Seized brake shoe on back brake

[john279]

One of my back brakes is seized.

The car has been sitting off-road & not driven for nearly 5 months.
Have tried pushing, bumping car, but car is not moving.

Took back wheels off, both back brakes were seized.

One I managed to release by hammering brake drum with rubber mallet.

The other back brake won't budge.

Have even tried few tugs by towing car, but that wheel is not moving.
I marked the wheels with white tippex, could see that wheel didn't budge, was just dragged on floor, other 3 wheels rotated.

I'll probably have to prise off the brake drum & release/replace the seized mechanism.

But the the inner part of the drum is surrounded by a shield/rim, so not sure how I can prise/bash the drum out, as that inner shield/rim is in the way.

Any advice or suggestions on how to release the seized brake or get the drum off ??
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[frank]

john, it,s only the shoes stuck to the drum, hit it hard ( and not with a rubber mallet )

 

[john279]

john, it,s only the shoes stuck to the drum, hit it hard ( and not with a rubber mallet )

I've hit it with hammer & block of wood as well.
The rubber mallet is a big mallet & is pretty hard.

How hard is hard ??
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[frank]

I've hit it with hammer & block of wood as well.

How hard is hard ??
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john, the drum is cast iron, so you could bust it if you hit it in the wrong spot, hit the wheel (near the nuts) very hard, if needed

 

[john279]

john, the drum is cast iron, so you could bust it if you hit it in the wrong spot, hit the wheel (near the nuts) very hard, if needed

You mean with wheel on ??

I was hitting the drum hard with hammer with block of wood in between.

Hitting into drum & also in circular motion on wheel nut studs.

The other drum freed up with a few goes like this, this one isn't doing the same.

Haynes manual says there is hole on back of drum, where you can pull back spring toggle lever & rotate star wheel to contract shoes.
But it's difficult to get to.

 

[Micra 110]

Any advice or suggestions on how to release the seized brake or get the drum off ??
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If any vehicle is going to be left that long then the best thing to do is to leave the Handbrake off, chock the wheels and leave it in Gear.

The rear Brake on on a micra will start seizing after about 2 weeks as I found out....now it's in the Garage with the wheels chocked

There isn't a little screw holding the Drum on?

 

[boyracergt]

you tried a slide hammer?

 

[esha]

Just had a car in work with the same kinda problem, but on this one the shoe lining had come off the metal and had wedged the drum tight, only way we could get the drum off was to drill the springs out, by this i mean on the back of the drum are two small metal pin heads, if you drill the top of one of those off, you maybe able to get eneough movement to pull the drum off, of course you will then need to get a new fitting kit

 

[john279]

john, the drum is cast iron, so you could bust it if you hit it in the wrong spot, hit the wheel (near the nuts) very hard, if needed

It worked, hooray !!! (Y)

I went to garage around the corner, he said same as you, use hammer on front of drum, into the wheel.

I wacked it around the drum, then into the drum a few times & it was magically freed.

I didn't think it would work because the drum did turn a fraction before when I tried tightening/untightening a nut on one of the wheel studs. As the drum moved slightly I thought there must be some other internal problem with release mechanism.

I had also towed the car backwards & forwards with a few tugs.That seized wheel didn't budge & just dragged on the floor.

Ps: now I need to find missing rubber plugs for back of drums, not good that they are missing & water can get in.

 

[frank]

nice one john, how,s the engine running now ?

 

[john279]

nice one john, how,s the engine running now ?

We're almost there !!!!!!

Maybe even try to fire it up tomorrow, if the council man with his tow truck hasn't turned up before to try to remove it. He's visited me twice this week, that's keen.

Today I fitted exhaust manifold & downpipe, reconnected heater hoses, freed that wheel.

Tomorrow I'll fit the carb & inlet manifold, reconnect fuel lines, accelerator cable & remaining wires.

Fingers crossed, wish me luck.

 

[frank]

yes, good luck john :grinning: i hope the clutch has,nt stuck together (like the brake shoes did)

 

[john279]

yes, good luck john :grinning: i hope the clutch has,nt stuck together (like the brake shoes did)

It's an Automatic !!! (Y)

That's lucky, one less problem to find at the last minute.

 

[john279]

Lubricating front brake sliders with rubber seals

My car has just been through MOT, one of front brakes was binding.

When I checked it, one of sliders was stuck which I have freed & lubricated with some spray 3 in 1 oil & spray grease or castrol LM Grease. I decided to lubricate both sliders & main piston.

The sliders are covered with flexible rubber seals.

Should this be ok, as I have now seen there is Castrol Red Rubber Grease ?

When I pulled back rubber seals to lubricate underneath, didn't look like a red grease had been used.
Then again they probably haven't been lubricated for last 20 years since car was made.

I don't particularly want to redo this, cleaning out old grease, oilling/greasing with rubber grease.
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