94 Escort break question

[Lilbubblebutt]

I am trying to replace my rear breaks, and they have two screw in the break drum, they are very rusty and want to strip out, I want to know if I drill them do i need new screws?

[mightymoose_22]

No... you won'e NEED to replace them.
You should use an imact driver to remove those screws if they are not too stripped yet. An impact driver would have taken them out with no problem.

[Lilbubblebutt]

well i got the breaks apart and the new shoes on and now i cant get the drum back on... help me...

[Davescort97]

The parking brake quadrant adjusts the shoes so the drums can be put on. There's the wheel cylinder at the top, just below that is the top spring for the shoes and below that is the parking brake quadrant. It's two pieces held together by a spring. Stick a screwdriver in there between the two parts and adjust the cam so the shoes will be retracted enough to get the drum back on.

[Lilbubblebutt]

ok i got that now i have a big problem... I have a stripped breakline nut... and the pervious owners did a terrible job with the breaks, how do i get the nut out now?

[mightymoose_22]

which nut are you talking about? the bleeder valve?

[Lilbubblebutt]

no, it is the nut, ok well you have your breaks then behind them is the high pressure line, the line that hooks to that leads to a little bracket in the center of the car hooked to the frame that 3 other lines come out of, i cut the line off hoping that if i got a socket on it, it might come out so i could get the new break line on, but i had no luck... the nut striped and now i cant get it out, i would try heating it up but it is right under my gas tank... any tips?!!?

[Davescort97]

Spray some penetratiing oil on it and let it soak in. Tap the fitting with a small hammer to get the oil in there and working. Put some vise grips on the nut. Another thing is you might be able to get a grip on it with a six point socket if you've got one. Good luck. You are in fairly deep on this one.

[Lilbubblebutt]

well before i quit yester day i doused it in pb blaster and yes i am in far with this one, as soon as i get that out though, i can finish the job in line 15 minutes... thank you

[Davescort97]

I didn't mean any offense. I'm in awe that you did your own brakes. I gotta admire that. I'm sure it will be fine. Let us know how you came out on it.

[mightymoose_22]

Ditto on the vise grips... two pair if you can... one for a tight grip on the nut and the other for a tight grip on whatever the nut is holding the line to... then just push in opposite directions.

[Lilbubblebutt]

ok i'll give it a try! thanks guys, i'll let youknow what happens...

[Lilbubblebutt]

I tryed the methods mentioned, but it didnt help... so any more ideas, I am getting a little frustrated, i would have taken it to a garage, but i in no way have $500 - $700 dollars to fix the rear breaks and two lines...

[Davescort97]

Lets back up for a moment. Is there a flexible line going into the brake block with the two steel lines going to each wheel? Did you try two pairs of vise grips on it? One pair to hold the brake block and the other pair to try to get the line or lines loose? Are they rusted together? Did you try the PB blaster? It didn't do any good? They say if there's a will there's a way. I don't know what to tell you. $700 is way too high for what you need done. It shouldn't be more than $80 per axle to do the brakes and $50 to get the lines loose. Ok here's what to do. If you can get the part off that the steel lines go into you could take it to the Ford parts place and get a new one. Then you could put your new lines into it. Do you think you could get the flexible line that goes into the brake block loose? Then get a new brake block (the part that all the lines go into) and put your lines into it?