# Drum Brake Frustration!!!



## alexeilb (Feb 26, 2011)

I have a 2011 1.8L with 125,000 miles, I recently replaced cam seals, cam solenoid, timing belt, water pump, thermostat with housing, new transmission cooler lines, new hoses, wire covers and all fluids. One thing I cant freakin remove is the ****** DRUM :evil3::evil3: I removed the access plug but cannot find or see the adjusting wheel anywhere, I used claw pullers to no avail. How do you retract the **** shoes???


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## mikestony (Jan 17, 2013)

Should be closer to the top of the backing plate just under the wheel cylinder.

See pic for reference.


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## alexeilb (Feb 26, 2011)

mikestony said:


> Should be closer to the top of the backing plate just under the wheel cylinder.
> 
> See pic for reference.
> 
> View attachment 259170


I will feel so dumb if that is the case, I will go take a closer look. So far I only found one rubber plug.


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## mikestony (Jan 17, 2013)

alexeilb said:


> I will feel so dumb if that is the case, I will go take a closer look. So far I only found one rubber plug.


Well, since my reply I did some more looking around. I found a picture of the backing plate, but see no access hole for that star adjuster. I thought, "sheesh, really??"

Let me do some more digging...


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## alexeilb (Feb 26, 2011)

mikestony said:


> Well, since my reply I did some more looking around. I found a picture of the backing plate, but see no access hole for that star adjuster. I thought, "sheesh, really??"
> 
> Let me do some more digging...


Just went to my garage to double check, there isn't  I thought that was strange too. The access hole is more towards the bottom left. Thank you!!

I am not even sure what that access hole is supposed to give you access to.


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## mikestony (Jan 17, 2013)

alexeilb said:


> Just went to my garage to double check, there isn't  I thought that was strange too. The access hole is more towards the bottom left. Thank you!!
> 
> I am not even sure what that access hole is supposed to give you access to.


wow, yeah me either. 
Does it move at all?
Do you think it's hung up on the shoes (lip on drum) or is it stuck onto the hub?


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## alexeilb (Feb 26, 2011)

mikestony said:


> wow, yeah me either.
> Does it move at all?
> Do you think it's hung up on the shoes (lip on drum) or is it stuck onto the hub?


It moves slightly, it's not stuck on the hub but rather hung up on the shoes.

Kinda stuck here, not sure what to do. I guess replacing the entire unit as a whole is an option.

Maybe make my own access hole??


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## mikestony (Jan 17, 2013)

alexeilb said:


> It moves slightly, it's not stuck on the hub but rather hung up on the shoes.
> 
> Kinda stuck here, not sure what to do. I guess replacing the entire unit as a whole is an option.


BFH? 
I'll probably be in the same boat as you when it comes time to do my rear brakes. I got a 2012 with 130,000 on it and have not done rear brakes yet 

This may be asking the obvious, but is your parking brake released?


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## alexeilb (Feb 26, 2011)

mikestony said:


> BFH?
> I'll probably be in the same boat as you when it comes time to do my rear brakes. I got a 2012 with 130,000 on it and have not done rear brakes yet
> 
> This may be asking the obvious, but is your parking brake released?


Haven't tried the hammer yet, maybe that will do. The parking brake is off, I made sure to place a wheel stop at the front, two jack stands, and a tire underneath lol 

I actually replace my shoes at around 70,000 miles, recently however they've been making alot of noise.

I'll take a closer look at the backing plate, maybe take a grinder and notch a small access hole. Whatever I do and manage to take it off, I'll definitely share it with you.


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## alexeilb (Feb 26, 2011)

BFH did not work


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## cyclewild (Aug 14, 2013)

Are you replacing the drum? If not, you really don't want to grind a hole in it.


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## mikestony (Jan 17, 2013)

cyclewild said:


> Are you replacing the drum? If not, you really don't want to grind a hole in it.


I think he meant grinding a hole in the backing plate.

If not, agree with you and not hacking the drum itself


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## Blasirl (Mar 31, 2015)

:sigh: subscribed

Just in case:

*How to Adjust Rear Drum Brakes

*<strong>



He starts to adjust about 16:16


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## Robby (Mar 1, 2013)

There is a ridge of rust that develops in the drum about 1/16" wide at the outer edge....where the shoes do not touch.
You are catching on this ridge.

Two options.
1. Get to the park brake cable adjuster and give it some slack, allowing the shoes to retract further.
2. If the ridge isn't too extreme, and you are replacing the shoes regardless of condition, just pry it off using screwdrivers or something like a slender prybar x 2.....rocking the drum left/right......the rust ridge may bite bits off the old shoes, but you are replacing them.

As far as the drums, once off, use a rattail file to knock off the ridge.......this procedure should take place annually when performing your inspection/adjustment.......the ridge never gets bad enough to restrict removal in one years time.

Good luck!
Rob


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## alexeilb (Feb 26, 2011)

cyclewild said:


> Are you replacing the drum? If not, you really don't want to grind a hole in it.


Yes I am replacing the drum, shoes and hardware, only thing I am not replacing is the master cylinder dont feel like bleeding the brakes again, did that not too long ago already. What I meant was to make an access hole on the backing plate and later plug it, or grind off the hold-down pins from the back. Before I do that I have one more thing I want to try with the jaw puller. 



