Any tricks to get stuck drums off a 8.75

Most of the time a smack or 2 between the lug studs with a steel hammer will bounce them loose. It not a dead blow nail driving effort but more of a recoiling, bell ringing swing , if that makes sense.
If you need to let off the adjusters.. The paw sits under the outer side of the star wheel and picks upward at it to extend it. You'll go the oposite way to close it. You may need 2 tools in there too. One to push the paw away and the other for turning.