The drums on my '87 4Runner are stuck. Really stuck. I tried to use jack bolts in the drum, but it stripped the threads. I'm pretty sure it's the handbrake, as the brake cables are loose at the brakes, but the handle is disengaged. I tried tapping on the drums, drug it behind my tractor a little ways, (it won't start at the moment), and tried turning them with a breaker bar. Has anyone seen this before? I can loosen the shoes, but if the handbrake is stuck, I don't think that will help.

 

I've seen people use an angle grinder and a cut off wheel to remove the drums. Most will cut a slot all the way through at the edged then score a line to the center. They do that on both sides. Then hammer a chisel into the slot as wedge and ti cracks in 2.

I think you could cut a small section out the drum out at the bottom where there is little brake mechanism. You would have access to the parking brake cable attachment. or could rotate the wheel to the top to allow access to the brake shoe tension mechanism.

From what I've seen the cast drums cut easily.

 

just use a sledgehammer. pound the drum edge all around (from the mounting side). eventually, the shoes will release from the vibration, and the drum will come off. you can also use a hammer to return the parking brake bellcrank lever back to its "release" position, which might help in allowing the shoes to unstick. to clarify - whack the drum on the flat surface, near the wheel studs. don't whack it on the finned/curved portion of the circumerence.

 

might be difficult, if the brakes are indeed frozen...

 

Thanks, guys. I actually managed to get a wedge behind the drum at the axle face on the drivers side, and it popped off. The passenger side I managed to pull off after popping it with a hammer some. It looks like the shoes had stuck to the drums.