Hi all,

I've been working on my wife's '99 Chevy Venture van all day - trying to get the rear brake drum off of the passenger side of the car... I'm afraid that the shoes are up into the drum, and are preventing the drum from being removed from the hub.

Now.. the Haynes manual says to remove the little vent plug, and use a screwdrivet to push the emergency brake connect out of place so that it'll provide a bit of slack and allow the drum to come off... well.. no dice.. the drum is pretty much stuck there... Is there a tool for doing this? (maybe something like a steeringwheel puller - but big for brake drums?)

THe driver's side drum came off with no problems - so I got the brake shoes changed on that side.. but the passenger side still needs to be taken care of..

Thanks in advance for any ideas or direction..

Rex S.

 

Very rarely have I ever had a rear drum come off easy. I usually end up beating and prying on any of the ones that I have had to change to get them off.

That is why I am glad to say that I don't have a primary drum brake in the driveway any longer. Once I get working on my Chevelle, it won't have drum brakes either. They are just a pain to deal with.