How do I get these rear drums off?

[okartguy]

Lacking a manual (I know, I know... it's on the list)... I need to replace the rear wheel cylinders on my '76, and am putting on new shoes and drums while I'm at it. The question is, how do I adjust the old shoes in so that the drums will come off? They currently seem to be stuck fast.

I don't see any openings for an adjuster wheel on the front or back side of the brake assembly... Anyone got a good method for getting these things off here? MTIA-

[garrett]

When I did mine. The two adjusters on the back wouldn't budge, so I just tapped (or wailed depending on your perspective) around the backside of the drum. It was a bitch but it comes off. Maybe there's a better way, but you probly just have to get a little rough with it.

[Paul7002]

rear wheel. The shock absorber lower mount is convienently in the way of one of them. Excellent design. They look like bolt heads, only not thick enough to get a good grip on with a wrench. Turn these toward the center -one goes one way, the other goes the otherway - to "tighten the brakes - opposite to "loosen" them, which is what you want to do to remove the drums. Now this will be nearly impossible if the brakes have not been adjusted recently, because they will be all rusted up. There is a reason why most of us do not have properly adjusted brakes. If it's not done regularly, it's a PIA.

Use lots of PB Blaster, and a closed end wrench to get a good grip, but the angles will be all wrong and you will bleed.

You also need to loosen the e-brake cable which you can do under the rubber boot between the seats. In fact, try this first as it may provide enough clearance alone. Actually, it may be all you need to do. If so, feel free to ignore the rest of the above

Now. Go to Amazon.com and order a Haynes manual. It will be at your house by next tuesday.

Also search the archives. CD (I think it was CD) did a good write up on adjusting the rears - and obtaining an allegedly correct tool for doing so - in the past year or so.

I need to get back to work before my employer gets mad.

[Guest Anonymous]

First, do the drums spin at all? Has the car been driven lately? If everything is functional it shouldn't be that hard. If it's been a while since the brakes were in working order prepare to bleed.

I don't remember if there's a set screw in the drums (5mm allen bolt) but make sure that's out. Loosten up you're e-brake and make sure the drums spin freely as you'll need to be able to spin them before you can get them off. Often what happens is as the shoes wear into the drums there's a lip that's created on the inside of the drum making it VERY hard to get the wheel off. You may need a BFH, LARGE screwdriver or prybar to get them off. As long as the drum will spin freely it should move a few mm and then stop right? IF not, and the drum spins, you're frozen on the hub, if it won't spin free it up first. You can put a breaker bar on the wheel hub nut and go to town if the shoes have frozen to the drum.

You'll need to take a BFH and work it off. You'll get one side out a few mm and the other side will hang up, just go back and forth and take your time so you don't crack the drum or bleed.

[rho]

Emergency brake off?

[Mike Self]

When the drum has been stuck to the hub (drum turns but won't budge even a little--if it can be wiggled, then the drum is hanging up on the shoes as previously mentioned.) I've whanged on drum to loosen it from the hub with a four lb engineer's hammer and have yet to break a drum, so don't be afraid to give 'em a right smart rap. When you reassemble, put a little anti-seize on the two mating surfaces and next time the drum won't be stuck to the hub.

While you have the brake shoes off, use that time to loosen up the adjusters--if they're stuck, heat 'em from the inside (don't get too near the wheel cylinders) with a propane torch and apply penetrating oil. To prevent rounding off the rearmost adjuster with an open end wrench, grab it from the inside with a pair of vicegrips or a small pipe wrench. Work it back and forth 'till it's nice and free, and then take a solemn vow to adjust your rear brakes regularly.

Once you have the brakes adjusted properly, then do the emergency brake (which should be backed off complete prior to brake adjustment)

Finally, if you're changing wheel cylinders, check the rear flex hoses...if they're original, change 'em. They swell up internally just like the front ones. (you mean they're original too?)

Happy wrench twisting...

mike

[Guest Anonymous]

Awesome. Thanks for all the help, guys... Looks like I have (another) afternoon of fun ahead of me! I'll repost later on and let ya'll know how it goes...

Oh, and the drums can be wiggled a bit, so I'm fairly certain they're just hanging on the shoes.

[okartguy]

Okay... so far, got the driver's side off using the adjustment bolts, and got the wheel cylinder and everything else replaced no problem.

The passenger side drum, however, will NOT come off. I'm about to have a meltdown, so I figured I'd come inside and cool off. The drum itself is loose, and will wiggle around quite a bit. I've tried moving the adjusters around all over the place, letting out the parking brake and beating the piss out of the drum with a good-sized ball peen hammer, but no luck.

Dammit, this is the LAST thing I have to do before I get this car back on the street. What else can I try to get this frigging drum off? I have replacement parts for everything, so I don't really care if I tear something up. If I had access to a plasma cutter the thing would be off the car by now... Help! TIA-

JJ

[Napes]

and, in addition to all of the above, I sprayed penetrating oil in around each wheel stud. This went in and worked on the hub to allow things to come apart. I use a Kroil product for penetrating oil and it's great, but any should help. Years ago I broke down and paid $26 for the correct BMW brake adjustment wrench (made by Hazzit in Germany). With 3 daily driver '02s whose brakes I regularily adjust, in has proved its worth over the years. The wrench has 2 reverse bends that allow it to fit right around the drum w/ ease.

[Guest Anonymous]

If you can spin the drum you're in good shape. If it wiggles that's even better.

SOMETIMES I've been able to wedge a large screwdriver or small prybar inbetween the drum & the backing plate. This is where it gets a little tricky. You don't want to brake anything in there, especially the bakcing plate, but if you're brakes are really old, or if you have the right dremel bit you can cut the back of the retaining pin.

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=2213&mospid=47140&btnr=34_0795&hg=34&fg=10

The pins that go through the backing plate and hold the shoes in place. If everything's old and rusted you can *probably* just break/bend the retaining caps on those pins. If not dremel them off, and pry the drum off CAREFULLY wedging the prybar in far enough that it's up against the trailing arm. Usually it's easier to get the back off but whichever side comes that's it.

Don't get me wrong... this isn't fun but like the others say, take the time and clean everything, wire brush & paint if you want, but do it right so that next time you're good to go. Also check you're e-brake cables while you're under there. The metal ends tend to rust BADLY into the tubes that run along the underbody. While everything's off it's a good time to make sure they are free & put some goop in there to keep it rust free. I check mine every time I adjust the brakes because I'm paranoid.

Good luck!