Easiest Way to unstick frozen brake shoes??

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JOD

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I have a Eurovan that I'm donating. The car has been sitting, unmoved, in my garage for about 4 or 5 years. Amazingly, while this thing spent the last couple of years starting about 40% of the time, it started right up today. I moved it out to my parking pad getting ready for pickup, and the back left brake shoes are frozen. Driving 10 feet didn't unfreeze them, the tire just skidded across the pavement. Awesome.

What is that absolute easiest way to un-stick this thing. Keep in mind, I'm donating this car and I imagine it will parted out or something, so I don't care if I destroy anything in the process. I just want the laziest way to help the towing guy get it out of here. Any suggestions??
 
Lift the back left, take off wheel, remove parking brake, hit around the edges of the drum with a soft mallet first, if that doesn't work try a hard mallet.

To clarify: Hit the edges of FACE of the drum, and not the rounded outer ring. A hard mallet can crack the brake drum, so be careful.
 
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Originally Posted By: DemoFly
Lift the back left, take off wheel, remove parking brake, hit around the edges of the drum with a soft mallet first, if that doesn't work try a hard mallet.

To clarify: Hit the edges of FACE of the drum, and not the rounded outer ring. A hard mallet can crack the brake drum, so be careful.


+1

or...

Just keep driving til they unstick LOL
 
Well, I thought about the "keep driving" method...however, I'm a bit worried about the tire exploding. Plus, I noticed a coolant light flashing, so I'm guessing it's about out of coolant, and driving it more than 20 feet may be tough. So, no way to avoid taking the wheel off, like spraying some PB Blaster in there...somewhere?
 
Try tapping the backing plate, just being careful to miss the brake line.

Also tugging hard on the brake cable from underneath might help too. Wear some goggles if your face is under the vehicle, I am sure dirt/rust particles will fall.
 
OK, thanks for all of the suggestions. I hit the back of the drum, grabbed the cable, rocked it back and forth, sprayed some PB Blaster around there hoping some would make it in...success!

As a funny aside, after not starting up for 4 years, it's purring like a kitten. Go figure.
 
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