98 Rodeo Rear Drum Brakes

[badger6]

OK, got a 1998 rodeo V6 with about 150K miles on it that my kid has been driving. Come to find out that the rear drivers side drum brakes have been grinding pretty bad for a month or more. The rear brakes have never been changed on this thing and I have a feeling the drum is trashed by the sound of it. So I went out and got a couple new drums, new spring set, and shoes. The passenger side drum just comes off but the drivers side feels like it has the pads holding it on. What is the easiest way to get the drum off without breaking something ? I've done plenty of disk brakes in the past but this is the first time I've attempted to change drums. Any advice anyone can give me ?

[amigo-2k]

Typically there is a access hole on the back side that you can adjust the pads back so they don't catch.

[badger6]

Thanks, got em done. Metal to metal and couldn't get the shoes backed off enough. The auto adjusters were all the way open and the damn adjuster screw was too hard to turn with all the rusty drum dust. A crow bar and a 3 lb hammer and an hour later in 95 degree heat got it off. I thought that I tore some shit up in there but come to find out that there isn't much to tear up. There was a quarter inch lip on the drum, but I guess that we already knew that, ha ha. One more question though, in the process of beating the hell out of and ripping that drum off. The front side of the wheel cylinder and spring popped out and started leaking fluid. I just put it back together and everything seems to work ok. The pedal just seems to go to the floor more and be a bit spongy. I'm guessing that I just need to bleed the brakes ?

Got another issue with engine starting but I'll start a new thread.

[sdsisuzu]

Most likely you are going to need to replace that rear brake cylinder, then bleed the brakes. The rear brake cylinder should be around $20