I'm in the middle of doing a brake job. Car up on jackstands and all. One of the brake drums just won't come off. Yes, I took the stupid little screws out. No, the e-brake is not on.

The other side pretty much popped right off.

Any ideas? This is the first time I've had drum brakes on one of my RX-7's, any secret techniques?

 

There should be a hole with a little adjuster. I think you use a flathead to move it and it will move the shoes. Been a while I could be wrong...

 

If you really can't get it off, you can just take your car to a brake place that
offers "free" inspections. Then, when they tell you what your car needs,
say, "No thanks."

 

Yea that wheel may be for adjusting out only. I don't know.
lol or just pay them to fix it. It's better than screwing up your diff or bearings.

 

Hmm, the car is up on jackstands with all the other brakes torn apart while I wait for other suspension parts to come in the mail. Not gonna make it to a shop anytime soon. I need to get the rotors and drums turned, need this drum off.

Vashner - I can't find any adjuster hole.

Tomorrow I'm gonna remove the wheel studs. Maybe they're binding it up or something. Hopefully it's not rusted on there.

I guess, worst case scenario, I'll finish the front brakes and other suspension stuff then take it somewhere to have the rear brakes done. ****.

 

Someone look in the shop manual for him. Uh I don't have my manual yet (just to my rusty last month). My corvette project is eating all my cash.

 

Make sure the back of the car is supported good. The take it up to 20-40 mph and ease on the brakes. It will wear down the "rust ring" around the drum. The drum should actually start coming off by itself. Do that a couple times and it shoud come off no problem. Be sure to put the drum back on the other side first with lugnuts and/or the wheel holding it on.

 

I always give drums a few good wacks with a hammer (Do NOT hit the lug's!), and they usually come loose. As was also mentioned you can pull the rubber grommet off the backside and back off the star wheel adjuster as well.

 

Drums being cast iron can take quite a beating, thus you take your BFH (bigfuckinghammer) and smack the outside of the drum. Do not worry, you will not beat them out of round as cast iron is very resilient. By doing this your causing the drum to vibrate enough to break the rust bond on the face of the axle. Think of it like hitting a gong, twanggggggg. Work in a circle.

Now you can also hit the drum square on between the lugs, the same goes for disc brakes. Never had a disc that wouldn't come off. No pussyfooting either.

 

First, back off the adjuster on the bottom backside of the backing plate. Then whack the drum with a BFH and see if it comes loose. Next get a torch,like a plumbers torch, and go around heating up the drum real good. Once you hear a couple of load pings or crack noises, try whacking it with the BFH. It will probably pop off. Sometime drums get rust welded to the center of the axle and heat and a hammer usually can break it .

 

HIT IT LIKE YOU GOTTA PAIR!!!!! try getting drums off a f350 once

 

lol

 

^ yup, that's what you're gonna have to do. You might have to give it a couple of real good hits before it comes loose.

 

Yea there is or should be a grommet with that adjuster wheel hole in the back. Take it out and use a flathead to turn the wheel. Which turns a bolt that's in between the shoes.

 

C'mon you can do it! This isn't that difficult. Hit it a couple of times with a hammer. If they don't come off, then pull the rubber plug out of the back and turn the bronze yellowish colored gear on the fork separator to allow the springs to pull the shoes together tighter. I can't remember if you are supposed to turn it clockwise or counterclockwise. But after you crank on the separator about 5-6 turns the drum will fall right off.

Good luck!

Jamie

 

Thanks guys! I just went out and whacked it with the hammer like I should have in the first place and it came loose.

 

Get a big *** hammer and hit it like it owes you money!

 

BFH rules,