right rear drum

[lethermeat]

i am trying to change rear brakes on a 01 taurus, but the right rear drum will not come off. left drum came off nicely with a 1lb hammer and little effort, but the left resists heat and a 2lb hammer. while rotating the assembly it sounds and feels as though i have a broken spring (it stops @ the same point in every revolution and only with a large screwdriver or tire iron will it pass that point. any help?

[mwt]

There is an oblong rubber grommett in the back oull it off and get a screwdriver and stick it in there. Ther is a star adjuster you turn turn it until the rotor is easier to rotate and then it should come off

Mike

[lethermeat]

Originally Posted by mwt

There is an oblong rubber grommett in the back oull it off and get a screwdriver and stick it in there. Ther is a star adjuster you turn turn it until the rotor is easier to rotate and then it should come off

Mike

I have removed it but judging by the drivers side the star wheel is unidirectional. when inserting the screwdriver into the slot will the handle have to go from top to bottom, or bottom to top to retract (suck in) the shoes?

[mwt]

I can't remember which side goes which way.

Turn it and it will eventually either let the drum slide off or ou will bottom out the adjustment and the drum will be tight.
Mike

[Banjoman10]

To MWT: You don't know what you are talking about. The star wheel is UNIDIRECTONAL. The brake adjuster lever supposed to be disengaged to make it go the other direction. As to how, I have no clue, The Hayes manual I have is useless. Essentially it is useless to virtually any problem from Tauris yr. 2000 and up, even though it has the (bogus) label "Taurus and Sable '96 to '01". I'm sorry, I spent the money back then, on it. I have changed rear shoes on other makes before, without the slightest difficulty. This Ford design is hightmarish, even though we are talking about 50 old technology, if not more. The older my Tauruses get, and the more I have to work on them, the more disgusted I get with the sometimes shockingly inadequate and literally stupid design. I don't know, what is the criteria to get hired at Ford, but intelligence is surely not one of them.