I was trying to replace the brake shoes on my 99 civic LX and having a hard time getting the drum off. It was very rusty so I had to resort to using two 8mm bolts. I started driving them in a little at a time and heard a couple of pops. I though this was just the drum coming loose, but after it came loose I still couldn't pull it off and there were two very corroded broken pins on the back side of the back plate. This isn't normal is it? Now I'm wondering should I keep trying to pull off the drum? Or is it possible that the shoes had rusted to the inside of the drum and when I drove the 8mm bolts in I was pulling on the shoes themselves, or something else inside, as well as the drum?

If something has gone wrong should I keep trying to get the drum off to address the problem or should I just put it back together and take it to a professional?

Any help would be really appreciated. Thank you.

 

How do I adjust the star wheel through the access slot?

 

the shoes cant rust to the drum

take a 1 or 2lb hammer and strike the hell out of the mating surfaces of the drum and the spindle (between the lug nut studs)

alot of rust is going to drop out i'm guessing

but if your wheel is spinning freely, the only thing keeping it from coming off is the mating surface i said before

GL

 

I did pound the hell out of the drum between the lug nut studs and a lot of rust did come out, but the wheel is not spinning freely. It can spin but its really hard. I think I have to ease off the star wheel, but I can't figure out how to adjust it through the access holes at the back.

 

Just a dumb question but you do have the emergency brake off right?

 

Yes the e brake is down. I was having a problem where the ebrake would not fully disengage so I stopped using it a month ago. Could it be that while the lever is down the brake has not let go?

 

exactly what u have to do, grab two flat head screw drivers on small and the other about 1/4 wide or so, you will have to take the small screw driver and push out the lever that moves the star wheel and stops it from turning backwards, then u can use the other bigger screw driver to turn the wheel. both threw the access hole in the back

 

ps the two broken pins are what hold the brake shoes on to the backing plate, u are going to needs a new mounting kit, which has the pins and new springs etc

 

There are two access holes, do I use both, or just one, in that case which one? I've tried to look through the hole to see what I'm doing, but I can't get my head where it needs to go. Is there a trick to doing it blind?

 

I've got the kit. I was expecting to have to replace the springs.

 

Would it be possible to use the two 8mm bolts to open up a gap between the drum and backplate and then manipulate the star wheel through there? Because I really can't see what I'm doing or feel anything I can move while poking around blind. Since I already pulled the drum partway off via the 8mm bolts and there is still a bit of a gap could it be that the star wheel is further from the back plate than it should be in order to use the access holes?

 

yes the star wheel be farther then it is suppose to be because u are pulling the shoes off with the drum.

it is tricky and really the only trick to it is experience. the larger hole is the one you looking for you will use both screw drivers in one hole.