Rear brake drum removal?

[Kiwi Ute]

I have a problem with the rear brakes not releasing after having the hand-brake released.

But I have another problem - I can't get the brake-drums off to see what's wrong.

So any advice/suggestions?

[Morris McKinnon]

There's probably nothing wrong with your rear brakes. From my experience with rear brake issues it's always the cable! Does the handbrake lever feel slack when you release it? If so, it's very likely to be the cable... or sized levers coming out the back plate the cable attaches to. I've had this problem on every Marina I've had.
It's just lack of grease in the cable housings. Some have a grease nipple on the outer cable but I haven't seen those for years. Just work loads of grease and oil into cable and that will solve your handbrake issue. Check the brake shoes, they may have worn down from being held on.

[mickthefitter]

My only experience with stuck Marina brake drums dates back to the mid 1980s on my Mk1. Back then, as for many years after, I worked in an engineering workshop and has access to a lot of tools. I borrowed a 3 leg bearing puller that was large enough to go around the edge of the brake drum at three points. I think I borrowed a standard screw thread puller (as opposed to a hydraulic one) and I can't remember if the pointed tip of the long screw located in a drilling in the half-shaft hub, or if I used a piece of metal tube or an appropriately sized nut over the end of the half-shaft to take the load. Either way, the drum I was having a problem with (the offside, as the nearside came off okay) was well stuck. Maybe a little very carefully applied heat might have helped (but overheating bearings or melting hub grease is a risk) and I also cannot remember if I prepared the job by spraying any WD40 on the hub, but what I can remember is loading up the puller a bit at a time, using a soft faced mallet on the drum to try to shock it off, loading, hitting, loading, hitting, and then it let go with an almighty bang, shot off, and took a piece out of the cast rim of my brake drum! However it was only the rim, it didn't affect the friction surface and perhaps it was because I was aged 21 in the 1980s or whatever, but after cleaning the corrosion off hub and drum, using a smear of copper grease and changing my shoes (which was the object of the exercise) the drum went back on with no ill effect. Maybe you can hire a puller or look in Halfords or other good tool stores.

[Kiwi Ute]

Thanks guys.
The cable and linkages are all loose, I checked them first.

I have tried using a tyre-lever to put pressure on the drum while I tap around its edge with a hammer, it MAY have moved a smidgeon but certainly wasn't coming off.

[jiversteve]

Is it possible that the drum has worn, and as the adjusters have compensated, they have moved the shoes into the lip inside the drum.
If they are manual adjusted slacken the adjusting screw and hit the drum frontwards and rearward to move the shoes. It's not so easy with the auto adjusters a the mechanism is non reversible, but in my experience the auto adjusters just don't work anyway.

[Kilroy]

We are assuming that you have removed the two countersunk head screws that hold the drum to the hub.?

If so - and if you can easily rotate the drum, then it will be the interference between drum and hub. Spray penetrating oil on the join in the central area of the drum and around the wheel studs.

If you cannot rotate the drum freely then the brake shoes are still in contact and will stop the drum coming off.

[Kiwi Ute]

We are assuming that you have removed the two countersunk head screws that hold the drum to the hub.?

If so - and if you can easily rotate the drum, then it will be the interference between drum and hub. Spray penetrating oil on the join in the central area of the drum and around the wheel studs.

If you cannot rotate the drum freely then the brake shoes are still in contact and will stop the drum coming off.

Your last line sums it up!

Wheel off, screws out, can hardly turn the brake drum by hand - and can't get it off!

Any way to back off the brake shoes so I can get the drum off?

[MarinaCoupe]

Is there a little square 'knob' sticking out of the back side of the backplate? If yes then that's the manual shoe adjuster. If you wind it in then it adjusts any slack out, if you wind it out then it will slacken off the brake shoes.




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[balmy]

Whack the drum from each side. Encourages the shoes to retract and breaks the 'seal' on the drum itself. Has never failed me. No point trying to whack the drum off from behind if the shoes are stuck.



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[jiversteve]

Is there a way to unwind an auto adjuster on the rear brakes if the drum is stuck on?
I can't think of one.
Would you get any extra movement if you released the cylinder retaining clips, I don't think so. But worth a try because the cylinder could move out of its seating, the direction you are trying to move the drum?

But my first try would be to nudge the drum rearwards and then try to pry the front of the drum, then nudge the drum forwards and try to pry the rear.
And repeat ad infinitum.

Failing that, try terminally destructive techniques.

[Kilroy]

The only way to get the drums off the self-adjusting rear brakes is to rotate the drum while levering it off.
Turn a bit, lever a bit, ditto, ditto, ditto...

If I remember correctly, the shoes are "leading" as in the linings are closest to the leading edge of each shoe.
This would mean it should be easiest to rotate the drums backwards during the process.

Obviously try both...

[jiversteve]

It does sound as if the shoes have worn a recess on the inside of the drum. This will also be a problem when fitting new shoes so I would suggest that it needs replacing, or careful machining if there is sufficient metal left, which you won't know till you get it off.

Once you accept that proposition, it's time to get the angle grinder out!