Ancient Chinese Secret: To knock the drum off, use a hammer. A BIG hammer. You won't hurt the drum, just wail on that sucka. Be careful not to hit the wheel studs though. If it doesn't come all the way off but just gets loose, your drum is dragging on the shoes. You can turn the drum counter-clockwise to try to "unscrew" the drum. If all else fails, you're going to just have to rip it off and plan on getting new shoes and hardware kit. If this happens, dont' forget to get the drum turned or you'll run into issues again the next time you pull it.

Any questions, lemme know. Ex-mechanic that'* dealt with a TON of f'n drum brakes. Discs are so much easier to work on...

I didn't really want to be the one to post "beat the drum off because the shoes are dragging and there'* probably a lip."

But yeah...I'm wid him!

the petcock shouldn't be needing pliers...but to get to the wing-tip turner thingy, you actually have to reach in behind the radiator (engine side).

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yeah so i drained and refilled my radiator my opinion is screw the petcock becuase in all reality i would have been there all day i just pulled the lower hose and drained the radiator in less then a quarter of the time it took me through the petcock.

Confused on the coolant proccess

Im a little confused my friend told me that coolant goes from the top hose through the thermostat through the engine bloack, then the water pump and back into the radiator at the bottom hose.
I thought it went from the bottom hose through the water pump through the engine block to the t-stat and if the coolant is not hot enough to open the t-stat it goes back to the water pump untill the coolant is hot enough to open the t-stat and allow it to go through the radiator to be cooled and the the proccess would repeat.

You are correct. You're friend must have a new Corvette which, I believe, the water pump goes in the reverse direction. I think the coolant in a new Vette comes from the bottom of the radiator, goes to the top of the engine, and when the coolant reaches the water pump it goes to the top of the radiator.
Our cars are a little less exotic.