My 1998 K1500 drum brake stuck.

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

jay1039

Newbie
Joined
Feb 17, 2012
Messages
4
Reaction score
0
I am trying to change my drum brakes on my 1998 Chevy K1500 and cannot get the drums off. The emergency brake is not engaged and I can move it back and forth but it will not pull off. Has anyone else encountered this problem? Any info on how to solve this problem would be appreciated. Thanks
 

alpinecrick

I'm Awesome
Joined
Jun 12, 2015
Messages
1,614
Reaction score
1,695
Location
Western Slope of Colorado
The shoes have worn into the drum and created a ridge. Take a big friggin' hammer (like a small sledge--or a big sledge) and beat each side of the drum where the shoes sit. Wear ear plugs........
This should make the shoes retract enough to slide the drum off.
 

Supercharged111

Truly Awesome
Joined
Aug 20, 2015
Messages
12,615
Reaction score
15,240
Could also try rotating the drum as you pull it off to get the shoes up on that ridge.
 

Vanishing Point

I'm Awesome
Joined
Mar 4, 2018
Messages
105
Reaction score
126
Location
Glendora, CA 91740
If none of the above answers work for you, you can also try and back-off the star adjuster through a slot (if you have one) on the bottom back of the backing plate. And with a brake spoon and or screwdriver pushing and spinning on the ratcheting pawl mechanism in a downward motion to help loosen the drum as you spin it, this way if it tighten's up and drum no longer spins, you'll know you went in the wrong direction in losing it.
 

jay1039

Newbie
Joined
Feb 17, 2012
Messages
4
Reaction score
0
I did beat on it with a small sledge and nothing. I have 2 little slots at the bottom of the back plate but looks like there is metal blocking the slots. Should I punch them out with a screwdriver to get to the adjuster?
 

Old Fart

Newbie
Joined
Mar 9, 2024
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
Location
Scribner NE
I am trying to change my drum brakes on my 1998 Chevy K1500 and cannot get the drums off. The emergency brake is not engaged and I can move it back and forth but it will not pull off. Has anyone else encountered this problem? Any info on how to solve this problem would be appreciated. Thanks
Get a bigger hammer. Worked for me. Put your lug nuts back on to not damage the threads. I used a 16 lb sledge working around the outer portion of the drum. Don't be afraid to HIT it!
 

Old Fart

Newbie
Joined
Mar 9, 2024
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
Location
Scribner NE
I did beat on it with a small sledge and nothing. I have 2 little slots at the bottom of the back plate but looks like there is metal blocking the slots. Should I punch them out with a screwdriver to get to the adjuster?
The bigger Hammer work for me look on your drum and see if there are two holes in the drum if there is get ahttps://youtu.be/Po-WXqIKjHQ?si=TwvmMHWM_7kFhfVW 8x1.125 course three grade 8
 

Deancr11

OBS Enthusiast
Joined
Sep 29, 2020
Messages
94
Reaction score
177
Location
Texas
Sometimes it takes patients and finesse other times it takes beating the hell out of it
 

Schurkey

Supporting Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Jan 14, 2018
Messages
10,969
Reaction score
13,748
Location
The Seasonally Frozen Wastelands
Beating the drum is hard on the wheel bearing, and potentially hard on the axle shaft and C-clips.

That said...it's done all the time. Ideally, you'd hit it from the back-side of the drum more than the front or the shoe-contact side, to minimize problems with the bearings and maximize the force separating the drum from the axle shaft, which it's probably rusted-to.

I used to see a lot of problems with drums carved and gouged leaving a huge ridge at the open-end. The ridge would catch on the side of the brake shoes, preventing removal. I don't see a lot of that any more, but it can still happen. Then there's little choice but to retract the adjuster so the shoes clear the ridge, or--in extreme cases--grinding the heads off of the brake nails so the shoes can pop off of the backing plates when the drum comes off.
 
Top