Any one got any tricks for seperating brake shoes that are stuck to the drums? Happens all the time around here on stuff that's been sitting too long, and it's always a pain. Thanks.
I run into it every now and then on heavy industry trucks. Put vehicle on jack stands, remove tires and put lug nuts back on. Make sure all the brakes are release (caged for air brakes) hit the drum with a hammer while a buddy apply's leverage with a bar that is inbetween the lugs. This is assuming the vehicle does not run if it runs leave wheels on brakes released hit drum with a hammer and rock the vehicle back and fourth.
In extreme cases, I've torched the heads of the retaining "nails" off on the backside of the backing plate and pulled the drum and shoes off as one unit.
Done that too, but the shoes were still stuck to the drums, got em off with a cold chisel after that...still, gotta be a trick to this....
Gotta ask yourself why the shoes are bonding (rusting) to the drums. Chances are the wheel cylinders are not fully releasing after the last pedal pump (pistons sticking in the bores) or shoes are over adjusted tight. A couple of good hammer smacks on the drums should free them up. Then look at the previous mentioned items.
First step is to back the adjusters off all the way if they can be backed off. Some are so rusted that you can't back them off. Then the BFH treatment.
Not always,,I was helping a elderly neighbor lady out by doing a brake job for her. I had already removed the passenger side brake drum with no problem,,moved around to the drivers side and preceded to remove the drum,,I loosened the star adjuster until it was as loose as it was going to get,,smacked the drum with a BFH and it would not release it's hold on the shoe,, I drove this car into my garage so the shoes were not stuck, although it was making a heck of a grinding noise,after fooling with it all day using hammers and pry bars,,even drug out the torch and heated the drum up and beat some more it became apparent that I was going to have to cut the drum off,,,I used a couple of zip wheels and finally got it to let go. There was absolutely not a bit of asbestos material left on the brake shoes and they had cut a groove into the drum and it was so deep that the groove had a lip and wouldn't release the shoe. I ask Mrs. Emory how long the car had been making that noise and she said about 6 months! Her son and my friend had always done maintenance on her car but he had passed away a few years before so no one had done any work on the car. HRP
Hi Hugh m, its a bitch!!! once you decide the brake drum is shot you have some options. but before that you need to price the drums, or if you can get them!!! you need to back off the tightner, if it even moves and all of the above! if i have some TIME i knock out a stud! fill the inside drum with your favorite "girl juice" and roll it around till your happy or mad (witch ever comes first) check it from time to time adding more juice they come loose