Brake drum won't slide off all the way... Job done! Thanks!

[jayvoa]

I recently had both halfshafts replaced with refurbished ones, complete with shiny new bearings from Firstline, but since then both sides have started leaking quite a bit of diff oil which is getting past the bearings.

I'm currently trying to get to the halfshafts, starting with the passenger side, but have run into another problem. After some gentle persuasion with a hammer I've loosened off the brake drum, but now it won't slide off the whole way. I'm not too sure, but it seems like it may be stuck on part of the brake mechanism? I've tried pulling on it, levering it and hitting it some more with a hammer but it won't get past this point:



I didn't want to force the drum or backing plate too much for fear of warping things, and thought it may be more efficient to just ask for advice. Any ideas? The handbrake is off, don't worry!

Thanks in advance!

[ferny]

Sounds like the shoes are stuck on the groove they've created. Handbrake is off, good. Slacken the shoes off as far as it'll go then tap the drum left and right to free everything up. Unless it's got a stuck self adjuster? Sometimes it still won't go so you have to level and tap outwards. Might end up feeling brutal but what you gonna do, leave it on forever?

[jayvoa]

Cheers Ferny. Definitely seems like there's a lip catching on something. In terms of slackening off the shoes, is there something on the backplate that I should be adjusting? I've not worked on the rear brakes before so don't really know my way around them! I'll dig out the Haynes manual and see if it mentions anything about it in there.

[jayvoa]

Ok, the Haynes manual is useless. Talks about a retaining bolt/screw to remove the drum, however I didn't have to touch any sort of screw last time I removed the drum, and to be honest I don't think there is one!

Anyway, under all the filth on the backplate I've found a rectangular rubber plug which I've removed to reveal a small access hole. Is there something within there to adjust? I can't see a thing in there and have had a good feel with a screwdriver but found nothing.

Without slackening off the shoes I don't think it'll come off. I've tried slide-hammering along the outer edge, levering with screwdrivers, levering one side whilst hammering the other and just plain pulling on it 'til my face turns purple. Not moved a millimetre... So, slackening off these shoes, I'm completely unsure on how this is done. Anything I find online shows how to adjust them when the drum is removed. I'm missing something obvious, aren't I?

[mdh]

What car is it? There's different types of adjusters....

If the brakes are manually adjusted there's normally an adjuster bolt on the back plate.

If you pull the plug and shine a torch in, can you see a toothed wheel? Some cars use that as the adjuster.

Removing drums is almost always a pain in the a****, just keep at it and it'll pop off when you least expect it!

[jayvoa]

It's an '85 Capri, with an Atlas axle and standard brakes. I'll see if I can spot a toothed wheel through the access hole. Fingers crossed there's one in there! If not I guess it's a case of more hammering and levering until something gives.

[tineca]

buy a cheap puller i had same on daighters 206. pulled off the drum but the shoes broke off their material. you will need new shoes anyway of the seals have leaked on them.

[jayvoa]

Balls... Looks like the access hole I found is to check the wear on the shoes. I'll try disconnecting the handbrake rod to see if that frees things up enough.

Unfortunately this is my only car too, so popping out to pick up new brake shoes is a no go at the moment

Aren't old cars fun?

[collector]

Have you tried to turn the drum a quarter and pull agian ?

[jayvoa]

The drum turns completely freely, with no real resistance, so it's difficult to know what is stopping it from sliding all the way off. I've now disconnected the handbrake rod to make sure there's definitely no interference from that, but still nothing.

I've filmed a video showing how much movement there is and where is stops and won't go any further. I've obviously put way more effort into moving the thing than I do in this video, but I just wanted to show people that the drum is completely loose. It's not rusted in place, but won't move far enough to actually come free.

WARNING! The sounds of scraping metal in the video are excruciating so turn your volume down: flic.kr/p/o1aCWG

[omega]

think you need a puller or use extreme force or just try some big leavers if its that far off it can only be the shoes stopping it.

[mdh]

It's obvious what the problem is!

You're not swearing enough ;-)

Hit it with some military grade expletives and it'll come off!

Seriously though..... When I was persuading the drums to come off my old Kangoo van I was using a 4lb lump hammer and a 3ft pry bar.

