Took the car for a drive today. First time in a few months and found it pulling rather badly to one side under brakes. Not sure why. Got it home and pulled the wheel off, giving it a bit of a soak in wd40. Looks like its been a long time since the drum was off, Maybe hard to get it off. Noticed there is a spring around the drum?? What for? Anyway its not leaking fluid, will know more when I get the drum off. Could take a bit!

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AP6

On the back side of the backer plate at its bottom are two plastic plugs. Remove them and slack off on the brake shoe adjustment (star wheel) with a screw driver or brake spoon. Your drum should than pull off easily.

Don't ask which way to turn them, I never can remember, depends which side of the car. Righty tightly, lefty loosey...

The spring around the outer drum, not sure, but most likely is for some kind of resonance control.

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67' Dart GT Convertible; the old Chrysler Corp.
82' LeBaron Convertible; the new Chrysler Corp
07' 300 C AWD; Now by Fiat, the old new Chrysler LLC

The spring around the drum is to help reduce brake squeal. It's not causing your problem. Where exactly did you spray WD-40? It has no business in/on brakes.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

Don't worry I didnt go overboard with WD40. Just a bit on the outer where the wheel studs go through the drum then gave it a wire brush in this area. I should get it off later today for a look inside.

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AP6

Front or rear drum? The front drums are sometimes swedged to the hubs (via the wheel studs) Try popping off the grease cap and removing the hub from the spindle if you haven't already. If you already have the nut off the spindle and still can't get the drum/hub off, do as wjajr suggests and back off the adjustor.

Hope this helps,

Nat

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1970 four-door Dart, 225/A-904/2.45 gears. 0-60 in twenty three minutes!

Yep front drums. And your right, its around the wheel studs thats tight.

Good idea, ill try removing the drum and hub together. Brake adjuster is backed off.

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AP6

Front drums are always swaged onto the hubs. If the drum comes off separately from the hub, it's because something's wrong.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

Ok good to know.

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AP6

Well not a lot to report! Everything in place, no fluid leak. Wheel cylinder working on both ends. All I could see was the brake surfaces seemed quite grimy and a little greasy. Gave the shoes and drum a good clean and de glaze. Put it back together and adjusted up the brake. The test drive will have to wait as I'm blocked in with another car at the moment.

The annoying thing that happened was that I was using a wooden pole to push on the brake pedal from outside the car with my arm in the window. (so I could see what was happening with the brakes) and the pole slipped off the pedal and caused my arm to strike the weather shield and crack it! @#$%%$#@

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AP6

That’s probably your problem right there. But you can’t clean greased brake shoes - you’ll have to get new ones.

Then you have to wonder if it’s grease or brake fluid and how it got there. Neither is supposed to be in there and both look about the same mixed with brake dust.

May as well get new hub seals, they’re cheap. And re-pack the bearings while it’s apart, maybe new bearings if it’s been a while. And have a really good look at the wheel cylinders. When you pull the rubber boot back a little, it should be completely dry inside.

I would get new wheel cylinders. If you miss the leak it’ll goo the new shoes up again.

Danny

Well I did clean them with brake cleaner and when I scuffed them back with some emery paper the brake material was totally dry and no grease or residual...Light in color. Cant see a problem with that.

I did check behind the rubber boots, bone dry. So not sure what it was? Maybe road grime from over the years, or some grease from the wheel bearings. Yes a wheel bearing kit might be a good idea, but I'll give it a drive first.

I've just pulled all the wheels off. Going to get them repainted. Something I've wanted to do for a while.

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AP6

Brake linings are porous. If they were contaminated they have to be replaced.

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Joshua

I agree, but I don't think they were contaminated. If there was any evidence of contamination I would replace them, but after I gave them a light sand the surface was dry, light in color and fiberous. Exactly the same as new linings. Unless this contamination is not visible and dry in nature, then I'll change them.

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AP6

My problem with the brakes was a pinched line, very hard to find, but did. it got pinched one time that it was towed. took it to a brake place and they wanted $700 to fix it. said no way. with a fine tooth comb found the pinched line. took a few lines to bend properly but less then 30$ brakes are fixed. no more lock up no more problems....
hope this helps, I noticed nobody mentioned this and it sounds like the same problem I was having.

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Hey nice car! Well I'm yet to road test. Up o blocks, going to get wheel's painted. But my problem may be different to yours. From one drive to the next I had a problem. I think it was something stuck. But will let you know!

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AP6