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can't get brake drums off

O

OUG

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Northern Iowa
I've searched for brake drums but all I found was for after they were removed. I can't get the hub off of my 98 sport. pb blasted, no retainer clips, no brakes on. I looked in my hanes manual and it said to pull the rear plug and pull the brake adjustment lever down to expand brakes. I pulled the handle up to release the brakes. It was driveable but now the brakes are completely applied. The hub won't rotate even the half inch it would before. Crap. I just wanted to get my hub off to look at my brakes. The right rear had been locking up at low speed braking. I got out my service manual and it said i should have pulled the hand down to release the brakes. so now i can't find the release clip with a screwdriver to rotate the star adjust the other way. Is there any other way to remove the hub.

Help.
 
You're going to have to get the adjuster to close the shoes again. It sounds like you have a ridge worn on the inside of the drum.
Instead of using a screwdriver you might want to consider picking up a brake spoon. It's basically a bent screwdriver, but it can make getting at the release a lot easier so you can turn the adjuster.
Your wheel lockup sounds like a leaky wheel cylinder, the fluid causes the shoes to grab.
 
*sometimes* you can crack the bleeder and let the brake springs pull the shoes back, might be enough. The emergency brake should be off, then back the adjuster off, the brake tool is the best, alot of times the screwdriver thing does not cut it.
 
87manche said:
..... a ridge worn on the inside of the drum...
Click to expand...
I had this, and the emergency brake cable was seized some where near the drum assembly. So, no matter how loose the adjuster/cable was, the shoe would still not clear the ridge on the drum.
 
should have pulled the hand down to release the brakes. so now i can't find the release clip with a screwdriver to rotate the star adjust the other way. Is there any other way to remove the hub
Click to expand...
Go the other way as far as you can.
Oh and hand up or hand down depends on which side your on.
 
Thanks for the help guys. I got the hub to move again, so at least I can go to work on Monday. I still could not get the stupid hub off. It's got 99,000 miles on it, and I got it at 36,000. I never have replaced the brakes because every time I take the front wheels off I can see plenty of pad. I'm going to give in and take it somewhere and have the rear brakes done. The next step for me would have been to disconnect the emergency brake cable and see if that helped it clear the ridge. I supposed i could have taken the front wheels off and tried to bleed the brakes dry... or would that have even helped? I know I can change the fronts by myself but I'll wait till I need to on those.
 
if im understanding right you just want to inspect your brakes. You dont need to remove the hub to inspect the brakes all you need to get off is the drum if thats what your talking about
 
JeepZJlover said:
if im understanding right you just want to inspect your brakes. You dont need to remove the hub to inspect the brakes all you need to get off is the drum if thats what your talking about
Click to expand...

I think it's the drum that's stuck in his case. In addition to being adjusted too tight, it might also be stuck to the hub by rust. I usually whack mine with a big flooring hammer for that.
 
OUG said:
Thanks for the help guys. I got the hub to move again, so at least I can go to work on Monday. I still could not get the stupid hub off. It's got 99,000 miles on it, and I got it at 36,000. I never have replaced the brakes because every time I take the front wheels off I can see plenty of pad. I'm going to give in and take it somewhere and have the rear brakes done. The next step for me would have been to disconnect the emergency brake cable and see if that helped it clear the ridge. I supposed i could have taken the front wheels off and tried to bleed the brakes dry... or would that have even helped? I know I can change the fronts by myself but I'll wait till I need to on those.
Click to expand...

hit that drum with a GIANT rubber mallet - really, really hard....that will make sure it's not rusted on.....then go back to trying to back off the shoes....i would spend three days on it before i pay outrageous brake replacement prices at the shop!!
 
Just had this on my '98 Limited yesterday (95,700k on OE rear brakes, third set of front pads installed and on it's second set of rotors since I got it at 53k) when I went to check the shoes. I just had to push them (well, hit them with my hand....) back on when the drums hung up coming off and they slid right back off with little resistance and back on the same way ( a little easier on the D/S since that drum was sitting in almost direct sunlight for several hours while we were off getting new front pads and doing other stuff after we got back.)
 
