You need to get that big nut off. It's very, very tight (or should be) which means you need to put the wheel back on, lower to floor, put in gear, yank the handbrake on (I know it doesn't work well) chock the wheel and if needed get some heavyweights to sit in the back. That's to stop the wheel turning with the nut. 46mm 3/4" drive socket + breaker bar extended with scaffold bar works for me - others cut the nut almost to the threads on one side which will loosen it. Once the nut is loose/off, jack up again, remove wheel. Then pull off the drum complete with the hub (the bit it's stuck on). You'll then find them very easy to seperate so make sure you don't damage the parts that flies out and hits the concrete.
Appreciate this is none of my business and I'll get flamed......but have you ever worked on drum brakes before? As in if you are struggling this much and don't have a manual, are the brakes the place where you want to cut your teeth? I know and whole heartedly support the notion that people should learn how to work these things, but sometimes the cleverest thing is recognising what's a good idea and what isn't...
Set against that is the van I have to work on today - brakes attended to by expert after which pedal went to the floor alarmingly and now the brakes are stuck in limbo - they work but not well. Customer camping locally on their way to ferry from Manchester. The Servo was replaced with new, but the old MC was used and appears to have given up the ghost. At least if you DIY you only have yourself to blame and have actually seen and had your hands on the bits.
Agree with all of that, one of the reasons I work on mine is lack of trust in most garages. Being honest, the point about the driveshaft and hub moving scared me, I know it's s negative stance but sometimes the elephant in the room does need to be pointed out. Im not having a crack at the op, I know many good home mechanics that don't touch brakes.
On the rear is two holes both appear to be adjustable although only one of them is. The other seems seized. Should I be able to adjust both?
Yes, both should adjust. They're probably really old, and really rusted. Which is why it's easier to remove the drums normally.
I think judging by the state of rust there, you need to go the big socket and hub nut route with the bus on the ground and the big breaker bar, take it all apart, clean replace and then buy new backing plates as well. # The backing plates come off but are a git because there are two bolts (adjuster fixings) and one metal pin that is a friction fit in the casting that the backing plate sits on. However, if you poke a long thin strong metal bar - like a screwdriver without a blade - through the adjuster holes, and make sure it is resting on the inside of the drum, and bang on it with a hammer, you actually have another way of trying to drive the drum off the hub Bang it, turn the drum 90 degrees and repeat.
Give the adjuster a spray with plus gas through the hole and leave to soak for an hour Putting a flat bladed screwdriver on the adjuster then giving a slight tap with a small hammer alternating in either direction of the adjuster should free it off You can spray a litte more plus gas on it as you go along You should then be able to back the shoes off and remove the drum
Dont have plus gas but used some lubricant with the very idea to sit a flat head on the spoke and try and free it up. No joy so far. Its seized good and hard. Will work on it, agreed it will probably be best to replace the whole lot it and when I get the drum off.
The brakes have probably made a grove in the drum or the drum is stuck on the hub ,I don't think you will move the adjusta just break the teeth... last resort is taking the piston off and brake line ,if you have groves in the hub everything will pull off with the drum...
try to look at the gaps where the wheel bolts are, you may see which side is sticking more ,if they remain the same it is stuck on the hub...
Why? Because an adjuster needs freeing off? They almost always do because there should be a cover on the adjuster hole, which won't fit because the adjust hole has got bigger with all the prising.
New back plate then? Most people actually just live with it. If you clean up, copperslip and adjust your brakes as often as you should, you shouldn't have a problem. On the other hand, all new brakes looks satisfyingly engineery and may give you more peace of mind.
