How to remove rear brake drums

ENYAW

MEMBER
FORD THUNDERBIRD

Hi, I cannot remove the rear brake drums from a 1993 Ford Thunderbird. The repair book I have says there are adjusting screws that can be accessed by removing these rubber plugs from the access holes. But there doesn't seem to be adjusting screws inside. And one of the pistons is blown and has fallen apart, so the adjusting screws would not help get the drums off, since there's no brake pressure anyway. I've tried prying and hammering the drums and they will not come off. It's possible the drum on the bad side is somehow jammed on. But the drum on the good side won't come off either. So I'm assuming there's some trick to removing the drums.

Many thanks,
Wayne

2 Replies

RASMATAZ

MECHANIC
75,992 POSTS

There's a small rubber plug behind the drum's backing plate-remove it, you need 2 small flat screwdriver or a brake tool reach in there and turn the starwheel to contract the shoes-then if you want you can use a blow torch to heat the drum up and then bang with rubber mallet or you can use a slidehammer to pull it out.

HTH Good Luck

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Thursday, February 15th, 2007 AT 3:44 AM

TAURUSWHEEL

MECHANIC
718 POSTS

Take a chisel or sharp flatblade screwdriver, you'll see the flats of the holddown pins(for the brakeshoes) on the back of the drum. Chop them off, thenpull the entire assembly off the spindle, after of course removing the bearing nut and outer bearing. Don't worry about damaging anything in there, it's best to get new hardware kit for 2 wheels. The starwheel assembly, unless the starwheel has been stripped from using other then a good quality brake tool, should be re-lubed for smooth operation. Also use a good quality brake adjusting tool, makes it easier.

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Thursday, February 15th, 2007 AT 10:50 PM