Inspecting and bleeding drum brakes?

drum brakes bleed the same way except your bleeding the brake piston cylinders and not calipers, same bleeding rotation as disc brakes as farthest away from the master cylinder first, inspect the rubber seals on the brake piston cylinders for leakage and if they are you need to either rebuild the cylinder or replace it.

On the back the drum should just pull off after the wheel is taken off, if it doesn't want to come off you need to look on the back of the backing plate for 2 rubber inserts and take them out and look in the hole and you will see a gear wheel, the wheel has to be turned downward to loosen the pads from the drum, there is also a locking plate that has to be pushed out of the way for the gear to turn downwards, insert screwdriver and push locking plate out of the way and then you can turn the gear.

On the front brakes you have to remove center dust cap, cotter pin,locking plate, nut, and then pull the drum off, the outside wheel bearing will also come out when you pull the drum off.

Drum Brakes hugh?

Is this a car or a truck? Let's go first of all what does the fluid look like in the master cylinder? Is it Black, Brown or clear? Any thing less than clear gets (contaminated with water and dissolving rubber parts in the brake system. if this vehicle has been sitting More than 5 years the plan on going through the whole SYSTEM. the brake systems of the early 60;s and 70's some times used both front and rear self adjusting brakes and the people who worked on them did not understand their principles so the adjuster parts got tossed. Look out for rusted lines and deteriorating rubber brake hoses. if you do find any of the above look for pitting in the master and wheel cylinders when you are ready to reassemble the system go for D.O.T. 5 brake fluid it does not absorb moisture from the air like D.O.T. 3&4 fluids do. Yes the bleeding is the same as the generic car or truck. Flush then

R.R.-L.R.-R.F.-L.F. Except Euros and asian vehicles they could be different just remember "longest run first" and don't forget the combination valve (Don't let it pop out when bleeding) if equipped

The drums as I recall most of those where just sliders (Just slide on and off) Some DID have a small index locater tab that fit into a hole in the axle flange, and some had a countersink screw or two holding it to the flange. First of all get a spray can of WD40 or ZEP 45 penetrating oil and use it freely.

Good Luck

Albert D

Drums aren't hydraulic so you don't bleed them. The drum just slides on. To get it off spray PB Blaster in the center and on the lug studs. Wait an hour then spray again, smack it with a hammer (brass) all around the drum until it breaks loose.

Depending on the vehicle, the drum cover should come off after you remove the wheel

Yes. But instead of bleeding a caliper, you're bleeding the wheel cylinder. The cylinder should be replaced if there is leakage past the seals.