Redoing the rear brakes.....stupid question

[jdhcth]

I replaced my front shoes on my 1/2 ton 2 wheel drive 67 LWB, but now I'm at the back and I don't see how to remove the rear drums to get at the shoes. Do I use a wheel puller or is the something else holding them on?

Thanks,
JD

[cdowns]

they just slip on // sometimes they stick on the flange from the axel and sometimes its necessary to take the brake adjuster tool and back off the self adjuster star wheel

[MyakkaJeff]

Be sure your parking brake is not set. Also be sure you have the truck safely blocked so it can't roll. Do the drums move at all? They might be rusted to the axles.

[ChevLoRay]

Get a hammer. Get a brake spoon. Usually, or as the possibility exists, there will be a lip on the inside of the drum. This lip can be caused by the shoes cutting into the drum or it could be from the brake dust and moisture that create a coating on the drum. With the shoes adjusted all the way out, they will cause the drum to drag on them and be difficult to remove. This is where the hammer comes in to play. Oh, you'll need three arms, too. Pull on the drum and hammer on the axle stub. There will also be some rust on the axle stub that will keep the drum from coming off very easily. You know you'll need to push the self-adjuster away from the star wheel to back off the adjuster to move the shoes away from the drum.

Have fun.

[jdhcth]

I guess they've just been on a long time, but they sure don't look like the slip off. I'll try pounding on 'em some more.

Thanks

[68gmsee]

Here's the way I've had to do it on mine.

You have to turn the knurled adjuster to make sure they're not too tight as mentioned above. Then, I will soak the area where the drum meets the axle (usually a lot of rust accumulates there) with diesel, wd40, or other solvent for a period of time. This will loosen the rust somewhat.

Then, I take a big screwdriver or pry bar and pry the drum while I tap all the way around the drum (Be careful not to bend any thing). I put enough pressure to just pop the drum when it loosens up. It may take some time, but if you work it enough, it will come loose...

Good luck....

[onefastasschevy]

take a hammer and hit the drum right around the axle at 12 o'clock 3oc 6oc and 9oc then do the same around the outside of the drum, you cant be gentle about it either. I usually use a 3lb shop hammer and wack it pretty good.

[krue]