Drum brake
 

I'm making a new thread due to waning interest in the prior thread.

I've finally gotten a chance to resume work on this, and I've gotten the drum off. I really don't know what I'm looking at here. I need to replace the screwhole for the bleeder screw. What do I have to do to get this done?

I'm not sure if I understand what you are referring to. Did you brake a bleeder off? If that's the case you will need what's called a easy out.

I got the bleeder out and bought a replacement. In the process of screwing the replacement in, the new screw stripped. I tried to put the old one in, and it no longer will screw in. So i guess the screwhole is stripped.

So I need to replace whatever it is that needs to be replaced in order to have a functioning bleeder screw hole.

Well, you can see if you can get a larger bleeder. Then drill and tap the hole to the new size. Another option is to drill the hole over sized, tap it, then put a helicoil in. Any chance of taking a picture of this and post it?

I don't own a drill. And to do that I'd have to remove the wheel cylinder, which I don't know how to do.

And what if I just want to replace the whole assembly because it's cheaper than buying a decent drill? Is that hard?

if it was me id replace the assembly
AutoZone.com | Vehicle Selection | Year
from autozone
then take it all out and replace the cylinder
i would get a haynes or chilton manual if you dont all ready
basics though remove line in from master cylinder.
remove springs pads etc
then unbolt cylinder
replace springs pads etc.
a few notes one it can be a pita to get the springs back on there are some tools to help at autozone and discount i would get them if it were me.
just take your time gettting them to line up it sucks but its what has to be done. it might be cheeper to go to a repair shop and ask them to drill and tap the cylinder just get a quote anyways
good luck

What I mean is, can I just unbolt it somewhere and get a loaded brake drum assembly? (would this just be a wheel bearing/hub assembly)? Backing plate?

Or would I have to replace the whole assembly piece by piece?

I guess theoretically you could repleace the entire unit as a whole.... junkyard i mean its help in by 4 bolts then the brake line and the e brake. but i think it would be far more time consuming and expensive then taking to a mechanic or getting a book and doing it i learned at 14 how to do it not saying that to brag just that its not that bad with help of the book. lol my dad left me outside and said youll figure it out.... anyways ill help anyway i can let me know

When you look at where the bleeder valve screws in to the wheel cylinder, there should be two small bolts - one on each side that screw through the backer plate and hold the wheel cylinder in place. Once you remove those bolts (I think they're 10mm) You should be able to push the brake shoes apart at the top enough to get the old wheel cylinder out and put the new one back in. Keep in mind if a bunch of springs and stuff come flying off, your "insurance policy" is the fact that the other wheel is in tact and you can always use that for a "pattern" as to how everything goes. Keep in mind all of the springs on both sides are just the oppisite. What I mean is, don't look at the other one and think of the positioning of everything as "left" and "right", but it's "front" and "back".
Wheel cylinder - Autozone part number 34054
Here's a link to a picture of the part:
AutoZone.com | Vehicle Selection | Year
The price listed is $12.99
Funny, the parts that cost $100 are pretty easy to change. It's the $12.99 parts tha require three trips to the parts store, ruining a pair of pants, breaking three other parts while raplacing, and spending several hours on your back in the dirt.
I guess we pay for it one way or another.
Feel free to e-mail me with any more questions. My first job as a boy was working at a full service gas station in the days where all brakes were drum brakes and all cars occasionally needed carburetor work, and the plugs, points and condenser changed. Were you around in those days? When I pumped the gas into the customers car, cleaned the windshield and always asked, "can I check under your hood Mam/Sir? Those were the days! Here's my e-mail address:
hal at mc industries dot biz
I think you'll be able to move things over enough to get the wheel cylinder out though.

I'm not sure why you thought the original bleeder screw needed to replaced. If you removed it without snapping it off, it was re-usable.
Anyway, do yourself a favor and replace the wheel cylinder. Once the bleeder threads stripped out, it is not worth fooling around trying to fix.

Take Hal's & BadBuck's advise, and they can guide you through it.

I'm not sure what I was thinking either. I really don't know dick about this stuff. I mean it stripped a little bit but it was definitely reusable.

At this point, I'd just replace the part altogether. The replacement part shouldn't be any more than 20-25 dollars. Replacing it isn't all that, just study the assembly before you start pulling it apart. I think the toughest part would be bleeding the system once it's all back together...

Cheaper and easier to just replace the wheel cylinder. If the brake line is rusted any, you might as well figure getting a new brake line as well. I've replaced tons of wheel cylinders without disturbing the brake lines though. You basically crack it loose, and unscrew the cylinder.

If the bolts holding the cylinder are rusted any, or the car has a fair amout of age and miles on her, you can either give some heat to the cylinder, or cut the heads of the bolts off, and put new bolts in with the wheel cylinder.

I find if the bleeder screw won't come loose when you're doing brake work, to give it some heat with a torch, and it comes out easy. You gotta be careful you don't break it off, you will feel it. If you're doing front calipers its especially critical you don't break that bleeder screw as the parts stores won't give you your core credit back. My dad broke the screw off his sunfire, had to weld 2 nuts on the screw, and heat it nice and cherry red before it would budge.

If you have those drum brakes with that single return spring, they can be a pain doing them for the first time. I remember my dad telling me years ago i'll figure it out too, lol.
When all is done, make sure you adjust your brakes to the point where they are dragging slightly on the drum. The tire should not spin more than one full revolution on its own, but it should not be so tight to the point where you can't turn the wheel. This might require removing the drum several times, and it helps to grind down that ridge of rust on the drum, makes it easier to remove and replace.
When all is done, you'll have a beautiful firm brake pedal.