Rear Brake Drum Question

[zerfetzen]

I'm kind of embarrassed to ask, but how do you remove the outer rear brake drum cover?  After taking the wheel off, I stuck a screwdriver in behind it, trying to pry it out.  No luck.  I wedged it in again in several places and tapped it with medium force with a common hammer.  The cover never budged.  Am I missing something, or do I just need to WD-40 the center where it touches the axle, wait a little, then pound it hard from behind?

I converted rear drums on a 74 Barracuda to Baer discs.  In both cases, the outer brake drum cover practically fell off.

[y3chargerrt]

You have to deadjust the brakes n most cases to get the drum off.

[BrianShaughnessy]

If the brakes are loosened up then the problem is the drum rusted to the axle hub.     WD40 isn't that good.    Try PB Blaster....  or a flame wrench.

When putting drums back on I like to smear some anti seize compound on  the axle and drum mating surfaces.

[zerfetzen]

Thanks for all the good feedback.  If the brakes aren't deadjusted yet, any tips on how to do that?  I know next to nothing about drums.  I'm looking around the drum, and don't see any places for adjustments, but I'm sure I'm missing it.  Thanks.

[BigBlackDodge]

Thanks for all the good feedback.  If the brakes aren't deadjusted yet, any tips on how to do that?  I know next to nothing about drums.  I'm looking around the drum, and don't see any places for adjustments, but I'm sure I'm missing it.  Thanks.

You'll need to stick a screw driver in one of the slots on the backing plate to push the self-adjuster off of the star wheel. With another screw driver (or a brake tool..............basicaly a bent screw driver) you need to turn the star wheel which will make the shoes come together so the drum will slide off.

If you have manual adj brakes forget about having to push the self-adjuster off of the star wheel............because there isn't one.


This may also help.......

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BBD