The job of rear brake drum removal ranges from simple one unscrewing 2 small
bolts and just pulling it out to a major PITA that nececitates removing that
axle nut with 5 foot breaker bar and right size socket, then separating drum
from
axle.
Done both and in the middle too.
Main reason for drum not coming off easy is rust. Thanks to water that
somehow gets there drums "rustweld" to axle and no amount of beating with
any hammer helps including spraying "Liquid wrench" thru holes. In fact i
ruined 1 or 2 drums beating on them trying to get them off. Material is
relatively soft and easy to bend out of shape resulting in pulsating brake
pedal.
Normaly drums should come off without even adjusting from back. Of course
they can be adjusted to make pulling easy
if shoes are holding drum.
Adjusting brakes while wheel is off is the easiest, just rotate adjustment
gear untill drum encounters some resistance
when rotating and it's done
Leon
85 Subwagen Westy

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM]On Behalf
Of Edward Maglott
Sent: Sunday, October 07, 2001 5:53 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: rear brake adjusting

Hi all,
I have been searching in the exciting new responsive web based archives for
info  on my rear brakes.  (86 vanagon)  I have been trying to determine
which way to move the star wheel to move the shoes closer to the drum.  I
haven't found that bit of info and Bentley doesn't help there.  I played
with it  a little bit, but couldn't determine which way was making it
closer, and ended up with it farther away than I started.  Anybody know
that info off hand?

Also ran into some references that seem to make me think that I can take
the drum off without a puller.  I think Bentley shows taking off the
monster nut on the axle, and then pulling off the hub with the drum via the
puller that uses the lug bolts.  But some people seem to advocate taking
the drum off the hub by banging and not pulling.  What's the story?

Edward