drum brakes

When you stick one screwdriver in the back and lift the lever and the second screw driver in to move the wheel, which way are you pushing the wheel? Up or down? Or is there an easier way of getting the drum off?

Well, you would have to dual-probe that ratchet you are talking about. So, you would push that spring (away with one tool) that locks that screwdriver adjuster. You simply spin the adjuster one way and if the drum does not tighten and you turn to notice which direction you need to move, the adjuster is drawing the shoes back in and away from the drum is now you can remove the drum housing.

Sometimes rust will lock the drum on the housing is just take your foot and kick the drum itself to break the rust bond.

The little paddle is there to make sure it rachets only in the tightening direction. So, move the star wheel in the only direction it goes, then you know that loosening it would be the other way. Then you hold the locking mechanism out of the way and go the other way.

Drums should slide off with very little interference, so expect some other issues. If you let them go too long, they wear grooves into the drum requiring the procedure you're talking about.

You could start by trying to rotate the starwheel adjuster without holding the lever away from the adjuster. One way you will be able to spin the adjuster, one you won't. You need to then hold the lever out of the way and turn the adjuster in the direction that it would not turn before moving the lever out of the way.

-Rod

To add to spytearbite's post.

The adjusters have a right and left threads. From the back side you need to pull the star wheel down while holding the adjuster with another tool like spytearbite said.

If you've got the drum moving and it feels like the brake shoes are holding it on you will feel like springs are pulling back on you. However, if you can't budge the drum it's more than likely rusted to the hub. I've taken a big hammer to the drum (around the outside edge is different spots (around the outside edge is different spots) and have even gone as far as taken the blue tiped wrench (torch) to heat the drum to expand it to break the rust bond.

Regards

Dan

Very good point, LeSabre. Determining what is holding it on is a good starting point.