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Removing rear brake drums

43K views 23 replies 16 participants last post by  umpy315 
#1 ·
I am trying to replace the rear brake shoes on a 2000 Dodge Grand Caravan with ABS; 108,000 miles. I pried and tapped the brake drum, but it seems to be stuck around the center hub.

How do I get this off?

DAS
NJ
 
#3 ·
They do rust to the hub. For me, the task of breaking them loose fell to the garage (called "Bill's Ineffable Automotive Rehabilitation" of Metuchen, NJ) where the van was initially inspected 3 years ago. They used heat and probably some sledgehammer, and coated the hubs with anit-seize afterwards. There was no problem when I removed the drums for a brake job last November, and used anti-seize again. Current replacement drums from Mopar, and better aftermarket ones, have 8 mm threaded holes for pulling the drums off in case they are stuck. Before installing the drums, make sure you clean all the rust, otherwise they will not sit square.
PB Blaster should help too with breaking the rust, if you give it some time.
 
#4 ·
The "blue wrench" (torches) easiest way I know of. Unfortunately not every home garage has a set of oxy-acetylene torches.
 
#5 ·
Probably a ridge has built up around the outer edge of the drum which is preventing the drum from coming off. That's typical.
To relieve any pressure caused by the emergency brake cable, haul down on it near the wheel being worked on and clamp it (vice grips) at the nearest bracket so that it remains slack. See if that works.
If not, to back off the self adjusters pry the cogged adjusting wheel (upward it looks like, not sure) through the access hole. See if that works. Usually does.
This site gives some info.:
http://www.autozone.com/az/cds/en_us/0900823d/80/1a/4c/19/0900823d801a4c19/repairInfoPages.htm

Note the leading shoe and trailing shoe locations upon removal of the drum. One is normally longer than the other.
 
#7 ·
Good point. I use a hammer as well to jar them into coming off. If all else fails, just pull like h***.
Another consideration is disengaging the two spring loaded retainer pins by turning them from the back.
 
#9 ·
Agreed. Did mine yesterday, hammer is the only way to go.
 
#11 ·
Backing off those brake adjusters will make life a lot easier.
Sometimes moving the drum around to a different location helps. Best to try different locations and see which has the most give. That's the location to work with.
 
#12 ·
Are you sure you want hit it with a big persuader? I am concerned about the impact/shock to the wheel bearings. I have had success with power wire brushing the ridge off the hub, spraying Power Blaster on the hub to free up the rust binding the hub to the drum. Repeat the PB over several hours and rotate the wheel to allow gravity to help the PB soak all around. A small tap is all that is needed afterwards or use a drum puller or big gear puller.

Frank
99 DGC Sport 123400 mi
07 T&C SWB 10300 mi
 
#15 ·
Are you sure you want hit it with a big persuader? I am concerned about the impact/shock to the wheel bearings.
Frank
99 DGC Sport 123400 mi
07 T&C SWB 10300 mi
Hit it... when you consider the loads that are applied to your wheel bearings via a pot hole whatever.. this is nothing.. not to mention driving at 70 mph..
even if you crack off a small piece of the trailing edge of the drum its not really a big drama..
 
#14 ·
Prying works but it can also pull the retainer pins through the backing plate. Been there, done that.
 
#18 ·
Don't believe in over doing it with the hammering myself. Just a regular carpenter's hammer, no maul. Spraying a little WD-40 through the adjustment hole and prying the adjustment wheel to loosen the adjustment works for me. For both of my vehicles I have to pry upwards to do that.

If the adjustment wheel is near the top of the backing plate and the adjustment lever is underneath it, then pry upward to release. You can use a screwdriver to hold the lever off the wheel. If the adjustment wheel is near the bottom and the lever is on top of it, then pry downward. Always have to pry against the lever.

What are the certified mechanics out there saying about drum removal?
 
#19 ·
big hammer

just had my rear brakes replaced because of worn parts, my hubs wouldnt shift, so watched the mechanic use a huge hammer to beat the h*** out of them they soon broke free........
 
#20 ·
I use a heavy rubber mallet

When I had the same problem, I used a rubber mallet, hitting it gently around the back edges of the drum, all the way around the circumference. I figured that would reduce any nasty forces on the bearings, etc, while still providing enough energy to get the drum to slide off.
Backing off the adjusters a little is definitely a big help also, as it releases the grab of the old brake shoes on the drum.
 
#23 ·
When I had the same problem, I used a rubber mallet, hitting it gently around the back edges of the drum, all the way around the circumference. I figured that would reduce any nasty forces on the bearings, etc, while still providing enough energy to get the drum to slide off.
Backing off the adjusters a little is definitely a big help also, as it releases the grab of the old brake shoes on the drum.
Backing off the adjusters, if you know how to and which direction to do it, is the easiest way to reduce the size of the circle created by the drums so they can clear the ridge of rust around the perimeter of the drum.
From the Haynes Manual:
- If the drum will not come off, retract the brake shoes by using the adjuster port in the brake backing plate. No mention of hammering.
- Whenever brake shoes are replaced, the return and hold-down springs should be replaced. Due to the continuous heating / cooling cycle that the springs are subjected to, they lose their tension over a period of time and may allow the shoes to drag on the drum and wear at a much faster rate than normal.
 
#21 ·
When I do this job I take the adjuster appart and put a liberal ammount of Never seize in it, It keeps the parking brake adjusted, and makes backing off the adjustment that much easier the next time the rotors need to come off. I also pack the parking brake actuator in never seize to keep it un frozen. Without the never seize, the actuator freezes in a few months, and is a real bear to free up.. A thin film arrount the hub also keeps the rotor from seizing on the hub.
 
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