Can't get the rear drum off 97 Camry

[freeyellow2000]

97 Camry LE with Rear brake shoes.

Here the story.

On some occasions I can hear metal scrapping from my driver rear tire. I figure that the rear brake needs to be replaced. I used the inspection hole on the driver rear drums and looks like I have lots of brake material left. But that would not explain the "metal scrapping" sound so I want to look at it and confirm it.

So I proceed to remove driver rear brake drum. But for the life of me I can get the rear drum off. I have already tried the hammer trick as well as the star wheel adjuster. The wheel can rotate freely but I can get the freaking drum off. The E brake is off.

After wasting my time trying to get the driver rear drum off. I look at the passenger rear drum and it pops off easily and there is no sign of uneven wear.


I have read that there is a bolt trick were you screw to remove it
How do these friggin' rear brakes come off?????


Pic of explode brake system
Rear brake shoes replacement...

"another way to take drum off is to use2 , 1/2in bolts there is to holes in the drum surface that u can screw them in and that will help to push the drum out too"

Yeah. 1/2" is too big. The proper size is 8mm with a 1.25 pitch. Screw them in a little bit at a time and the drum will pop off. Inside you will find the shoes and the star adjustment. Keep track of everything, especially this little crimp that's necessary as a spacer. A Hayne's manual is pretty thorough at showing you the step by step of replacing it.




I don't see any type of location where I can screw in these bolt to remove the brake drum... Anyone have a pic to show me .. there are those tools to remove brake drum but I don't want to buy it.

[touringcamry]

On the face of the drum, the part that meets the wheel, there should be two holes for the 8mmx1.25 screws that are across from each other. I don't have a photo or diagram of the drum to show you though. IIRC, I think they're near the lugs.

Given your car is 10 years old, the holes might be gunked up. Look carefully for two little holes that are across from each other.

[Kep]

I'm not sure what year model this was taken from but it should be similar to yours. The two 8mm holes are circled in yellow.




Kep

[freeyellow2000]

Cools thanks for the pic. I do see the hole, but it doesn't appear to go anywhere (ie it just a little area where you can screw 2-3 turns and that it. Am I suppose to continue to screw it in? (the hole doesn't appear to go to the inside of where the brake pads are.

[TMetalMan]

Yep, continue screwing the screws in. The surface where the screws look like they'll bottom out on is actually the hub that the drum mounts to.

A few months ago I took apart my rear drums because my e-brake was really weak. There was some dust in there, but there was very little wear on either the shoes or the drum (comparing new shoes to old shoes, there was only maybe a 1/16" difference in thickness). That's after 10 years and 159,000 miles, too. And yet my e-brake is still very weak, will have to look into that further.

[touringcamry]

TMetalMan: The drums might be out of adjustment - which is why the ebrake is weak. They are supposed to be self adjusting, but in my experience (and many others) the mechanism doesn't work very well. This leads to the ebrake being weak and the shoes not engaging when you use the hydraulic foot brake. That would explain the little wear on the shoes.

To adjust the shoes, you have to find the little star gear adjuster. With the drum on and the ebrake released, put three lug nuts on finger tight. Then you want to turn the gear to expand the shoes until the drum is stuck. Then you turn it the other way until the drum rotates freely. I don't know which way you have to turn it so it's going to be trial and error. If you turn it as much as you can and the gear stops turning but the drum rotates, you just contracted the shoes all the way.

[xtremeskier97]

I guarantee whatever is making the grinding sound in that wheel...is what is keeping it stuck on. I had a similar problem on my 92 Accord last year. A metal piece that is supposed to be on the pad for the spring to attach to had broken off and was grinding between the drum and the backing plate (shown in that exploded view that was posted above). The brakes still worked fine..but it was VERY annoying to keep hearing that sound. We were doing a paper route back then and didnt want something to happen when we were out in the middle of nowhere at 1am..so I replaced the pads and all was well.

Good luck...hopefully it's something as simple as mine was.

[TMetalMan]

Originally Posted by touringcamry

TMetalMan: The drums might be out of adjustment - which is why the ebrake is weak. They are supposed to be self adjusting, but in my experience (and many others) the mechanism doesn't work very well. This leads to the ebrake being weak and the shoes not engaging when you use the hydraulic foot brake. That would explain the little wear on the shoes.

To adjust the shoes, you have to find the little star gear adjuster. With the drum on and the ebrake released, put three lug nuts on finger tight. Then you want to turn the gear to expand the shoes until the drum is stuck. Then you turn it the other way until the drum rotates freely. I don't know which way you have to turn it so it's going to be trial and error. If you turn it as much as you can and the gear stops turning but the drum rotates, you just contracted the shoes all the way.

Good to know, thanks!

[Kep]

When you are using the two screws to remove the drum alternate back and forth between each screw. If it doesn't seem to be moving get a rubber mallet and beat around the perimeter of the drum as you put pressure on the screws.

Kep

[Hajoca]

The drum to hub surface on mine was stuck with rust. I dribbled some PB blaster , you can use what ever penetrating oil. Then drove it another day and the rust loosened enough for the jack screws to pull it off.