Drum Brakes

congo_90

Hi, Recently posted asking advice on wear on my drums. Most people confirmed my suspisions of worn brakes. Anyways went out and bought a set of shoes but i can't get the drum off not for love nor money!

The is one philips head screw on the side of the drum facing where the wheel mounts on either drum. I tried screwing it but it appears seized on tight. I tried shifting the drum using a rubber mallet but again to no avail. Where am I going wrong? I did have the H/brake down during all this.

I'd rather do it myself and learn rather than go to a garage. Car in question is a Hyundai Accent (00). When i hit it with the mallet from behind it shifted just the slightest bit that I could feel.

Cheers for all the advice

oh, would pics help? if so i'll post em tomorrow.

crosstownk

Try tap the drum forward with the mallet. Slap it from the side and the rear. I take it that you have removed the wheel bearing before removing the drum.......

Seth Brundle

The philips screw is probably a retaining screw and should come off after being soaked in WD40.
I remember from working on some drum brakes that you had to loosen the shoes slightly by adjusting a pawl from behind the drum.

JoeySully

i have done this a few times and every time it breaks my heart :mad:

no 1 get a haynes manual
no 2 get one of these hub pullers - deppending on the cars setup
what milage has the car?? over 60K your going to get a ridge on the inside of the drum that the pads will push against and you need an even force all round the hub to get it off. well worth the money 20-40euro as it will save you time. i have spent hours tring to get some off with a selection of hammers and priers to no avail. make sure you have a good strong set of pliars for the springs and take a photo of where the springs go before you remove them because you wont remember. DID you get a new fitting kit ?? you should !!
there is an auto tighten mechanism that may need to be unscrewed through one of the stud holes in the hub - thats what the haynes manual will tell you
Have a nice saturday :D:D

JoeySully

oh and if you have an angle grinder then grind down the rim on the inside of the hub so that its flush with the rest of the metal - will make it easier to adjust the shoes to the max rather that adjusting them thruough a pin hole:rolleyes:after you have fitted the hub.
and google is also your friend - sum vids on youtube too

Captain Slow IRL

@ op - screws have a habit of seizing in them, use a punch and a hammer; give it a couple of taps to make a recess for the punch, then use the hammer with the punch to unscrew it.

The drum should come off easily enough (without the aid of a pullers) after a few hits of a hammer to disturb the corrosion around the spigot. If you are having trouble or getting a lot of resistance, put it back together and get it down to your local mechanic - you might end up doing damage.

If you're having getting the drum off in the first place, it might be a good idea to leave it to a professional - shoes are a lot harder to replace than pads and the hand-brake has to be set up as well.

NB - if you do go ahead and get the drum off, peel the rubber back at each end of the brake cylinder and check for any brake fluid escaping - they're a hoor for it!

EDIT:

crosstownk wrote: »

I take it that you have removed the wheel bearing before removing the drum.......

No wheel bearings to remove, just a screw holding it in place.

Bluefoam

Just change the car

Darragh29

there is a "knack" to doing this. You need to revolve the drum while at the same time pulling it away from the car. Use both hands are keep turning the drum slowly while also pulling it away from the axle towards yourself and it will come away. There is probably a lip on the drum that is keeping it held on by getting caught on the brake shoe linings. When you have it off, throw a pic up here of the brake shoe linings and we'll be able to tell you if they need to be replaced or if there are any other probs...

congo_90

JoeySully wrote: »

i have done this a few times and every time it breaks my heart :mad:

no 1 get a haynes manual
no 2 get one of these hub pullers - deppending on the cars setup
what milage has the car?? over 60K your going to get a ridge on the inside of the drum that the pads will push against and you need an even force all round the hub to get it off. well worth the money 20-40euro as it will save you time. i have spent hours tring to get some off with a selection of hammers and priers to no avail. make sure you have a good strong set of pliars for the springs and take a photo of where the springs go before you remove them because you wont remember. DID you get a new fitting kit ?? you should !!
there is an auto tighten mechanism that may need to be unscrewed through one of the stud holes in the hub - thats what the haynes manual will tell you
Have a nice saturday :D:D

I will get a fitting kit. At the moment i just have the shoes. Its around 70K at the moment so its pretty tight.
Auto tighten mechanism looks like some sort of torture device!

Captain Slow IRL wrote: »

If you are having trouble or getting a lot of resistance, put it back together and get it down to your local mechanic - you might end up doing damage.

This is why I posted here because it was giving me problems and didn't want to go a minute further without checking if things should be this way

Bluefoam wrote: »

Just change the car

Ah come on now thats a little mean (funny because its true though)

Darragh29 wrote: »

there is a "knack" to doing this. You need to revolve the drum while at the same time pulling it away from the car. Use both hands are keep turning the drum slowly while also pulling it away from the axle towards yourself and it will come away. There is probably a lip on the drum that is keeping it held on by getting caught on the brake shoe linings. When you have it off, throw a pic up here of the brake shoe linings and we'll be able to tell you if they need to be replaced or if there are any other probs...

I don't get ya about revolving the drum. If i turn, it'll turn the whole thing and can only go so far because of the studs pasing through the drum.

Cmar-Ireland

Easiest way I find to remove the retaining screw is to fit a tight fitting screw bit. then using a spanner on the screw bit, keep tapping it with a hammer. Always works to remove even the most stubborn screws.

congo_90

Cmar-Ireland wrote: »

Easiest way I find to remove the retaining screw is to fit a tight fitting screw bit. then using a spanner on the screw bit, keep tapping it with a hammer. Always works to remove even the most stubborn screws.

hmm i like that idea spesh the idea of a spanner cos my drill recently broke

martinr5232

Give the head of the screw a slap of a hammer that will free it.