Passenger side rear brake sticks from time to time. I have decided to change the rear drum brakes. I have never messed with drum brakes before, any help would be appreciated.

i advise you to take a picture of the whole assembly to use it for reference... maybe put some paint stripes on the springs so u know , and pay attention to EXACT placement of EVERYTHING

i advise you to take a picture of the whole assembly to use it for reference... maybe put some paint stripes on the springs so u know , and pay attention to EXACT placement of EVERYTHING

TAKE A PICTURE-HA! just do one side of the car at a time. Use the other side as your reference. Also a Haynes manual can be handy, has photos plus hints on how to remove hold down springs, and even how to remove the drum(they can be tricky if they have a ridge worn inside).

Good Luck.

or he could take a picture of it for reference and not have to get up and walk around the car everytime he gets confused

He is probably completed the job by now but I took the pictures. Then found that they were not the right angles to do me much good. If you take pictures, take several shots at several angles. The hubs can hide the springs you want to look at. The Haynes manual helped me a lot.

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Is the drum just essentially a free part once you get the lugs and rim off? Should it just come off, and if it doesn't and there is a lot of rust, is it rusted on?

I can't seem to get mine off; I have to change my rear brakes.

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Is the drum just essentially a free part once you get the lugs and rim off? Should it just come off, and if it doesn't and there is a lot of rust, is it rusted on?

I can't seem to get mine off; I have to change my rear brakes.

The drums are often times hard to get off. Sometimes you have to back off the adjusters because it's catching on the ring that has worn in. This will make it a lot easier to get the drums off.

The drums are often times hard to get off. Sometimes you have to back off the adjusters because it's catching on the ring that has worn in. This will make it a lot easier to get the drums off.

How do I do that?

There's a starwheel on the adjuster toward the bottom of the Drum. You have to access it from the blacking plate usually.

There's a starwheel on the adjuster toward the bottom of the Drum. You have to access it from the blacking plate usually.

Can I do significant damage if I continue to wack on it with a mallet trying to get it off?