Trouble removing rear drum

[lofoxx]

Hey all,

I've got a 1972 VW 411 and am slowly getting it restored - tough up here in the Northeast where weather sucks and I don't have a separate garage, so real estate is tight.

I'm now on to working on the rear brakes. Right rear drum came off with ease, but the left rear isn't going. I've removed the screws that secure the drum to the hub (of course), and am attempting to back off the starwheels. Left starwheel is fairly stuck, right one will move.

Two questions:
1. To back these things off, do I rotate them toward the top or toward the bottom?
2. From there, any other reason the drum would be stuck on the axle?

Thanks so much,
Loren
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1972 VW 411

[raygreenwood]

Ok .....slow down for a minute and breathe ....and think with me here and I will show you how to walk through thiw in your mind each time you work these star wheels.

Lets say you are laying on your belly under the car....or standing in a pit with the car on a lift....either way you are facing the drivers side.....left side of car.... brake backing plate....and you can see the two adjusting holes.

Both of these adjusters....are standard right hand thread.....but because of how they are held in the bracket.....the action is directly opposite of what you would expect.

Since the slotted bolt that pushes the shoe is actually held stationary by the shoe....so that it does not turn.....when you turn the star wheel it moves the nut on the the slotted bolt.

So.....starting on the left hand adjuster.....to get your head wrapped around this....if you are unscrewing the star wheel like you were looking at any other bolt.....in that case from the brake shoe direction point of view.....turning the star wheel clockwise....will cause the star wheel to wind itself off of the slotted bolt......and what that does since the star wheel is held in one place by the bracket....is jack the slotted bolt outward....adding pressure to the shoe.....so you need to turn it counter-clockwise to loosen it.

So....back to looking at it from the backing plate side. By turning the left hand star wheel upward.....it turns it counter-clockwise when seen from the brake shoe point of view.....loosening the pressure on the screw.
The adjusting screw seen through the right hand hole....turns downward to loosen.....and again.....if looked at from the brake shoe point of view.....it is turning counter clockwise.

On the right hand side of the car.....the right hand star wheel.....which is the trailing side now....turns downward....and the left hand adjuster....leading shoe....turns upward to loosen.

Spray them heavily with penetrating oil. If necessary use a torch first through the holes to add a little heat. Dont get crazy with the torch. There are bearing,seals inside.

Use a small hammer to tap on the backside a bit.

Back the stars all the way off. You will be able to see if you look around with a flashlight tyat the threads are nearly bottomed in th e star wheel.

Use a rubber mallet to tap on the drum. Put some penetrating oil around the center ring. It should come off without too much work.

Be careful snd do not get frustrated and start banging around on the center hug or prying too hard. That center hub and stub axle fits no other car and are hard to find. Ray

[lofoxx]

That makes completely perfect sense. Your explanation was amazing. The right one came off like butter, I figured the left would too... No such luck! Thank you for clarifying for me. Stay tuned...
Loren
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1972 VW 411

[raygreenwood]