Suggestions to get my brake drum off

[09FordRanger]

Trying to take my back brakes apart as part of the larger winter rear end work. My A-1 was pretty much a barn find and was sitting a long time. I suspect there will be several more requests for help as this project unfolds.
One rear brake drum came right off but my second one has one of the brake shoes sticking to the drum. The drum itself is loose. It comes forward a couple of inches so I can sort of see and reach inside with a tool. It's the bottom of the shoe that comes forward with the drum. The adjustment screw at the bottom is frozen tight (as I said, sitting a long time) so that option is probably out. BTW what can be used as the "special tool" mentioned in the -20 that lets you adjust that screw?
I was tempted to just take a BFH and whack the drum from the bottom back. Much of these parts will need to be replaced (too much rust, too long sitting, etc.) so I'm not too worried about damaging brake shoe, springs or other replaceable parts.
One final qualifier. I'm a low level mechanic at best. I can handle a hammer or wrench (and follow a manual) but things like "break out the welding touch" is in the too hard box. Don't want you to waste your time with suggestions that I can only wish I could do.
Thanks for any thoughts.

[rickf]

Well, There is the easy (not real easy) destructive way or the lets think about this for a minute and take a few bolts out way which is far less destructive. Go behind the backing plate up top and you will see the brake line, the bleeder and a bolt. That bolt holds the wheel cylinder. Take that bolt out, if it is as rusty as you say it will probably break. The go half way down the backing plate towards the front and back you will see a flat head of the clip that holds the hold down spring through the brake shoe, this will be about halfway top to bottom and in from the edge of the backing plate roughly an inch. you need to cut or grind that head off on both front and back. After that is done take a hammer and a brass punch if you have one or anything hard if you don't and tap the wheel cylinder in from the back, It will be fairly stuck in the backing plate. It will only go in so far, you are just looking to clear it from the plate. Once all that is done there will be nothing holding the brake shoes in except the lower adjusters and you should be able to pull it all out without too much trouble. Keep in mind, THESE ARE OLD BRAKES AND THEY ARE STILL MADE OF ASBESTOS!!!! Try tp keep dust down as much as possible, a spray bottle of water will work to keep things wet while you work. Wear latex gloves.

[09FordRanger]

Got it!! Thanks so much. As suspected most everything is rusted beyond hope so brakes become part of the winter project. The good news is I was able to get the wheel spindles out and separated from the wheel shafts which are also now out. Now figure out all the parts needed. Lipstick 6 will just love this bill. Thanks for your insights and help. Not just now but in the past and (I'm sure) in the future as well.

[rickf]

A little tip here from someone who has seen it far too many times. Get the body work done before going all out on the mechanicals!!! There are so many people out there that spend thousand of dollars on all kinds of mechanical parts and fancy add-ons before they even look closely at the work needed on the body. You have GOT to go over that body from front to back and top to bottom with huge emphasis on the bottom. If it is as rusty as you say you are going to have years worth of bodywork to do before you turn the first wrench on the mechanicals. I would hate to see another project become an add in the for sale section where someone is trying to sell a "project" 151. "all parts needed to put it together are there". And when someone looks at it they will offer you 1/4 of the asking price for the parts only and tell you they are not interested in the body. I have seen it so many times. And you will generally only get a small percentage back on what you spent on the parts also. Just fair warning.

[09FordRanger]

Sound advice. I'm pretty sure I'm good on this one. It may have sat for a long time but someone put a lot of work into it at one time. I think it was a first class rebuild and then the owner got old and the MUTT sat. The body's sound front to rear. I'm with you on body work. I won't touch a vehicle if I suspect any trouble with the body. I'm a rock with lips when it comes to body work. The challenge now is to go through it system by system and bring it back to what it should be.

[rickf]

My mantra has always been if it is made of rubber then replace it. Hoses, belts brake lines. Even if they look good if they are old then they are bad. Brakes, replace everything. Master cylinder all the way to the wheel cylinders and everything in between. This is a single stage brake system and any failure at all and you have no brakes. And if you think the parking brake will save you? Ask anyone who has pulled a driveline e-brake on at speed what it is like. It is just going to throw you sideways and over you will go. Or, if you are lucky, you will break a u-joint and still have not brakes. But you will be upright for the time being. My point being, brakes are yours and and your passengers lives. Do not skimp on them. And don't be one of these people that HAS to ride on ORIGINAL tires because they still hold air. I am not even going to say anymore on that one. This is not just for the OP, this is for anyone reading this down the road that is also restoring an old vehicle.

[m3a1]

As has been said, that little square doohickey is actually the anchor for a retaining spring and those are the springs that are likely hanging you up; one per shoe on each side. Now, if you'd care to try it, you could probably get that thing pulled out far enough that, with the help of a cheap pair of needle-nose vice grips, you could capture the spring and then have your hands free to clip that anchor loop and twist it off. Have no fear of hyper extending the spring or destroying the anchor. You are going to get new ones anyway, right? RIGHT? SAY IT WITH ME...

RIGHT! AFFIRMATIVE TO THE MATTER OF ACQUIRING NEW BRAKE PARTS!

Now, you may claim that you are a basic mechanic but, lucky you, the M151 series of truck is 'Basic Mechanic Friendly' and most of us on the site have already walked the path you are on, so go ahead and get in there and start gettin' dirty.

Cheers,
TJ