Wonder if anyone can help with advice on how I can procced to remove brake drumbs on early 80's cruiser. I have two BJ40's which have been laid up for years. The rear brakes were seized on both. I attempted to free the brakes by removed the rubber grommet from the rear of the backing plate, inserted a thin screwdriver into the apeture and pushed the self adjuster lever away from the adjuster screw. While holding the adjuster lever away from the adjuster lever I inserted an adjusting tool and engaged with the teeth on the adjusting screw, turning it until the brake drum could be removed. This worked fine on one of the cruisers but on the other I could not get the adjusting screw to turn. Anyone have any suggestion on how I can get the adjuster screw to turn? Have applied WD40 lube but without effect. Would appreciate if anyone has had this problem and managed to sort it.
Removing brake drum on early 80's BJ40
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rkymtnflyfisher
Trout Bum
cutting torch.
I can't remember if all our drums have the threaded holes that aid drum-removal or if its just the front ones.
If the rear ones have them, then thread in 2 screws to start levering a drum away from its mating hub-surface. Meanwhile tap lightly around the circumference of the drum with a hammer to try and free it and to try and prevent the shoe-linings from gripping the drum as it comes away.
Of course this won't work if your drums have sufficient wear that the shoe-linings sit inside. (In this scenario you'll just have to keep trying on the adjusters I guess.)
Edit: Ooops. Forgot. You've got your handbrake working on your rear drums but I haven't. (I wondered why you were talking about "self-adjusters" because nothings self-adjusting on mine.)
If the rear ones have them, then thread in 2 screws to start levering a drum away from its mating hub-surface. Meanwhile tap lightly around the circumference of the drum with a hammer to try and free it and to try and prevent the shoe-linings from gripping the drum as it comes away.
Of course this won't work if your drums have sufficient wear that the shoe-linings sit inside. (In this scenario you'll just have to keep trying on the adjusters I guess.)
Edit: Ooops. Forgot. You've got your handbrake working on your rear drums but I haven't. (I wondered why you were talking about "self-adjusters" because nothings self-adjusting on mine.)
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Hi Rkymtnflyfisher,
thanks for your comment. When you suggest cutting torch, is it possible to cut the adjusting strut and ratchet within the brake mechanism through the small aperture in the rear of the backing plate?
Hi Tom,
I think your 79 has the same brake set up in the fron and rear. My early 80's cruiser as you suggest have the handbrake connected to the rear wheels and have self adjusters which operate as i describe. Thanks for your reply.
thanks for your comment. When you suggest cutting torch, is it possible to cut the adjusting strut and ratchet within the brake mechanism through the small aperture in the rear of the backing plate?
Hi Tom,
I think your 79 has the same brake set up in the fron and rear. My early 80's cruiser as you suggest have the handbrake connected to the rear wheels and have self adjusters which operate as i describe. Thanks for your reply.
I had exactly the same problem! Mine had the two threaded holes, so I could put some bolts in there and try to pull the drum off, but in the end, it took a lot of bashing with a hammer to force the drum off the siezed brakes! You are going to replace your shoes and pistons, so spray a load of WD40 into the inside of the brake drum too!
