stuck brake drums

.................I'm not BH but here's what's worked for me and some others:

...............back off the adjustment star screw all the way even if you have to soak it with PB Blaster and come back the next day and try again. You must successfully loosen this adjustment ALL THE WAY!

................Then, after removing the wheel, whack the hell out of that drum with a large heavy mallet around the circumference and from the side. This may damage the drum, but I have a home made wooden mallet that has never bent or cracked a drum yet. If you intend to buy new drums, a heavy hammer will do the job.

................Once the drum turns freely, you should be able to gradually work it off of the shoes if you were successful with step one.

I found that heating the drum up a bit with a torch helped to loosen things up a bit...

- Peter

Front? Rear? Beetle? Bus?

Stuck because they are frozen and won't turn, or will turn but can't get past the shoes?

Speedy Jim

If there is a step in the drum and it won't come off, has anyone ever tried cutting the pins that hold the shoes in place? I think they could be pulled a bit out from behind the brake plate and cut without harming the back plate. Those pins and springs are cheaper than other parts there. Wouldn't the shoes come out with the drum if the pins are not there holding them in place?

No because the ends of the shoes sit in a groove that won't alow them to move sideways. The shoes would only try to turn, and as a result they will wedge themselves even tighter against the drum.

Turn the brake adjuster stars so the shoes get "looser" and thus further away from the drum, that's all I can think of. They do require some violence sometimes.

Jan

Ain't that the truth, I never met a backing plate that wasn't mangled all to hell at the adjuster holes :) Mark Detro Englewood, FL

Michael, Build yourself a new tool. I used an otherwise useless wheel (bent) and a long piece of pipe - the longer the better. WELD the pipe off-center, that is not directly accross the center of the wheel. Unbolt whatever is on the stuck drum and bolt your new super frozen brake drum remover tool. The leverage you gain from the length of the pipe gives you super-human strength. 9 out of 10 times this has worked for me. (with no damage) Good luck.