Drum brake seized... Please help!

-
T

Twisted71

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 24, 2007
Messages
75
Reaction score
0
Hello all,

I hope someone can help me with an issue I am having with my front right wheel drum. The other day I was driving my 71 Duster around and noticed some rattling/rubbing sound from that side. I jacked and blocked the car up and tugged on the tire and wheel to check for a bad bearing and that checked out ok, so then I took off the wheel to see what was going on. The wheel didn’t spin very well (I know that proper adjustment the wheel with the tire on should make one revolution with a good spin by hand before stopping) but this seemed weird. I thought I'd loosen the adjustment wheel so I could remove the drum all together.
I got the screwdriver through the slot and could here what I thought was the adjustment wheel ratcheting in one direction. The wheel drum didn't spin any better, so I went the other direction with the adjustment wheel a few ratchets and now the wheel drum doesn't spin at all!!! :angry7:
I looked in the access holes closer with a flashlight and saw bent pieces of what used to be the adjustment wheel spring. :( I also noticed that the adjustment wheel teeth are shaped more like saw teeth making it easier to spin one way and not the other. (I think my 65 cuda had uniform teeth)
So when I first started out, my screwdriver was actually sliding over the surface of the teeth, and not grabbing, but making a ratcheting sound and this deceived me.
So now no matter how hard I try, the adjustment wheel will not turn back the other way even using a screwdriver and tapping with a hammer.
I hope this is something I can fix and won't have to take to a shop! I have the disc brake set up off of another duster and this might be my motivation to get that conversion project underway along with new front-end bushings and an anti-sway bar.
I feel stupid since I used to replace the drum brakes myself on my 65 Barracuda years ago and also helped others replace theirs!
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. :)
 
Twisted71,

In the past I have had to insert a long thin screwdriver and push the automatic adjuster back, then back the adjusting wheel off. If you have it too tight it will be hard to back off at first.

I have also had to pull the brake shoe anchor pins backward and cut off the heads when I couldn't get the drum off in any other way. Then pry it all off by using a prybar on each side of the drum.
 
Thanks Oklacarcollecto!

Those suggestions sound good. I'll wait and see if there are any more ideas.
 
They are your choices. A little different spin on cutting the heads off the pins is to grind them off with your dremel. That's what I used to do. Just don't make the holes for the pins any bigger.
 
I'd try Oklas 1st suggestion again.
Here is a pic of a later model (automatic adjusting).

I just did a 69 Runner the other day and it didn't have the 1 way adjuster wheel either.
the notches were the same going both ways and had a spring that rode on the adjuster wheel. (non automatic adjusting)

Not sure if the differences are year, model, or options driven.

Like Ok said, try to get a thin wire, coathanger or something to hold the adjuster Ratchet away from the wheel and then you might be able to turn it back with a brake tool or screwdriver.

drum brake adjuster.jpg
 
I've been able to, in the past, hit the facing of the drum with a hammer. Sometimes the shock of the blow will loosen things up and allow the shoes to "spring" inside the drums. After that I've been able to put a screwdriver or prybar on one side between the backing plate and drum and pry out a little while tapping the other side of the drum with the hammer, alternating one side to the other, until if comes off. With a good enough pry and enough force the shoes will slide out of the drum.
If that fails, as everyone suggested, out comes the cutters and away goes the nail heads.
 
Thanks for the picture charger70! When you say late model, what year?
I appreciate all the responses everyone.
I'll dig into it on the weekend! 8)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top