How to Remove the Rear Brake Drums on a 1999 Buick Skylark

The rear brakes on your 1999 Buick Skylark are shoe and drum style brakes. The shoes will not wear as fast as the pads on the disc brakes in the front of the car because the rear brakes only exert about 30 percent of the force required to stop the car. The drums can thin over time or if the shoes wear too far, the metal rivets used to hold the friction material on the shoe may become exposed and scratch the drum. If your drums have damage or are thinner than they should be, replace them immediately.

Instructions

1

Loosen the lug nuts on the rear wheels of your Buick Skylark using a lug wrench. Do not remove them yet or the car will become very unstable.

2

Position a jack under the rear axle of the car and raise it until the rear wheels are completely off the ground. Place a set of jack stands under the axle housing then lower the jack until the car is resting on the stands.

3

Remove the lug nuts from the rear wheels with your hands and remove the wheels from the car. Set the wheels aside for now and put the lug nuts in a safe place for reuse later.

4

Grasp the left and right side of the brake drum with your hands. Pull the drum straight back to remove it from the axle housing. It may take a little wiggling and tugging but it will slide off. Repeat the process to remove the opposite brake drum as well.