Drum Brakes...arrghh!

1992 B2200 - 180,000 miles. It's time for the FIRST brake job. Front discs went well but the rears are a pain.

There are 2 screws holding the drum to the backing plate, and I guess after 14 years they like being in there. Any ideas how to get them out?

Ryan

1.Take a torch on low flame and heat the area AROUND the screws.That metal should expand slightly and screws may come out.2.Soak the screws with penetrating lube let sit o'night and see if that helps.3.Take a mechanics hammer and TAP around the screws and see if that will loosen.

On my 1988 B2200 I believe these were large Phil.-head screws. Of course, I live in AZ and we don't see too much rust, too dry. I have a hand "impact" tool that takes a Phillips bit, then I can pound on it with a hammer like it's intended. When I got it, it cost less than $10. Anyway, after those are removed, two 8 mm thread hex-head screws are used to "push" the drum away from the backplate. My guess is that when you get inside you'll need to WD-40 or grease/clean all the self-adjusting hardware.

You can get those impact drivers at harbor freight for like $10-$15.

What I had to do is heat around the screws then hit each one with the impact driver with like a 2 lb head hammer. Doing it cold didn't work and a claw hammer didn't have enough kick no matter how hard I hit it, lol.

Don't forget to release the parking brake if it still works. I would just get a new rear brake hardware kit, chances are the pins and springs that hold the pads in are shot anyways.