Drum Removal Help.
 

I changed the front rotors last night and on to changing the drums in the rear but cannot seem to get them to come off.

I have a search and this is all I can find.
This doesn't help because I can't see into the hole because the strut is in way and I have no idea which side the lever is on. All I can see is the star shaped adjuster.

I have tried turning the star adjusting bolt in either direction but I can only seem to turn it 3 notches in either direction before it becomes to hard to turn. And to make problems worse I have no idea what direction the bolt faces so I have no idea what direction clockwise is.

So all I have managed to do is make it so I can no longer spin the drum, which means I have only accomplished in making it harder to get off.

Can some one give me some direction here. If it helps I'm currently working on the passenger side.

well first off, adjust it back so that you can spin the drum.

second, there are two threaded holes in the face of the drum. get two 10or12mm bolts (not sure on the size), and thread them in those holes evenly. it will come right off.

I've turned the adjuster back the opposite direction and the drum still doesn't turn.

Just to get this out of the way the truck is not in gear and the parking brake is not on.

ok its not a big deal really. just do the above procedure and it should come off.

Thanks. I'm going to the hardware store now.

They are M8 or M10 bolts 1.25 thread pitch, pretty sure they are M8's.

Get the bolts, it's the easiest way to get them off.

You can use 2 M8-1.25 bolts, about 50mm long in the two threaded holes (lube with anti-seize compound) and slowly tighten the bolts. Alternate between the two doing maybe 1/4 to 1/2 turn on each to jack the drum off. If that does not work, what I have done is to pull the axle out (4 nuts hold the backing plate to the axle housing, disconnect the e-brake cable and brake hardline) then pull the shaft out and drop it down, studs first, onto a hard surface. Gradually raise the drop height until the drum starts to slide off.

Sorry, my keyboard messed up and missed the"2" in the 1.25 mm thread pitch.

np, the size i described were the bolt head sizes. not actual thread dimensions

Are you sure they are 1.5? Thought they were 1.25 pitch.....

x2 - this has worked for me in the past..

Well since I live in Vermont these drums are so rusty that the thread gave out before the drums came off. Can anyone describe how to use the adjuster bolt?

If threading the bolts into the drum doesn't work, give it some good hits with a BFG. I just freed up my drum last week and it was frustrating because both holes were stripped, so I just kept hitting the drums.

The adjuster works by turning the adjusting gear (which you said you could see), the trouble is finding the spring lever to push out of the way so you can back-off the adjustment which retracts the shoes. In my case the lever was bent, so i tried to straighten it out when I finally got the drum off.

I was reading this thread when I had to do my drum.

Option 1: Hit the hell out of it with a hammer
Option 2: Hit the hell out of it somemore with a hammer
Option 3: Screw bolts into the drum to push it off.
Option 4: Hit the freakin hell out of it with a hammer
Option 5: Pry it off with a screw driver
Option 6: Adjust brake to loosen
Option 7: Hit it with a mother freakin hammer
Option 8: Cut it off
Final Option:........ Jaws of life

Can anyone tell me how to find the "automatic adjusting lever" with a screwdriver. The only thing I've managed to do is tighten my shoes to the point of not being able to drive my truck anymore. It's like the parking brake is permanently on now.

Turn it back the other way?

I can't turn it back the other way, the automatic adjusting lever stops them from adjusting that way.

Not the one with the red line, but see at the upper left where its patially covering the adjustment wheel?

http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/7...kedrumdrum.jpg

I'm just trying to find out where this plate is in proximity to the star wheel. Is it above, below, to the back of the car or towards the front of the vehicle?

havent done this in a long time....see that elephant head shaped plate, you cant see the whole adjuster wheel in the picture because its blocking part of it. i think thats whats catching the wheel, you need to follow the above instructions and push that plate toward the lugnuts/outward while simutaneously turning the star. I hope this helps and is correct as i have only done this once and it was about 18 yrs ago......weird, out of all the toyotas i have owned, i have never had to change rear brakes.