Smack the back of the drum on its rim with a BFH from opposite sides to gradually get it off. Then if that doesn't work, put a nut on the end of the lugs and smack the crap out of them. That'll eventually break it free.
 
So many uses for never-seez, and not all of them are bolts.

I also use a THIN coat of the stuff on the backside of rotor hats and drums for just this reason - rust is not such a good lubricant.

I probably use more of the stuff on things I'd like to slip apart next time than I ever do on bolts. I'm in the middle of a front end now and I'll be using it on ball joint housings and studs, TRE studs, ... - but nothing threaded. Sort that one out!

5-90
 
I will try again this weekend. I figure a week of using PB and getting out the bfh should help me get those drums off. I'll just keep adjusting that star wheel till I can't get it to move any more. One side almost comes off but the other side doesn't want to move at all. Of course I can't just buy parts because my 98 came with both 10" and 9" brake drums so I want to just take it in once I get it apart. Sucks living 30 minutes from a auto parts place.

Once I get in there is there any trick to replacing my wheel cylinder? I figure while i'm in there I might as well do it. It might be the cause of the sticky brake if its leaking or It will just be a good thing to replace at 99,000miles.

The last question I have for you guys is, why would my rear brakes be giving me so many problems when my front brake pads still look new. The rear drums don't have that factory spring clip to hold the drums on, so i'm thinking work was done on them before I got the jeep. Could it be that the rears are pressing harder then they should compared to the front?
 
Had this problem too. It was the rust around the hub. I wire wheeled it and PB blaster. I would not suggest hitting the lug nut with a Hammer. The wheel bearing is what is holding it in place. Shock loads like that bother me. Hitting the back side of teh drum edge might help. The center of the drum is like sheet metal and will deform when loaded too high.

PB blast over night should help.
 
just did my brakes this weekend and had teh same problem.

mine was just like the fella above, rust on the hub of the axle shaft. took a wire brush to it. then placed a rubber mallet on the drum and tapped that a few times with a BFH. that broke it loose and pulled it right off.
 
Just did my '99 a couple of weekends ago. NAPA will "rent" a brake kit (you buy it then return it for full credit when you are thru). The kit includes a brake spoon.

I also had to hit the back side of the drum to get them off. I purchased a complete rebuild kit adjuster, shoes, springs and new drums. I think the grand total for the entire rear was under $125.

Remember to remove both wheels and drums then use the side that is most complete as a guide for the other side. You'll probably find a rusted mess of spring bits in at least drum causing the low speed lock ups.

This might help....

http://jeepin.com/features/drums/index.asp
 
OUG said:
a auto parts place.

Once I get in there is there any trick to replacing my wheel cylinder? I figure while i'm in there I might as well do it. It might be the cause of the sticky brake if its leaking or It will just be a good thing to replace at 99,000miles.
Click to expand...



I just removed the top 2 shoe springs, and was able to pull the wheel cylinders out.

Dumb question, but did you remove the clips on the lugs that hold the drums on? I used a rubber mallet on mine to break the drums free..
 
PW1XJ99 said:
I just removed the top 2 shoe springs, and was able to pull the wheel cylinders out.

Dumb question, but did you remove the clips on the lugs that hold the drums on? I used a rubber mallet on mine to break the drums free..
Click to expand...

Not all XJ's seem to have the clips. Perhaps I've just always had vehicles whose brakes had already been done at least once, but mine have never had them.

Tractor Supply recently had a sale on what they call "flooring hammers." These are big meal headed hammers with a rubber head on one side. Used with floor nailers, both to hit the nailer and to whack the boards into place. It's heavier than a regular rubber mallet. They had them for something like 8 bucks, and if they still have any, I recommend one for every shop.
 
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