Difficult to remove rear brake drum

[Snagglefoot]

Question for brake experts. While taking off the winter tires I made an attempt to pull a rear brake drum to inspect the brake pads. It was stuck strongly like on the 100 you tube videos showing how to get then off. There is 60,000 miles on them since I installed new drums and shoes in 2017 on this 2005 Taurus.
There is some movement so I assume it’s the ridge in the brake drum. I would think the right answer is to have a new set of drums and pads before I start start pulling off the drums. No brainer?

 

[slacktide_bitog]

of course

The best drums to get are Wagner, Powerstop, or the Top Notch Geomet coated rotor (it's the last one at the bottom of Rock Auto's drums for your 2005 Taurus. Whatever drums you get, make sure they are coated on the inside hat!!! Most are not, but the ones I mentioned are coated on the inside.

If you need new shoes, there's the Bendix pre-assembled shoes. Otherwise, pick a set of shoes that ships from the same warehouse as the drums.

When even the hammer isn't enough to get the drums off, lower the car with the wheel off, until the drum hits the ground, then raise it back up again.

 

[Lubener]

Back off the starwheel, remove the drum(s) then see what you have underneath. Your drums might just need a light sanding and would be good to go. 60K is not that many miles for rear drum brakes. If you want to buy first ( I get it) , I would figure all new hardware, shoes, grease seals and drums. I would also peel back the wheel cylinder boots looking for fluid leakage.
If you order from Rock Auto, I would be more concerned they all ship from same warehouse than the actual brands.

 

[burbguy82]

 

[97prizm]

Question for brake experts. While taking off the winter tires I made an attempt to pull a rear brake drum to inspect the brake pads. It was stuck strongly like on the 100 you tube videos showing how to get then off. There is 60,000 miles on them since I installed new drums and shoes in 2017 on this 2005 Taurus.
There is some movement so I assume it’s the ridge in the brake drum. I would think the right answer is to have a new set of drums and pads before I start start pulling off the drums. No brainer?

Also check the parking brake cable for sticking and or stretching. Mine stuck causing dragging and overheating of the drums

 

[D60]

He says 140-160k freedom units average life. Also apparently wheel cylinders are known leakers


A small ridge can really hinder removal if you can't access the adjuster, but it doesn't mean anything has to be replaced necessarily.

If you do get it off, you can remove that ridge through whatever means you have. As long as you don't get into the shoe contact area, nobody -- including the vehicle -- cares.

 

[97prizm]

He says 140-160k freedom units average life. Also apparently wheel cylinders are known leakers


A small ridge can really hinder removal if you can't access the adjuster, but it doesn't mean anything has to be replaced necessarily.

If you do get it off, you can remove that ridge through whatever means you have. As long as you don't get into the shoe contact area, nobody -- including the vehicle -- cares.

Yeah chech the wheel cylinders. Both of mine on the rear leaked

 

[Snagglefoot]

He says 140-160k freedom units average life. Also apparently wheel cylinders are known leakers


A small ridge can really hinder removal if you can't access the adjuster, but it doesn't mean anything has to be replaced necessarily.

If you do get it off, you can remove that ridge through whatever means you have. As long as you don't get into the shoe contact area, nobody -- including the vehicle -- cares.

One item to note about the video is that he does not show taking off the parking brake cable nor does he show putting it on the new shoe. These two items were the worst PITA of the whole job.

 

[Snagglefoot]

The end of the story is that I used a BFH like the one in the video to remove the drums. I would hit the back of the drums until they jammed, then hit them on the front face until the drum went back to the rotatable position where it would turn, then rotated the drum 180 degrees and repeated the task until the drum came loose.

Sure enough the was a large rust ridge on each drum.

 

[Snagglefoot]

He says 140-160k freedom units average life. Also apparently wheel cylinders are known leakers


A small ridge can really hinder removal if you can't access the adjuster, but it doesn't mean anything has to be replaced necessarily.

If you do get it off, you can remove that ridge through whatever means you have. As long as you don't get into the shoe contact area, nobody -- including the vehicle -- cares.

I’d be OK if I had access to a lathe, but I don’t think I’d have the patience to grind it by hand. That said, changing out the perfectly good shoes to match the curvature of new drums is a PITA. The other issue was that the drums were shedding a lot of rust and looked bad through the spokes of the rear wheel. ( can we say “ looks like crap”)?

 

[supton]

I’d be OK if I had access to a lathe, but I don’t think I’d have the patience to grind it by hand.

Use an angle grinder? Should be a fast job. The ridge grows because there's no pad there, so it doesn't have to be flat--perhaps you could remove more than enough so as to make the job easier next time.

But yeah, a lathe would be best... too bad it wasn't RWD, you could pop it back on, inside out, put it into drive and hold a file against it while letting the car do the work. Absolutely safe I'm sure--what could go wrong?