How to Remove Brake Drums from a PT Cruiser

The rear brake drum on the PT Cruiser is removable without it being assembled to the rear hub bearings. Unlike many older Chrysler products that employed an outer removable bearing and a pressed-in inner bearing, the Cruiser features a "knock-off" drum. There are two main contributing reasons why the drum may not want to come off easily. The drum may be rusted to the wheel hub mating surface or the shoes may be stuck on a rust ridge on the inside diameter of the drum.

Instructions

1

Do not apply the parking brake to the PT Cruiser prior to lifting it. This will engage the brake shoes and prevent the removal of the drum.

2

Break the rear lug nuts loose with the wheel nut wrench before safely lifting the Cruiser with a car jack. Support the rear of the Cruiser securely on jack stands.

3

Remove the rear lug nuts with a wheel nut wrench and then remove the rear wheels.

4

Try to remove the drum by hand before proceeding. If there is no side-to-side wiggle of the drum, then it is stuck onto the hub flange. If the drum wiggles side to side but won't come off, then the drum ridge is stuck on the shoes preventing drum removal.

5

Spray a stream of penetrating lubricant along the circumference of the wheel hub-to-drum connection. Allow the lubricant a few minutes to soak in and then strike the flat surface of the drum near the hub connection with a hammer until it breaks free. Reposition the drum or strike it in a few different locations on the flat surface until it breaks free.

6

Try to remove the drum again by hand. If you cannot, then locate the rubber plug on the top rear of the backing plate and pry it off with a slotted screwdriver.

7

Insert a brake spoon adjusting tool in the port until it contacts the star-wheel adjuster.

8

Use the star-wheel adjuster to rotate the star-wheel with the brake spoon towards side of the Cruiser facing you. If you go the wrong way, the shoes will get tighter and you won't be able to turn the drum. In this case, all you have to do is reverse the direction of the star-wheel with the brake spoon.

9

Continue to rotate the star-wheel until the drum is loose enough to pull off by hand, or until it bottoms out. You will then be able to remove the drum.