Good afternoon everyone,

I want to remove the rear drums on my mk1 to try and get the handbrake to work. Problem is the screws that hold the drums on are seized solid.

They won't budge with a screwdriver and all the drillbits i've tried to use to drill it out just seem to skip and don't drill it at all.

Is there anything I can do to get them free?

Thanks.

 

I can't help I'm afraid, but I shall keep whatever solution comes up in mind for when I change the drums on mine.

An impact screwdriver is exactly what you need 

A left hand flute HSS or carbide drill bit.

 

I simply drift them loose with a hammer and sharp centre punch used tangentially, I used to have a small diamond pointed chisel for the job but it has either gone walkies or got lost amongst all the other usefull bits & pieces.

Seconded for the impact screwdriver if they are not too messed up.

They're a little too chewed up to use an impact screwdriver on iirc.

Hardly know where I could get those drill bits?

Found some pics of the rear drums on my phone. Hard to see but the screw is pretty chewed.

Just drill the screw head, then knock the drum off.

 

You're making it much harder than it really is.

The drill might take a few goes until it wears down the torx "teeth" to make a nice round hole. Should get easier after that.

When I have had this issue a cold chisel on the edge of the screw head impacting the screw in an anti-clockwise direction has always worked. Other option is blow torch with a fine flame then spray with Plusgas (personal prefered option over WD40) when hot, as the heat then chill can load/unload the threads to slightly free off. The heat can also draw the Plusgas into the thread.

 If you do drill the screw out and destroy the threads in the hub don't worry as the screws only function is to hold the drum on while the wheel and its bolts are fitted as the drum is spigotted onto the hub for correct concentricity.

Edited 18 November, 20214 yr by KeithCheetham

Damaged screw extractors might work, but failing that I use a small chisel and hammer after applying some heat, like Keith has mentioned 

I personally usually use the sharp centre punch method if the tool hole has rounded out. It can be a little trickier on these smaller headed screws but I've never had it not work.

Mine were pretty bad when I came to change mine but I found a good large punch give them a few hits eith that snd hammer and they shock loose as not a very tight screw anyway 

As an additional point, these can be screwed up then backed off a 1/4 turn when fitting as this will still hold drum in position - just ensuring head stays under the drum face. The drum is positioned on a drum to hub spigot.

There used to be a fad for swopping these screws for SS ones, which ebay always seemed to be selling, I did that to our previous 2 cars - okay discs back and front, but same issue - also a spot of copper ease etc stops this happening - after getting the screws out.

 

If it bothers you a lot in the future and you have left that hub without a drum retaining screw, just buy a threaded "wheel locating dowel" - VW at least sell one, screwing that in will keep the drum/hub wheel holes lined up until you have a bolt or two in.  My old 2000 VW Passat 4Motion came from factory with no front disc locating screws (no holes in discs or hub), but it did come with a plastic "wheel locating threaded dowel pin" - and, if you(I) kept everything nice and clean, putting a front wheel back on was a complete bummer of a job - unless I fitted that threaded dowel pin.

Last time I had this problem, SIL took an angle grinder to the screws and made a nice slot. Then aply a small cold chissel to the slot with maximum aggression. I've replaced my drum screws with allen bolts with a locknut ( something I had handy) . You fit the bolts and lock the locknut. Makes getting them off a lot easier. No problem with the excess sticking out, it sits in the wheel .

if the condition of everything else is as the screws, then perhaps it might be worth getting a retaining kit for the shoes. Common problem with the shoes is the hinge rivit where the shoes meet binding. I've also found on mine that the handbrake cable corrodes on the rear axle where it's clipped. On mine there was only a small rust patch, but the cable was sticking. i found I had to change both cables as any OEM ones will be a different length( to origonal) and cause adjustment problems.

Thank you gents, got it off in the end.

Got different bits and it drilled out easily.

Other side isnt wanting to come off, it feels like the brakes are contacting the drum even though the handbrakes slacked off, it'll come loose sooner or later.

Do those drums have the adjuster wedge or have they got the more usual winder rods?

 

Either way, you'll be able to stick a flat screwdriver in through the wheel bolt holes and pop the wedge out or wind off the shoes. If it's a winder adjuster, it will be quite fiddly but if you have someone or something push the brake pedal, it will make it a little easier.

 These have the wedges for the adjusters. Is there any freedom of rotation before you try to pull the drum off, if there is it may just be a build up of rust or increase of the bore due to wear which, due to the shoes being narrower than the drum, leaves a lip at the edge. What may be happening is that the handbrake actuating arm can rust on its pivot which is part of the brake shoe. This component can be partially seen in the above photo between the shoe retaining spring at 9 o'clock and the hub. While you may release the handbrake this component never really releases the drum which you will identify by the drum being tight to rotate. Hammering the drum at 12, 3, 6 and 9 o'clock and on the face may assist otherwise it may just be a case of levering the drum off. 

 The fact that the shoe in the photo is nearly worn out at the 10 o'clock position suggests while the rest and the other shoe are good, either seized piston at the 1 o'clock position or seized brake actuator arm,

Edited 22 November, 20214 yr by KeithCheetham
Additional data

1 hour ago, HeavyMetalRich said:

Do those drums have the adjuster wedge or have they got the more usual winder rods?

 

Either way, you'll be able to stick a flat screwdriver in through the wheel bolt holes and pop the wedge out or wind off the shoes. If it's a winder adjuster, it will be quite fiddly but if you have someone or something push the brake pedal, it will make it a little easier.

 

They use a wedge.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited 22 November, 20214 yr by TMB

Got the other side off in the end, just a bit more fiddly.

Cleaned both sides up but looks like these shoes are contaminated with brake fluid so I'll need to get different shoes atleast.

 

^ That wheel cylinder is leaking and needs replacing.

6 minutes ago, DieselMonte said:

Got the other side off in the end, just a bit more fiddly.

 

Cleaned both sides up but looks like these shoes are contaminated with brake fluid so I'll need to get different shoes atleast.

 

 

 If you buy wheel cylinders be aware that there are 2 types quoted as suitable generally - aluminium and steel but one type has 1 fixing screw while the other has 2. Look at what is fitted before ordering. Mine were single screw on my 56 plate 1.4TDI classic. 

31 minutes ago, TMB said:

^ That wheel cylinder is leaking and needs replacing.

I know, 

Got a good deal on ebay atm mintex rear pads £15 fitted them to mine really nice.

Oh wow shoes are pretty cheap on their own. Wheel cylinders aren't too much either