The external contracting brake was the original drum brake used on vehicles in the late-1800s to early-1900s. This braking system had a single strap or cable made of steel that wrapped around a drum on the rear axle or transmission shaft. When the driver pulled the brake lever, the strap tightened around the drum and slowly brought the car to a halt -- 14-to-0 mph in 21.5 feet in an early-1900s Oldsmobile. Modern drum brakes use a set of shoes coated with friction material that press outward against a drum to stop the vehicle. Over time, rust can accumulate inside the brake drum, causing the drum to seize on the other components in the braking system. This makes removing the drum a tricky task.
Instructions
- 1
Loosen the front or rear lug nuts from the vehicle -- depending on where the rusted drums are -- using a ratchet and socket. Raise the rear of the vehicle with a floor jack and position jack stands under a solid part of the vehicle -- subframe, rear axle, frame rails or control arms. Lower the vehicle onto the jack stands.
2Remove the lug nuts, and pull the wheels from the vehicle.
3Tap all around the entire outer edge of the brake drum with a hammer. Do not strike the drum too hard, or you may crack it.
4Grab the outer edges of the drum and pull away from the vehicle's hub with a slight wiggling motion. If the drum is still stuck, repeat Steps 1 and 2. If, after two attempts, the drum still will not come off, proceed to Step 3.
5Place a brake drum puller -- a large jawed puller -- over the brake drum, so the screw part contacts the vehicle's spindle or axle in the center of the drum and the pullers claws grab the rear lip of the drum.
6Tighten the drum puller's center screw, using a ratchet and socket, until the drum pops free. Pull the drum off the rear hub. Remove the drum puller from the drum.
7Line the lug stud holes on a new drum up with the lug studs on the vehicle's hub. Push the drum onto the hub, until the drum seats fully on the brake shoes -- slightly wiggling the drum while pushing it may aid in the installation process.
8Install the wheels back onto the vehicle's hubs and hand-tighten the lug nuts. Raise the vehicle off the jack stands, using the floor jack, and remove the jack stands. Lower the vehicle to the ground.
9Tighten the lug nuts, in a crisscrossing pattern, to the manufacturer's recommended torque specification -- available in your vehicle's owner's manual -- using a torque wrench and socket.