Robby said:


> There is a ridge of rust that develops in the drum about 1/16" wide at the outer edge....where the shoes do not touch.
> You are catching on this ridge.
> 
> Two options.
> ...


I think the ridge is pretty bad, the drum comes off towards the top but not the bottom half it just gets caught on something. I've tried a jaw puller, hammer, brake cleaner. I am at a point where I may just take it some place to have it done only problem is that I don't trust any other place to do the job right and is not as fun.


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## alexeilb (Feb 26, 2011)

Ok I have decided, I will either drill my own access hole in the back of the drum plate or drill out the holding pins. Called a few places around and was quoted between $200-$300, no thank you.

Will take pictures and post back later.


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## alexeilb (Feb 26, 2011)

Alright, so I finally found some time to try and remove the Holddown pins from the rear of the drum, I was successful in removing them but the drum still wont come off..... Drum has backed off tad bit more than it did before, but is still caught up. Took some pictures for your pleasure (see attached)





















Yes I know I am a total dumbass, I saw a youtube video where a guy had the same issue and simply removed the holddown pins 

I think the shoes are caught on the lip of the drum and also on the plate as pictured. 









https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGsa-XVhGPo

By the way I got all the hardware and spring to replace, I just need these suckers off.


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## snowwy66 (Nov 5, 2017)

There's no master cylinder inside the drums. They're called wheel cylinders. 

What i used to do. Was 2 screw drivers. 1 on top and 1 on the bottom. Pry the drum off from top to bottom to top. Big screwdrivers too. Not little ones. Course, you guys are going 100k plus miles. Grinding off them pins might be the only course of action. Hardware kits aren't that expensive. 

You might also try prying the top as much as possible. That might get you enough clearance to get to the adjuster and spin it back in. 

That peep hole on the side is used to examining brake thickness. I don't see how that would be possible though in the position it's in. They started doing away with adjusters at the bottom decades ago. And for awhile. Had no hole. I"m not sure what model cars, if any, would still have bottom adjusters. These days.


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## alexeilb (Feb 26, 2011)

Finally got the drum off, not without damaging the wheel cylinder and nicking and bending the backing plate by prying at it. May need to order new backing plate


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## mikestony (Jan 17, 2013)

alexeilb said:


> Finally got the drum off, not without damaging the wheel cylinder and nicking and bending the backing plate by prying at it. May need to order new backing plate


yikes! Were the shoes indeed caught on the drum lip?


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## alexeilb (Feb 26, 2011)

mikestony said:


> alexeilb said:
> 
> 
> > Finally got the drum off, not without damaging the wheel cylinder and nicking and bending the backing plate by prying at it. May need to order new backing plate /forum/images/smilies/frown.png
> ...


They sure were, very deep too. I went ahead and ordered new backing plate too, might as well replace that.


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## hwew (Apr 6, 2018)

GM sure messed up on the Cruze drum setup. Someone got paid off. It’s a shame.

I want to share how to get these drums off.
If they won’t slide off, the only way I figured out to get drums off without the risk of damaging the backing plate and other parts is:

• Get a 4-1/2” right angle grinder
• Get 4-1/2” cut off disks

1– measure 1/2” back from the face of the drum on the outer circumference of the drum.

2– cut through the drum around the whole circumference of the drum until the drum is completely cut through.

3– take hold of the face and pull it off.

4– now you can get to the adjuster. Back it off completely and pull the rest of the drum off.


It’s that simple. It only took 10 minutes per side.


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## Blasirl (Mar 31, 2015)

hwew said:


> GM sure messed up on the Cruze drum setup. Someone got paid off. It’s a shame.
> 
> I want to share how to get these drums off.
> If they won’t slide off, the only way I figured out to get drums off without the risk of damaging the backing plate and other parts is:
> ...


Pretty extreme, but effective. Where have you been for the last four plus years?


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## hwew (Apr 6, 2018)

It might seem extreme but, the drums are shot anyways. These days it’s not worth turning most drums. It’s best to replace them.

Came back here because I ran into the same problem that many mechanics and homeowners have with getting the drums off a Cruze. After reading about this issue, I took time off to think about it. The next morning I came up with the idea I’ve written above and decided to try it. It worked like a charm.

“At times you have to think out of the box”
Text books don’t teach this. Farmers have been doing this for over a 100 years. Forty or Fifty years of hands on experience is a great teacher.

Did you know that some of the best welders NASA had working on the Apollo program in the 1960’s were farmers? Hats off to the farmers.

I’m a retired manufacturing technician. My job was to come up with solutions to fix issues in manufacturing.
Not a glorified job and butt heads with some engineers. Came up with many fixes and had a very good success rate.

Back to the Cruze. I’m curious, how others were taking the drums off?
I’ve tried methods written here like, removing brake cable clip that couples both cables. And, released shoe holding pins on the backing plate. Nothing worked and, I was not going to take a sledgehammer and pry bars to force it off. When slamming the drum with a sledgehammer it puts lots of shock on wheel hub bearings. And the probability of distorting the backing plate and drum when slamming and prying. It seems like cutting them is the safest and easiest way without damaging other components.

From what I’ve read all over the internet, there is no solution. I hope this Shop Tip will help others.


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