Rear Drums

[SUX2BU99]

No, that's just it: the drum will not turn at all. Not like the other side which turns freely. And there is no hole on the back side of the backing plates. Neither of them have any holes. Are there plugs in the holes?  I know I"ve seen these little rectangular holes before but these dont have them

Man, why can't anything jsut be straightforward? Do I have the ONLY 81 GM 12 bolt with no bloody window at the adjustment wheel? In that thread you linked to Vile, Pugsy said there might be a stamped area to punch out. There are some dimples like I said around the perimeter but they look pretty thick to punch out. I wacked at one with my crowbar and a hammer and it didn't look like it was wanting to go anywhere.

[SUX2BU99]

I'll have a few pics uploaded in 5 min.

[SUX2BU99]

Face of offending drum. Diff 'snout' is pointing down, for reference.


Backside of backing plate. You can see on the top right corner where I wacked one of those dimples with my crowbar. Not sure if that's supposed to be a 'knockout' window or not.


Another pic


And the other side of the backing plate. No window..... 

[VileZambonie]

Can you actuate the brake cable or is it seized? If it's seized just cut it and force the cable back up in. If it's not take a 3lb sledge (BFH) and smack the drum here

Picture someone's face you can't stand and smack it hard on the x's. Put some penetrating oil over it too.

[SUX2BU99]

I haven't tried too hard to move the e-brake cable since the diff is a little wobbly on those jackstands. I could try that but will probably get frustrated with that quickly and relegate myself to the BFH     It's that or I drill myself a few holes in the backing plate to access the adjuster wheel.

Have you ever seen a backing plate with no access slot to the adjuster?? I can't believe it doesn't have one. Do those dimples look like knock-out points?

[ccz145a]

they do not look like knockouts, they are what the shoes slide on on the other side.

usually the adjuster access knockout is on the face of the drum, but if the drum won't turn then there's not much point. use the hammer.

[ccz145a]

put that thing on the ground and put 2 lugs back on and wedge you crowbar btwn the lugs and see if it will turn with a little extra leverage. dont bend your lugs, though.

[SUX2BU99]

I hate it when you write a long reply and then it disappears 

Anyway, I bought a 2.5 lb ball-peen and a can of Liquid Wrench today and went at it. After lots of spraying, smacking and prying with the crowbar, the drum finally came off the fully-engaged shoes. I adjusted them back down so that the drum wiggles just a little bit so I know they are almost seating at rest, but not quite.

Next issue (isn't there always? This is the part I hate about wrenching) is very tight shock mount bolts, brake lines and bleeder screws. I don't want to round any heads off or break anything either like the small and soft brake line nuts and bleeder screws. Suggestions?  Already shot them with LW and the impact gun ain't working on the shock bolts.

[VileZambonie]

Use a 6 point socket and a breaker bar. Your impact gun isn't going to do you much good on anything rubber mounted. Lines use flare nut wrenches. Try tightening a little bit then loosening. Work it back and forth. Also take a pic of the shoes with the drum off so I can give you some pointers on things to look for.

[SUX2BU99]

Cool, thanks Vile I will do that. Yeah flare nut wrenches are something I do not have so no wonder regular wrenches mess them up. Right tool for the right job, eh? I'll have to pick some up.

[SUX2BU99]

Here's the pass brake setup with drum off. This was the one that was causing me problems. I've moved the assembly around and the springs seem to work well. I plan to wash off both sides with Simple Green and the shoot on some Liquid Wrench as a lubricant. Oh, and give the inside of the drums a light sanding.


So how about these parking brake cables? Is it just a matter of prying all of the tangs apart and them squeezing them back on? I'm not sure how to get this trick of putting a 1/2" 12 point socket overtop to get them to let go. Both sides are different.
Passenger side. It has tangs that end over the top like a claw

Driver side. No claw here for some reason even though the pic doesn't show the top like the other one does but the tangs don't bend over.

[SUX2BU99]

  Well I gone and done it now, I broke a bleeder screw. Twisted right off in the socket. I got the other one off after figuring out to keep at it with repeated tugs on the socket and it came free. Wish I had a brain and did that the 1st time. Soooooo mad. So am I hooped now and have to take the whole bloody thing apart and replace the master cylinder?? If I can somehow get the remnants of the bleeder out, I can just put in another one.

[VileZambonie]

just get some new hardware, cables, shoes and wheel cylinders and get the drums turned. Start out fresh and they'll last you a LONNNGGGG time.

[SUX2BU99]

Yeah that would be the best way I'm sure. I'd still have to get those parking cables apart. What's the deal with those?

[VileZambonie]

Not really sure what you mean? to get them out of the backing plate just squeeze the tangs in and push once you have them removed from the brake lever.