My husband is trying to replace my shoes and drums on my rear brakes. I have a 1998 Dodge Stratus. What can we do to get it off? He has tried hitting it from the front, sides and back with a hammer to loosen it and it is not coming off. It almost looks like it is warped. We don't have the money right now to take it to a mechanic.
2007-03-20 09:45:07 · 14 answers · asked by Anonymous in Cars & Transportation ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
make shur the star washers are off all the lugs then large screw drivers and a large hammer might take 5 minutes
2007-03-20 09:53:03 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
There is an inspection hole in the back of the backing plate behind the drum on the on the backside of the backing plate...
there will be a plastic or rubber plug covering this inspection hole.... once uncovered thru this hole you should be able to
see an adjuster wheel that looks like the spur on a cowboys heel... it has very fine teeth...
now insert a blade screw driver to allow you to rotate this adjuster in a backwards rotation keep doing so until the drum loosens up enough to cone off easily...
if it hasn't done so within about 4 complete turns of the adjuster you're probably going the wrong way...
doing this will shorten the adjuster which makes the shoes come closer together and will allow the drum to come off...
your brake drum has extreme wear and needs either turned or replaced...
Walt
2007-03-20 12:10:53 · answer #2 · answered by Ronk W 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The rear brakes on most cars have a little hole on the back of the plate that the brakes mount on,there is a small rubber cover that can be removed .Inside that cover is the brake adjuster,he needs to get an adjuster tool at the parts store,its like a bent screwdriver with 2 different angles.you use that tool to back off the brakes so you can remove the wheel.Also tell him if he has never done brakes before to take only one side at a time and if he gets stumped he can look at the other one to see how to get it together right.Good luck to you.
2007-03-20 09:59:37 · answer #3 · answered by sasyone 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
There should be a ratcheting mechanism in the back that will allow you to bring the brake shoes together. There is an opening and you stick a screw driver in it an wind the mechanism so it loosens the brakes, then with a little persuasion (rocking back and forth with your hands) it will come off, if ratcheting it tightens it you are going the wrong way - my daddy taught me this, My experience is on Fords and Chevys, and one older Dodge
2007-03-20 09:58:13 · answer #4 · answered by startrektosnewenterpriselovethem 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's probably worn the drum down enough so there's a ridge on the inside of the drum the shoes are hitting. You need to manually back off the adjustment through the hole before the drum will clear the shoes.
2007-03-20 12:37:46 · answer #5 · answered by Nomadd 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
my step daughter has a plymouth breeze,on the center on the drum(actually it's the axel)there is a tin cap,pop it off with a screw driver.pull the cotter pin,unscrew axel nut,pull off drum(watch out for the outter bearing),i might be wrong,but i'mpretty sure that the sebrings have that kind of drum assembly.if there is no silver cap(like on the front wheels of an old rear wheel drive car)try heating the drum near middle,where the center of the axel is and around the lug nut,also i saw someone else already spoke about the rubber plug in the backing plate,could be rust around the outer lip of the drum holding aginst the shoes,so turn the adjuster in and one of these things should work.....good luck,dont give up,sometimes its more than one thing so just keep tring each thing till it falls off.
2007-03-20 10:43:30 · answer #6 · answered by sho_me3 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i donno exactly how dodge does it but on my toyota corolla there are two holes interspersed between the lug screws. the technique is to find bolts the will screw into those holes and alternately tighten them and as they tighten the push the drum up off the assembly. best bet is just to swing by an auto parts store and just take a quick look through the repair manuals they have there, they are normally not sealed so you can get an exact procedure for the brake job. sorry but my experience is only with japanese cars. but i don't think they would be that different.
also something else you may wanna try. first just make absoultely sure the parking brake is not applied. and you may wanna bleed the pressure off the rear brakes, just a thought. good luck
2007-03-20 09:57:50 · answer #7 · answered by Ksyrium 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I'm sure someone will explain it better, but here goes. There is a rubber plug on the axle side, remove it. Inside is the adjuster for the brake pads. Turn it (by prying) with a screwdriver to back the pads off the drums. The pads will cut a groove in the drum and be locked until you back them off.
2007-03-20 09:53:56 · answer #8 · answered by mxyzptlk137 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Hey im a mechanic work at sear have this problem all day sometimes they tend to stick due to heat and not rust from being on there a long time just play with it and keep hitting gently don want to damage a brake line
2007-03-20 10:05:46 · answer #9 · answered by dodgepimp_bj 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
take off the emergency brake, just beat the hell out of the drum until it comes off.also make sure you back off the brakes by rotating the star on the inner side of the tire
2007-03-20 10:09:20 · answer #10 · answered by Bob K 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