Hi. My hand brake (emergency brake) has 8 to 9 clicks travel and I suspect brake pads worn so I though I would inspect. I am having a lot of trouble removing the rear rotor/ brake drum and have read previous posts but none I have found cover my problem. I have removed the brake caliper. I have removed the rubber plug and FULLY backed of the brake shoe adjuster (I have tried turning adjuster both ways to check which was the release direction) I have tapped on the disc with a soft hammer and it is loose on the center location and moves slightly on the studs. The rotor rotates freely. I have been able to pull it off part way with a lot of gently levering and tapping in different locations around the rotor. Its now part removed and level with the end of the studs. In this position I can see into the back and can see the shoes are binding on a small rust build up on the outer area where the shoes do not normally touch. I can see as I pull the rotor off the shoes bind and will NOT slide off past the rust lip. After three hours patient work I can see about a third of the brake shoe face. The rotor is now very tight and will no longer rotate. The Outlander is 2012 and rotor looks as though it is not otherwise excessively worn. I think the previous owner had taken the car on a seaside beach to launch a boat (found sand in the spare wheel!) so rust is more than expected for the age. The pads have been renewed but I don't think the Rotor has been removed before. Any ideas for removal preserving the rotor. If not has any one tried cutting off the Rotor with an angle grinder and if so what is best method so as not to risk damage to other parts. Other options chain drilling and chisel? I suspect other side is just the same. Thanking you in advance for any help. Kind regards Nick (Gonzo)
No replies yet so have been thinking about my problem and the reason Rotor will not come off is the shoes are retaining it. (Yes I have fully released the hand brake!). I am going to try to release the shoes from the back plate by cutting off the steady springs which have a pin through the back plate and also unbolting the retaining plate if this is possible from the rear. I will need to look at car and brake drawing in manual. May also be able to remove the brake adjuster fixing and or the brake cable lever that pushes the shoes apart. This assembly is not clear in the manual and I have never seen the actual arrangement on this car, but this is a last resort and I may be better off cutting off the rotor rather than risk damage to the back plate. Any thoughts on these proposals? If it works will post results on this message. Presently gone midnight so will try this tomorrow and try to take some pictures. I though this job would take about an hour.!!!!!! DOH.
I was going to try to remove top mounted pivot pin that the notches in the end of the shoes fit on to act as the pivot point. After studying car it does not seem this is possible from outside on the rear of the back plate at least not without removing the back plate assy. from the car first. I resorted to more gentle prying with a bar against the inside of the back plate and lots of brake cleaner the Rotor finally came off. The reason for the problem is now clear.
1) The adjuster would not fully retract due to rusty threads and was about 3.5 mm from fully retracted length.
2) The rust rim inside the drum was about 2.5mm deep and 4 mm wide. thus loosing 5mm off the diametral clearance.
As the drum slide over the lip they tilted and jammed. I think this was on the limit for removal without cutting off and took about five hours to remove without causing damage. I think the use of heavy blows from a hammer would have damaged the rotor. A lot of smaller shocks allowed the rotor to gradually slip over the shoes half a mm at a time. I think a garage would reasonably have cut off the rotor to save time and charged for a new rotor given that I spent several hours cleaning off the rust. The actual wear was minimal. I have picture but do not know how to attach to this post