While replacing my axle seal yesterday, I got the bright idea to go ahead and do the brakes as long as I was in there. I should have known better. Drum brakes and me have never gotten along. I always get them done, but it's always more of a battle than it should be.

Anyway, as I was starting to disassemble the right rear brakes, this small metal piece just shot out from behind somewhere. I can't for the life of me see a spot where it should go back. I've looked through my Haynes manual and can't spot it in any of their pictures, and I haven't found it in any of the diagrams I've found online.

Thought I'd just take a look at the other side to figure it out, but two broken pry bars and 3/4 of a bottle of MAP gas later and that drum is still refusing to come off. (Yes, I rolled the adjuster back.) I'm all out of tricks to try, so I think I'm going to tuck my tail and let Midas do a brake job for me.

But first I'd like to get them back together the way they're supposed to be. Anyone know of a diagram that shows where this piece goes?

 

that is part of the parking brake mechanism. I just did my brakes this past week so I have pics
Hope this helps

 

Bingo!

Thanks a ton! I probably should have been able to figure that out myself, but being frustrated to the point of wanting to set the truck on fire, I just wasn't seeing it. You just saved me hours of additional frustration.

 

trust me, I've been there. If you want to see all the hell my brakes put me through this week you can have a look here. Oh, and never buy duralast brakes

 

I swear if I could figure out a way to get away with it, I'd torch this thing where it sits and let the insurance company buy me something new.

As for never buying Duralast brakes, I'll do ya one better. From now until the day I die I'm only buying vehicles with 4-wheel disc brakes. I'm getting too old for a simple brake job to turn into 3 days of frustration.

 

I have no idea why they waited until 2003 to put 4 wheel disc brakes on 1st gens

 

Ugh.

Got the damn drum off. Went and got a big-*** pry bar and and 8 lb sledge, wedged the pry bar in at the top and used a ratchet strap to hold pressure on it. Then I jacked the vehicle up with all the weight supported on the bottom of the drum. Then I went after it with the 8 lb sledge.

Even with that rube goldberg mess putting all that force on it in different directions, it was just barely enough.

Apparently I had really beat the crap out of it because once it came off the lining material fell right off of the shoes in two solid pieces.

I don't know who invented drum brakes, but if that ******* is still alive could somebody give him a good solid kick in the nuts for me?

 

did you pull the rubber plug out of the back plate and use a screwdriver to turn the adjuster gear? That should wind the shoes in enough to get the drum off fairly easily. Also make sure the parking brake isn't on, I know that may seem obvious but I've seen people overlook that before.

 

LOL... Of course. Did that before even trying to pull the hub. (Think I mentioned that in my original post.) And, of course, no parking brake. I've done a brake job or two, just never seen a drum stuck on this tight.

 

I've thought about swapping the rear drums in my 00 to discs. I hate drums as much as you do. My 08 Sebring has drums and I just don't get it.... You'd think a "luxury" brand like Chrysler would have 4 wheel discs