Brake drum removal - what am I not doing right?

[sledder12]

Parking brake is off. I inserted bolts into the 2 holes, tightened. Hit the drum with a hammer. Its loose but something is holding it from coming off.

Is there something called an adjusting nut that needs to be loosened? How do you gain access - there is a rectangular shape plug on the back of the plate but I can't figure it out?

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

[Pwnin O'Brien]

It sounds like your shoes are still contacting the drum. Did you adjust the adjuster at all? You need to remove the plug from the back of the boot and then use a thin metal rod to shorten the adjuster. This should give you more clearance between the shoes and drum and it should let you pull the drum off.

[sledder12]

It sounds like your shoes are still contacting the drum. Did you adjust the adjuster at all? You need to remove the plug from the back of the boot and then use a thin metal rod to shorten the adjuster. This should give you more clearance between the shoes and drum and it should let you pull the drum off.

I'm a newbie when it comes to drum brakes. I found a rectangular style plug on the boot - is that what you are referring to? Inside looks like a wheel with teeth. Is this what I'm looking for? I'm assuming I can move the wheel with a small screwdriver to loosen the shoes. Do I then need to adjust the brakes when I put the drum back on?

[Pwnin O'Brien]

Yeah, it will be the rectangular plug on the upper/center portion of the boot. You want to turn that little gear towards the drum and away from the boot. This will shorten the adjuster and pull the shoes away from the drum. You will re-adjust the adjuster before putting the drum back on; for drum re-installation you need to adjust the clearance between the shoes and drums so that the shoes lightly contact the drums, so you can turn the drums but hear the shoes rubbing on the drums.

[alexf20c]

the shoes have worn a small groove inside the drum. don't worry about messing with the star adjuster nut through that dirty little hole. just grab your prybar, a metal pipe, or a hammer, and beat a few times on the backside of the drum. it will eventually come off.

[fueler]

Like alexrex20 said, you shouldnt have to touch the adjuster to take the drum off. That thing has nothing to do with taking the drums off.

Mine was stubborn as hell too, i had to bang it with a really B.F.H. several times before it came off. a whole bunch of brake dust went flying too so be ready.
Modified by fueler at 9:20 AM 4/7/2010

[Buzzman]

the shoes have worn a small groove inside the drum..

Right on. Over years of normal braking, the shoes wear down the internal surface of the drum. However, it also results in a small ridge forming around the inside edge of the drum where the shoes do not make any contact.This ridge is preventing you from removing the drum.Brute force will probably work, as some of you have suggested. For me, it's always been easier to reverse rotate the adjuster (a wide bladed screwdriver will work), thus collapsing the shoes a little. The drum then just slid right off.You don't have to worry about the adjustment at this point either. You'll have to go through the adjustment process anyway after installing the new shoes.One other unsolicited suggestion: I've done a lot of drum brake jobs, so I strongly suggest you invest in the proper tool to remove and install the springs. The tool is not expensive, and those springs are strong. I've seen guys try to do them with long nose pliers and/or screwdrivers, and they've resulted in injuries. Just my $.02. Good luck.