Hi everyone,

94 F250 4X4 IDI turbo

Want to remove rear brake drum as something's wrong in there (backing up brake was squeaking/stuck) - could be a rock or could be brake components in pieces, I don't know. Having trouble removing brake drum, so I have a couple questions.

e-brake disengaged, check.
trying to adjust brakes to loosen them. I can turn the little wheel with a screwdriver (from the inside of the brake backing, through the little window), but can only turn the little wheel DOWN. I read in another thread that turning UPWARD loosens the brakes. I can lever the wheel upward, but it does not click/catch. Levering adjuster wheel downward is easy and it clicks on each notch... but I think I'm tightening the brake..>????

have cleaned all around each lug bolt and hub rim and hosed it well 3 or 4 times over an hour with Mooovit. Was pretty rusty looking, had to pick rusty/dirty gunk out of cracks and crevices.

Drum is not in great shape, in fact the innermost rim, where it runs around the brake backing, is mostly all broken off. This truck is rusty underneath.

So I'm smacking the drum with a hammer...

How hard can I whack it?
What else can I do to ensure brakes are loose?
Prying the drum off was mentioned in another post - but pry against what? The brake backing is pretty flimsy...
Any other tips?

Thanks in advance everyone for any advice,
Scotty

 

you can whack it pretty hard. put your truck on rear stands (make sure your front wheels are blocked) then throw the truck in neutral and you can turn the drum by hand. if its worn hard, the pad will be inset a little and hard to get off. usually once metal to metal has already been a issue. you can always run a cherry torch over the drum, it will expand enough to get it off. just takes some time

 

If the inner edges are broken off, that will affect wheel balance.

So it sounds like you are due for a new drum anyway.

The way the rachet is set up, tighter is usually easy.
Looser going against the rachet is always harder.

 

Got to push the auto adjust lever in with a small screwdriver .....while loosening the threaded adjusting screw.

 

can use a wheel puller if you have or can make longer arms for it.

 

Thanks all, drum is off (and back together again). All good suggestions and now I know more about how my brakes adjust/work, as well as tricks to get the drum off. I wouldn't have thought to loosen the brakes before pulling the drum.
Really appreciate the comments and if you care to weigh in on my further questions about brakes, please see my next thread.
Scotty