Even with all that force the vile, garlic munching, merde filled French tin can tried to hang on to its precious drum. God I hated that thing....

[composimmonite]

Chances are when you eventually manage to get the drum off the shoes might get damaged so I's say ensure you have a new set ready to go on. Then if drums have such deep wear you might find they are best replaced as well otherwise you will have the same problem every time you need to work on the rear brakes.
Forget little screwdrivers - two tyre levers or crowbars either side of the drum applying pressure and then banging sides of the drum with leather, copper, rubber or big lump of wood is the method I'd use. Sometimes I've had to resort to lying under the vehicle and whacking a lump of hardwood ledged on the edge of the drum with a lump hammer. Once I even had to score the drum with an angle grinder and then brake it up with cold chisel but already had good spare drums to hand. Also be prepared for force to destroy any shoe hold down springs so ensure you have new to hand but they are cheap to keep as spares anyway.

Paul H

[yoeddynz]

We've all been there with drums at some point and I for one can find them infuriating.
Yeah your drums sound like they have worn enough to create a lip which is catching the edge of the shoes. The more you force them the tighter it binds.

If you can't spot an adjuster then try opening the bleed nipple. These will allow the the wheel cylinder to compress and shoes to get squeezed back in. It will only be a small amount so you shouldn't have to be bleed them after.

[jayvoa]

Take that mother flipper!



Well, I found a little plastic stopper that's there to stop the handbrake arm thing moving all the way back and hitting the backing plate. When I was pulling on the drum I could see the handbrake arm moving, so it was definitely just catching on the shoes. So, with the little stopper removed the shoes had a little more free movement, and after lots of swearing and pulling on it with the slide hammer (using a hooked attachment) it eventually came free! I checked the shoes over and theres only minor scuffs on them, surprisingly! I honestly thought they would be chewed up. Also, after checking the drum over and cleaning up the inside it seems that there's no lip worn into it. Do drums wear completely horizontal and flat, or do they wear with a bit of a taper, if that makes sense? My only thought it that the drums have worn so that the edge nearest the lip is thicker, making it catch as it's being pulled off.

Anyway, don't need to think about it too much, I've tackled the drivers side now too. It was also proving to be a bit stubborn, but this time I was armed with the knowledge of how to loosen up the handbrake mechanism as much as possible, and attacking it with the slide hammer did the job. Again, only minor scuffs on the shoes, which is a relief as there's plenty of meat left on them.

Thanks for all the encouragement and advice!

[mdh]

Told you you needed to swear more!

Well done! :-)

[ferny]

Jul 11, 2014 19:38:54 GMT jayvoa said:

Take that mother flipper!



Well, I found a little plastic stopper that's there to stop the handbrake arm thing moving all the way back and hitting the backing plate. When I was pulling on the drum I could see the handbrake arm moving, so it was definitely just catching on the shoes. So, with the little stopper removed the shoes had a little more free movement, and after lots of swearing and pulling on it with the slide hammer (using a hooked attachment) it eventually came free! I checked the shoes over and theres only minor scuffs on them, surprisingly! I honestly thought they would be chewed up. Also, after checking the drum over and cleaning up the inside it seems that there's no lip worn into it. Do drums wear completely horizontal and flat, or do they wear with a bit of a taper, if that makes sense? My only thought it that the drums have worn so that the edge nearest the lip is thicker, making it catch as it's being pulled off.

Anyway, don't need to think about it too much, I've tackled the drivers side now too. It was also proving to be a bit stubborn, but this time I was armed with the knowledge of how to loosen up the handbrake mechanism as much as possible, and attacking it with the slide hammer did the job. Again, only minor scuffs on the shoes, which is a relief as there's plenty of meat left on them.

Thanks for all the encouragement and advice!

Drums wear evenly. Shoes have a leading edge which is where the slave cylinder is. If it's a single leading edge system (one slave) then the shoe will wear slightly more there.

Looks a little gunky in there. Best check any seals for oil or brake fluid weepage.

[MrSpeedy]

Before you refit the drums (unless you're fitting new ones) It would be worth your time to CAREFULLY grind the lip off the outer edge of the drums.

This will make refitting, and subsequent later removal, a hell of a lot easier