I know, I know, it seems like the dumbest question ever. I've never removed a set of drums that were this stubborn before. I tried whacking em with the 5-pounder while rotating the drum, nothing. I even sprayed some WD-40 where the axleshaft comes through and centers the drum, still no success. I also noticed on each drum there are 2 threaded holes across from eachother. I tried threading some bolts into them to see if it would pop the drum off the axleshaft kind of like how you get rotors off, all it did was strip out the threads in the drum. So now I'm stumped...what the junk do I do?

start chipping that rust around the rim also alot of patience will help......most likely you'll end up taking the shoes with it when you pull it off....Suzukis are well known for their badly rusting drums  a friend of mine mentioned.......then again most vehicles suck when it comes to rear drums anyway.  I am surprised the bolt thread hole did not work :S

on Safety Check my rear drums were a pain in the butt to get off........and I am driving a 2000 tracker

reach from the back of the backing plate, and turn the adjuster and manually back them off.

can you move them a little bit, in and out like its stuck on the shoes?

or is it fused to the axle? 

 

Attache the wheel with 2 lugs only a couple of thread on.  Start pulling on the tire in hard jerks, using it like a giant slide hammer.  If that don't work (it usually does), then kicking the tire from the back side will finish it off.

Or...

install a Toy axle? 

Attache the wheel with 2 lugs only a couple of thread on.  Start pulling on the tire in hard jerks, using it like a giant slide hammer.  If that don't work (it usually does), then kicking the tire from the back side will finish it off.

How will pulling on the studs work? 

I also noticed on each drum there are 2 threaded holes across from eachother. I tried threading some bolts into them to see if it would pop the drum off the axleshaft kind of like how you get rotors off, all it did was strip out the threads in the drum. So now I'm stumped...what the junk do I do?

I've had a lot of success using a steering wheel puller with those threaded holes.

Hmm I can't see that tire kicking trick working to get the drum off...
the problem is the drum is fused to the axleshaft.

I'll try some more things tomorrow morning. Thanks for the tips.

Fused wow you never mentioned that.....got a torch? ....also look into some drums lol I was able to find some for dirt cheap at my local store i am deciding wether or not to try out some things to hopefully stop this rust business #1 lol anti-seize on axle shaft now for me

Attache the wheel with 2 lugs only a couple of thread on.  Start pulling on the tire in hard jerks, using it like a giant slide hammer.  If that don't work (it usually does), then kicking the tire from the back side will finish it off.

Or...

install a Toy axle? 

I"ll 2nd this. Sounds odd but works.

George

Really stupid question, but, you didn't leave your parking brake on correct? You won't be able to get the drum off if the parking brake is engaged.

Really stupid question, but, you didn't leave your parking brake on correct? You won't be able to get the drum off if the parking brake is engaged.

Heh.  I've done that. 

Drum brakes on these things seem to last forwever... but they still wear a nice groove into the drum and if your adjusters won't crank your shoes back in enough to clear the groove then you'll be hooking the shoes on the lip of the groove. 

If you haven't yet, you might try loosening your parking brake cable (at the rear of your console emergency brake handle).  The parking cable may be holding your shoes out a bit.

The first thing you do is get some PB blaster, and  save the WD 40 for what it's best at, killin bugs.   When I have a drum like that at the shop, my final option is to beat the CRAP out of the drum with the good ol' BFH till the drum literally breaks it half.  But at that point we've givin up actually trying to check the brakes and just get new drums, shoes, and hardware. Usually the wheel cylinders, adjuster hrdwr, and backing plate survives.  By the way my BFH is a 5 pound sledge welded to a 1.5 foot section of Chevy 1500 torsion bar for a handle, so that helps.  I wack them straight on the edge to use the leverage against the axle.  If it absolutely has to come off i just beat 'em like I'm tryin to kill 'em.  Just be ready to replace some stuff.  The rust ridge can be a pain too, even after the drum pops from the axle flange.

On the topic of Drums being a pain in the butt.......... what would it take to turn those rear drums into rotors?

My cousin has a 2001 tracker with rear discs......he rolled it bad back when I did actually go offroading with him....... so now its a compact.....what kind of work would I be lookin at to change it up...his has been sitting behind the garage for like a year now it seems

Got them off! By applying a bit of tension on the bolts and then whacking them with the 5 pounder, they gradually came off but not without a fight.

Got them off! By applying a bit of tension on the bolts and then whacking them with the 5 pounder, they gradually came off but not without a fight.

Good job, they can be some real stubborn beee-yotches, but nothing a serious beating can't take care of!