

csprague

I had that happen with a Pontiac Bonneville...the shoes had worn down to the rivets and had made grooves in the drum. I used brute force to pry the drum off. I ended up snapping the wheel cylinder pistons in the process. And then getting the wheel cylinders off was a job in itself. But if its leaking brake fluid then you know you will have to replace the wheel cylinders anyway.

zerogrip

more than likely the outer drum is rusted on there. take a rubber mallet and whack it a few times on the left, then on the right. repeat until it loosens up. it worked for me.

fakemike

I have also tried the screws. Those holes do not go all the way through. You just put the screws there to have something to grab to pull the drum off. I had ground the s**t out of my brake so I think there are very deep grooves holding the shoe on the drum.

fakemike

I have beat the s**t out of it with a steel hammer and it will only move about a 1/4 inch.

it chipped off all the yellow paint (j/k)

sivik2nr

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by fakemike &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> Those holes do not go all the way through. You just put the screws there to have something to grab to pull the drum off. </TD></TR></TABLE>

there not supposed to go all the way though... I a bolt in to mine a cranked mildly until mine 'squeaked' off all by itself.. I tried everything else... that's what those 'holes' are for.. not to put someinto to 'grab' onto...

tominos

yea, use two bolts and when you screw then into the front of the drum, it should push off on the hub.

if it's like you said and it wore grooves into the drums, you have to stick the screwdriver in the back to retract the shoes.

fakemike

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by tominos &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

if it's like you said and it wore grooves into the drums, you have to stick the screwdriver in the back to retract the shoes.</TD></TR></TABLE>

so using two screw driver is the best way to move the adjuster bolt (no special tools)?

EVIL Hx Coupe

I used a steel hamer and beat the **** out of mine.... It came right off.

fakemike

ttt

blackZC (W)

bwahhahhahahhahahahh!!!11!!one11.

sorry, im laughin with you not at you. my first drum brake job took me three days and 80$ (2 busted wheel cyl,and new lines). now i can bust em out in like 30 mins...hope your drums go on with those fresh THICK shoes on.

Ziggie

What kind of car do you have?

I'm 99% sure on ek's the drums will not come off unless you take off the center bolt using a huge 32mm socket (I think it's that size). There's a center cap on the drums. Take the cap off and there should be the bolt you are looking for.

Also the hayne's manuals are no good. Use the helms manuals instead.

Good luck.

fakemike

I have learned those Haynes manual are crap. And this can be a lesson to everyone with drum brakes. When you hear one star making noise fix it right away. Don't be like me and say "its just a rear drum that doesn't do anything, the front brakes do all the work"

fakemike

bum p

sivik2nr

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Ziggie &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I'm 99% sure on ek's the drums will not come off unless you take off the center bolt using a huge 32mm socket (I think it's that size). There's a center cap on the drums. Take the cap off and there should be the bolt you are looking for.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I dont' think so.. if i remember correctly, I tried taking that nut off, but when I did, I didn't need to.

Sephiroth

Drums ??? how old is this car??and by the way Drums suck/

B.

make sure your e-break isn't on.........

Jonathan_ED3

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Ziggie &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I'm 99% sure on ek's the drums will not come off unless you take off the center bolt using a huge 32mm socket (I think it's that size). There's a center cap on the drums. Take the cap off and there should be the bolt you are looking for. </TD></TR></TABLE>

I'm pretty sure as well.

I'd be surprised if there wasn't a socket for them!