How to Remove Rear Brake Drums on a 2000 Chevy S10

The brake drums on the rear of your 2000 Chevy S10 pickup provide about 30 percent of the brake bias for the system. Removal of the drums allows access to the shoes inside for inspection or repair of the rear brakes. While the drums themselves do not wear very quickly, they can crack or warp from heat under severe use. Replacement drums are available if your drums are damaged but inspect them thoroughly when you remove them to determine whether or not reuse is an option.

Instructions

1

Loosen the lug nuts on the rear of your Chevy S10 with a lug wrench but do not completely remove them from the wheel studs yet. Position a jack under the rear axle housing of your S10 and raise the rear off the ground. Place a set of jack stands under the truck and lower the jack, allowing the truck to settle securely on to the stands.

2

Remove the lug nuts from the wheel studs, then remove the wheels from the truck. Set the wheels and the wheel studs aside for now.

3

Locate the area on the face of the brake drum where the wheel studs pass through. Check to see if there is a retaining clip on the wheel stud in this area. If there is, remove it by prying it off the wheel stud with a flathead screwdriver. Discard the clip. Its function is to retain the brake drum during the assembly process and is not necessary now.

4

Grasp the brake drum on either side with your hands and pull it straight off the brake shoes and wheel studs.