Drum Brake removal?

[Breezy]

I cant remove the drum off, is there a special way to get it off? i've tried using a scewdriver to pry it open with no lucky, how do you get it off?

[Zdster]

Do you mean the actual cover?

Here is a good link:
http://www.hondatuningmagazine.com/tech/0404ht_1999_honda_civic_dx_hatchback_brakes/

[destrukshn]

tried releasing the hand brake? lol, sometimes people forget.

* you can tap it with a hammer, around the side, until it comes loose
* grab it and move it left and right, until it becomes loose.
* there are 2 bolt holes on the drum, find 2 bolts and screw them in evenly, like do 1 bolt 3 revolutions, then do the other bolt 3 revolutions and keep on repeating until the drum comes off, if you do one side then the other side, it won't come off, so you have to do it evenly.

[Breezy]

Do you mean the actual cover?

Here is a good link:
http://www.hondatuningmagazine.com/tech/0404ht_1999_honda_civic_dx_hatchback_brakes/

Yeah, its stuck there.

[Eclipsor]

My tip is to take it to a mechanic. Unless they come off easily using the methods destrukshn mentioned it isn't worth the hassle. However, if you desperately want to do it yourself this is the way you should be able to do it. In a perfect world.

On the back of the drum there should be a rubber bung rectangular type shape in a hole. Take this out. This allows access to the self adjusting mechanism in the drum. Every time the brakes are applied this mechanism turns a cog that moves the start point of the brakes out further as the brakes wear down.

The reason you can't get the drum off is because over time the brake shoes wear a groove in the drum which forms a lip holding the drum onto the shoes. Therefore you have to try and wind back the self adjusting mechanism using the access hole on the back. This brings the shoes back in and the drum lip should clear them.

This is the hard part. You have to try and get something in the hole feel around for the cog then turn it against the stopper. Or somehow lift the stopper up and turn it. You can get special drum brake adjusting tools at repco etc which are a bent piece of flat metal. Or you can try using a wide flat head screw driver.


FAILING THIS. Which you probably will. Force and using bolts in those holes plus spraying lubricant in there should get it off. This is what I had to do. I also snapped/bent most of the parts on one side in the process.

Anyway, good luck. Hope this makes sense.

[aimre]

If ur talking about the actual drum. Then take off the wheel and it just comes off. the wheel holds it on. Make sure the handbrake is off of it will hold it on. As destrukshn (http://www.ozhonda.com/forum/member.php?u=5257) said.... but ppl tend to not read some posts.... idk why

[Zdster]

Yeah, its stuck there.

So did the link and/or everyone elses feedback help?

[Paul1985]

Eclipsor has got it right..
It should come off with alot of force and messing around. Stuck in a lip, very common

[ECU-MAN]

if your rear shoes have been over adjusted it will be a bitch to remove.

look on the backing plate, I think there is a rubber grommit that if you remove it lets you back off the tentioner ( backs the shoes off the drum )

your drums might have a ridge locking the drum on

[Slow96GSR]

We use a really big hammer!! ECU-MAN has the right idea too. Just back off the tensioner and it should help. Sometimes they do just get stuck!

[iamhappy46]

rubber mallet + the two screws tensioning off the drum should get it off. If they are that bad, no doubt the drums need to be machined or replaced, along with new shoes.

[Breezy]

So did the link and/or everyone elses feedback help?

No lucky yet, tried everything. Might just replace the whole thing if i cant get it off.

[Eclipsor]

If you have long enough bolts in those bolt holes on the front it will come off. Just makes sure you screw them evenly plus plenty of bashing around the edges with a rubber mallet/hammer plus plenty of lube sprayed inside plus levering with sturdy screwdriver once there is some gap.

However, you may break bits. You can easily find all the bits at a wreckers for next to nothing though. I'm talking the tensioning mechanism.