Help with VL Drum Brake Removal

[Spearwoodlad]

HELP! Hi, I have a 1988 VL SL and didn't drive it for a while and now it looks like the rear left drum brake has siezed/locked on. I've backed off the hand brake adjuster (under the car) but still cannot remove the drum to investigate. There is what looked like a rubber plug for the shoe adjuster, but it doesn't seem like there is any toothed cog to adjust shoes (as there is/was in older drum brake setups). The drum starts to come off at the top, but something is stopping it at the bottom. I assume it is the shoe trapped in the groove of the drum. Any advice or help on this??

 

[woteva]

Disc brake or drum brake rear ?
Has the brake shoe stuck to the drum or you can rotate it ?

 

[Vin999]

whether its disk(with shoes for handbrake) or drum brakes they both have adjuster slot at the rear. U need a bent tool to get into the small gap behind to release adjuster.

Chances are the adjuster is still locked or you adjusted it the wrong way. Spray some wd40 around drum/disk centre and leave overnight to penetrate any rust inside if it was parked outside or on grass for a long time.

Adjust the star adjuster completely one way. Then hold loose part towards you and hit opposite tight side of disk/drum at an angle towards you with rubber mallet and it should release.

It might take a lot of bashing if old shoes are grooved heavily into drums/disk.

 

[Spearwoodlad]

whether its disk(with shoes for handbrake) or drum brakes they both have adjuster slot at the rear. U need a bent tool to get into the small gap behind to release adjuster.

Chances are the adjuster is still locked or you adjusted it the wrong way. Spray some wd40 around drum/disk centre and leave overnight to penetrate any rust inside if it was parked outside or on grass for a long time.

Adjust the star adjuster completely one way. Then hold loose part towards you and hit opposite tight side of disk/drum at an angle towards you with rubber mallet and it should release.

It might take a lot of bashing if old shoes are grooved heavily into drums/disk.

 

[Spearwoodlad]

Cheers mate.
There is a small hole with a rubber plug in it, but i cannot see or feel the normal cog as on older drum setups to adjust the shoes. It looks like a different type of setup.
I found a picture of the setup and it doesn’t look like there is an adjuster. I’m about to go and see if it needs to levered sideways to compress the slave cylinder to release pressure on the shoes.
I’ll let you know how i go.
Thanks for your help.

 

[Spearwoodlad]

Just to add, it is 100% drum setup and the drum will not rotate. It only rocks back and forth about 6mm. Whole rear end is on stands and car in neutral. Right hand side is fine.
Cheers

 

[figjam]

It has been a very long time since I worked on drum brakes, but my suggestion is disconnect and plug the brake line from the cylinder, and use violence and bad language to get the drum off.
The shoes may not be retracting enough to get under the lip that will be worn into the drum. The brake cylinder could also be seized up internally.
If you f*** something getting it off, that will be price you pay.

 

[syked]

Some drums have a couple of holes where you can use a bolt to tighten into and force the drum out.

You could also try using a drum removal tool or slide hammer.

It doesn't make sense that there's no adjustment though.

 

[woteva]

If the car was parked up for some time with the handbrake on, the shoe may have become stuck to the drum or the adjusting mechanism has failed and fallen apart causing it to jam ?

 

[Spearwoodlad]

It has been a very long time since I worked on drum brakes, but my suggestion is disconnect and plug the brake line from the cylinder, and use violence and bad language to get the drum off.
The shoes may not be retracting enough to get under the lip that will be worn into the drum. The brake cylinder could also be seized up internally.
If you f*** something getting it off, that will be price you pay.