# Need help with rear brake drum removal



## gcturp (Feb 11, 2008)

I am trying to replace the rear brake shoes on a 1994 2WD truck. I am stuck at the point where I remove the drums. The following website: (REMOVAL & INSTALLATION)

Indicates that once the rim is off you just have to remove the drum - perhaps using some bolts in the two holes (see fig 1 and 2 on the above link) to get a better 'grip' or 'lever' to un-stick it.

Although, somewhere else I read about a 'keeper bolt' which would be the other hole (not labeled in the above link) which is closer to the center of the wheel - about 1-2 inches from the center.

Which is correct? If the off-center (single whole, near the center) is access to a 'keeper bolt', what type of tool (hex wrench? screwdriver?). The hole is visible with the rim/tire on (hub cab off though).

Also, the drums have never been off in 16 years. . .

Thanks for your help.


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## Grug (Aug 20, 2009)

Have you tried adjusting the brake shoes down and away from the inner surface of the drum? There's an access hole on the brake backing plate that should have a rubber plug in it. From under the truck, use a screwdriver to try and adjust the brakes off (there are adjusting stars in there). If I remember correctly, you have to make the adjusting stars go down to loosen and up to tighten.

If you don't have any luck with the adjusting stars, then screw two bolts into the front of the drum (the two threaded holes between the wheel nut studs) and it will push the drum off the axle. Screw the two bolts in small amounts each time. Keep in mind that if your brake pads aren't adjusted down, you might score them up a little as you push the drum off when you screw the bolts in.

However, I'm thinking if those drums haven't been off in 16 years, there's not gonna' be a whole lot left of your brake shoes anyway.

Whatever you do, don't try and jam a srewdriver in between the drum and the backing plate and lever the drum off...you'll bend the backing plate.

Hope that makes sense.


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## zanegrey (Dec 5, 2005)

uesually if the brake shoes are not too far extended a sharp blow with a 3 lbs hammer to the face of the drum will knock it loose...


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## gcturp (Feb 11, 2008)

Well - I got the drums off and I replaced the shoes (and all of the minor hardware - springs, pins, etc).

I used to M8 x 1.25 bolts like mentioned in the above response to my original question. I didn't want to try a hammer too much because I was worried I would hit a lug bolt. From my original post I mention 2 possible directions on doing this: 1 way to do it is according to the nissan website (posted in my earlier post) and 'another' way, which I read from 'ehow.com'. the 'ehow.com' was wrong - I guess this is a warning to others - trust this site, not a generic website.

Anyway, I still have a problem and I am hoping for some advice: My parking break doesn't work and I cannot tell if the rear brakes are working either. The proper directions call for 'adjusting the brakes' and/or even bleeding the brake line. But, I thought that setting the parking brake would eventually set the brakes. I engaged the parking brake a number of times, but it isn't increasing the tension at all.

So - 
do I have to take the drums off again and reset the shoes outward with the starwheel?
should I be able to just do this from the rear of the wheel, with a screwdriver?
do I really have to bleed the brake lines?
did I do something wrong with the parking brake attachment when I changed the shoes?

Thanks for your replies (past and future) - me and my truck appreciate it.


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## Grug (Aug 20, 2009)

Sounds like you made good progress with the brakes so far.

Well, I can't remember if the '94 has self-adjusting brakes (by pulling the parking brake on and off). If your brakes are self adjusting, there's a little mechanism attached to the adjusting stars that turns them whenever you pull the parking brake. Either way, you should adjust the shoes out before you install the drum. There is a connection within the drum between the parking brake and the shoes...maybe it became disconnected?

Did your parking brake work before you started up with this brake work?

You don't have to bleed the brakes if you never had the system opened which would allow air to enter. You didn't change a brake cylinder...right?

Keep us updated...we'll get it beat.


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## Grug (Aug 20, 2009)

Oops, forgot to mention one more thing. If your parking brake never worked to begin with then it could be seized, out of adjustment or disconnected at either end.

If it worked before but not now, then realistically you've disconnected something or need to make up the adjustment with the adjusting stars.

Hopefully, it's not seized from sitting around as cables aren't cheap.


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## gcturp (Feb 11, 2008)

The parking brake did work previously. I will take off the drum to do another visual inspection to see if something did 'disconnect', adjust the starwheel properly, etc. I took a bunch of digital photos while taking it apart, hopefully I can see something out of place. I won't do this until Saturday though. Thanks again.


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## Grug (Aug 20, 2009)

When you get the drum off, have a friend slowly pull the parking brake while you have a look and see what's happening. Make sure your friend doesn't push the brake pedal, though (while the drums is off)! 

Chances are your brakes are adjusted by pulling the parking brake. You might have to clean out the grooves of the starwheel to make sure the metal bracket is engaging each groove of the starwheel whenever the brake is pulled. 

Anyways, good luck and keep us posted.


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## gcturp (Feb 11, 2008)

Well, I got the parking brake fixed. I did two things and I am not sure which did the fix: 

(1) I readjusted each set of shoes with the star wheel adjuster. I tried to do it with a screwdriver - without removing the wheel and drum - but I found it easier to just take off the wheel and drum and adjust it to the point where I could barely get the drum back on. I am sure an expert, perhaps with a better tool, could do it through the access hole without removing the wheel.
(2) I also adjust the parking brake cable. There is a bolt/nut underneath the truck - best accessed near the passenger door - that can also tighten the brake (but not much).

I think (1) did the trick, but I'm not sure. Also, after doing all of the above I talked about this subject with my father-in-law, he mentioned that the 'self-adjusting' of rear brakes is often achieved by driving in REVERSE and then applying the brake. Perhaps someone else can comment on this - I will check this out the next time I change the rear brakes in about 16 more years. . .


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## Grug (Aug 20, 2009)

Yeah, I never had a whole lotta' luck with adusting brakes through the access hole on the backing plate.

As for adjusting the brakes by backing up and applying the brake...I don't think that's how the Nissan engineers designed it. On these trucks self-adjusting brakes, there's a metal bracket that engages the starwheel teeth and turns them everytime you pull the hand brake. Last time I had my drums off I had to clean out the grooves of the starwheels and bend the metal bracket a little so that it would properly engage. 

Your new back brake shoes will last a long time...a lot longer than the front pads.


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