Working On the Rear Drum Breaks

[LavaBox_v1]

OK, does anyone have a write up or can explain how to remove the front cover on the Rear Drum Breaks in order to access the break shoes? All my previous cars had DISC all the way around and I never worked on Drum Break cars. Any help would be great! -Thanks

[Newtmaker]

Generally if the emergency brake is off you should be able to pull the drum straight off. If you have over 25,000 miles there may be a ridge formed that will make removal more difficult. Then you may have to take a spade type screwdriver and back off on the brake adjuster to allow the drum to come off.

Walt

[LavaBox_v1]

THANKS!

[tCtech]

hit the face near the edge with a hammer. repeat until it pops out.

also there are two screw holes near the lug holes that you can put bolts in that will pop it out.

[George]

Originally Posted by LavaBox_v1

OK, does anyone have a write up or can explain how to remove the front cover on the Rear Drum Breaks in order to access the break shoes?
All my previous cars had DISC all the way around and I never worked on Drum Break cars. Any help would be great!
-Thanks

Ignore the next few lines if you don't want to see a spelling rant:

BRAKES BRAKES BRAKES BRAKES!

"Breaks" is a verb. Things break like, for instance, your brakes.!

"Brakes" is a noun. They can break, but they will always be brakes!

OK, I feel better now. Root's kickin' in. (good luck getting that really obscure movie reference)

-----------------------------

Anyway, your brakes are broken and you want to break your brakes open so that you can deal with the broken bits.

If the car is an xA or an xB the breaking the brakes open procedure is easy. Just make sure that the wheels are blocked, the parking brake is off, remove the wheel, and just pull the brake drum off. It shouldn't be all that hard to break loose on a relatively new car.

George

[LavaBox_v1]

I tried to pull and pry but nothing ... Ill try the hitting with a hammer and the bolts thing next! Do you know what size the screw holes are?

Thanks for the spelling lesson George!

[SRD_xB]

I dont really recommend using a screwdriver to pry the drum off. Use a hammer, hit it a couple times and is should "pop" off, meaning not completley come off, but make it able to be pulled off. Make sure your p.brake is down. Also, if your replacing your shoes, recommend to lubricate the backing plate, where the shoes have contact with. Usually its three places per shoe, top/middle/bottom. Good luck.

[oneslowxa]

this should be a sticky or someone should write it up as a faq... I was gonna ask the same thing...

[bashar05]

I cleaned my rear drums on my 98 corolla. basically just make sure you have the Hand Brake off and you should be able to pull right out. and make sure you dont mess too much with the little spring in tehre or you'll have a hell of a time putting them back on.

[Somnambulated]

Originally Posted by George

Ignore the next few lines if you don't want to see a spelling rant:

BRAKES BRAKES BRAKES BRAKES!

"Breaks" is a verb. Things break like, for instance, your brakes.!

"Brakes" is a noun. They can break, but they will always be brakes!

OK, I feel better now. Root's kickin' in. (good luck getting that really obscure movie reference)

-----------------------------

Anyway, your brakes are broken and you want to break your brakes open so that you can deal with the broken bits.

If the car is an xA or an xB the breaking the brakes open procedure is easy. Just make sure that the wheels are blocked, the parking brake is off, remove the wheel, and just pull the brake drum off. It shouldn't be all that hard to break loose on a relatively new car.

George

Valarian Root?

[hotbox05]

All I know is when i hammered the crap outta my rear drums they would not come loose for the life of them.

[LavaBox_v1]

Yeah, I just got back from beating them like they stole something and they will not come off ... Has anyone ACTUALY taken them off yet? Someone help!

[pdrizzle]

I just pulled my driver side drum cover off. I needed to install extended wheel studs for spacers. I only had time for one side, that and I ruined one of the studs so I need to replace it before I do the other side.

[FLINT]

y is this in tc forums?

[quantum]

replacing the pads on drum brakes can be a PITA

[FromThisSoil]

First of all, I've never heard of a drum that just comes right off without having remove nuts and washers...that being said:

I'm not sure how the drum brakes work with Scions, since I have a tC...but don't drums usually have a dust cap? You need to pry off the center dust cap first. Then there should be a cotter pin which needs to be taken out and a slip washer which slides out, then you have to untighten a nut and take it off along with another washer. THEN the drum should come out effortlessly. If not, pry it out with a pry tool.

Also, there is a very specific way you need to reinstall the drum as to not destroy the bearings and races. There also may need to be some adjusting done from the rear with an adjusting spoon unless there is a wedge key which is a self adjuster...

But like I said, I never worked with Scion drum brakes. This is not something to do by yourself if you've never done it before, drum brakes are a pain in the ___ with their springs and adjustments...

[George]

Originally Posted by FromThisSoil

First of all, I've never heard of a drum that just comes right off without having remove nuts and washers...that being said:

I'm not sure how the drum brakes work with Scions, since I have a tC...but don't drums usually have a dust cap? You need to pry off the center dust cap first. Then there should be a cotter pin which needs to be taken out and a slip washer which slides out, then you have to untighten a nut and take it off along with another washer. THEN the drum should come out effortlessly. If not, pry it out with a pry tool.

Nope, the Scion xA and aB have composite drums, which are separate from the hub and bearings. You just remove the wheel and pull the drum off the studs.

Most cars with the composite drum design have a small screw or two to stop the drums from falling off while the axle is being handled before assembly. The Scions don't have the screw, but the drums are held on very firmly by the lug nuts.

The shoes are a bit harder to change than disk brake pads, but OTOH the rear brakes handle little of the overall braking effort of the car and the shoes last a very long time.

George

[FromThisSoil]

Fair enough, the only cars I've worked on with drums have been VWs and Caddy's...both with PITA designed drums.

[pdrizzle]

Word.

[Subcompact Culture]

I can't get my rear drum covers off, either. I've beat the daylights out of my drum covers and can't remove them.

Anyone have a definitive answer to getting these buggers off the car?