Rusted Rear Brakes

Hi,

I'm trying to replace the rear shoes on my 88' it took quite a bit of doing just to get the lugs off, they were badly rusted and intend to replace the studs and the nuts when i put it back together. After i got the wheels off the drums are so badly rusted to the axle that they wont budge .001" even when i smacked with my 8lb hammer. I'm sure that this is a common problam maybe not to the extent that i'm having but can anyone tell me where to hit the drum with a hammer to get it to come free. Or should i hit the center of the axle that comes through the drum?

Any advice is desperatly needed.

Thanks
Jerms

Usually the problem seems to be that the pads have scored themselves into the durms a little bit, so they are essentially locked together when you try to slide them off, to get around this use the adjuster screw to loosen the brakes first, then it should be easier to pop off... Also hit the lug holes with a penetrating lube, then wack away bud.

HEAT. Take a propane torch and heat the drum around the hub so that
it expands away from the hub. Mine were fairly clean and they just poped off after a minute with the torch. (This is after much unsucsesful pounding). I'd imagine if they are rusted you'll need heat+hammer.

I Think the hub is the main/first thing hanging you up. After freeing
from the hub then you'll know if/how much you need to back off the shoes.
(Unless they are so tight you can't turn the drum..)

There's sometimes a little end play in the axles, and if there is, then you might be able to crack it loose by putting some leverage on the drum to pull it out as far as possible, then locking the handbrake, or just sustaining the leverage. Then take that hammer and whack the end of the axle. Don't overdo it, but sometimes that's enough to break the rust bond at the hub.

If you have access to compressed air and the tool, you could try an impact hammer on it---it will help to break up some surfaces mated together with rust