Stuck rear drum, evrything is coming with the drum

[patarch1]

Hi,
I would need some advice on taking the drum out. Each time I pull on the drum, the brake shoes move with it. I do not want to damage the piston.
I cannot turn the adjusting screw as the whole assembly is rusted and took some water from the access hole that did not have a rubber plug to protect it. The weird thing is that the shoes are not ribbing on the drum too much as I can turn the assembly pretty easily. I tried to describe the issue as much as I could. Your help is much appreciated.
Patarch1

 

[rwenzing]

Even though the drum may turn freely in the normal position, a ridge develops at the inner edge that can prevent the shoes from passing without backing off the adjuster. If you can't budge the starwheel, you may be in deep do. As a last resort, I would try soaking the adjuster with penetrant through the access hole and then wait and hope that you can break it free the next day. Obviously, you shouldn't drive it again without a completed repair after essentially oiling the brake shoes and drum.

In an extreme case where the adjuster will not cooperate, you might have to cut the drum off. Maybe not an issue since it is probably past its service limit anyway.

 

[patarch1]

Thanks!
I am getting ready to cut the drum off. It is way past Preventive Maintenance anyways. It is going to be a lousy mess. Hopefully the other side is not as bad.
Patarch1

 

[Pensa]

Drum beaks have a habit that as they wear the ridge builds up making it difficult to remove them. I would soak the adjuster and hope it would break free to where you could run it in. The ridge might still give you a little trouble but not prevent you from removing the drum. That would be much easier than cutting the drum off.

 

[patarch1]

By tonight it will have soacked for a day, if it does come loose, I will cut the the drum. I thought cutting the drum was an outrageous solution but with a frie extinguisher at hand, it should be fine.

 

[patarch1]

The drums are out. The axle was slightly damged by the grinder but nothing too bad. The ridge created by the worn out shoes was almost a 1/4" high. The adjusting screws were seized on both sides... Drum brakes are messy if not maintained regularly. Thanks for the good advice, rebuild time has started.
Anybody interested in cut half drums for any art work project?

 

[Evil Eye]

Glad you got it done. I have never had to do this myself, even with several vehicles from the Chicago snow/salt area with disintegrating and rusting drums. Doesn't sound like it was too bad at all.

 

[patarch1]

it was a mess, Grinding the drum with a cutting wheel is the very last resort.
What is amazing is that the truck only has 64k miles onit. It is a 97 but still, I have never seen such wear on the drums.