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Hi Folks,
The rear drums on my 2003 SE Wagon tend to drag a bit. Is this common, and is it just a question of pulling off the drum and lubing the contact points of the various shoes and bits?
I have had this car for nearly 6 years, and it has always had the characteristic that if you leave it standing, the rear shoes will stick to the drums, even if you did not leave the parking brake on. When I move it after standing for a couple of days, there is a little bang, as the shoes release.
Heaven help me if I actually leave the parking brake on. I have had to remove a rear wheel and beat the drum with a sledge hammer to release the shoes in those cases. Needless to say, I don't use the parking brake much anymore.
Comments welcome.
Bob
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It isnt a common issue but in my experience ive just taking apart the brakes and cleaned everything with a brush and brake clean. After that make sure everything is put back togeter correctly and lubbed up. You should make sure to do a regular cleaning on brakes all around at least once a year. Brake dust is a pain when it starts building up. Drum brakes are a pain to begin with but once you do them a few times you get used to it.
A good friend of mine had a similar problem and after we took them apart and gave them a really good clean and service, it hasnt happend since. It is also good to use the E-brake on a regular basis so the cables and joints dont get seized up on you.
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out of everything he said, the only thing I know and can agree with is the using of the parking brake so that it doesn't seize up.
but, on that note, on my focus I can't even get the rear left drum to release/come off. I've beaten the s**t out of it, torched it and oiled it up and still it won't come off. If you've never opened up the rear drums... good luck to ya!
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Switching to rear discs solves this problem.
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Most drum brakes have an adjustment which can be accessed by removing a rubber plug. You loosen up the brakes so one can pull the drum. Personally I thought the back brakes on my Focus are the worst brake design I've ever seen. I replaced the brake pads because the rear one on the drum was only a couple mills thick... the new ones were the same thickness. Cheap.
I'm with ZTWsquared, replace with discs... except kits are more expensive then the cars that need them.
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Buy Hardk0re's rear subframe off his SVT. Do the same swap that I did last year. Rear disc's are far superior to the Focus drums.
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Yes that center hub cover and nut have to be removed. After that in most cases the drums will come off fairly easy just by pulling on the studs. Sometimes it helps to put two wheel nuts on and use them for grip. Worst case, you may need a puller and air gun.
I agree with it being a stupid design. Im glad i have rear discs 
Current: 2006 Focus ZX4 ST. Tuxedo Black and Sterling Grey
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OK, thanks guys.
I also went trawling on a US Focus forum. It seems I am not the only person ever to have to beat the drums with a hammer to free the shoes. From what I found, it may be enough to just clean up the contact points and lube them. However, the not-really-operational park brake cables probably need to be done at the same time, in order to get everything to adjust nicely, so....
Most people suggest removing the stub axle and drum together, via the four bolts through the backing plate, rather than removing the centre nut. Agreed?
Yeah, rear disks would be nice, but this wagon is just the workhorse of the fleet. It is coming up for 9 years old, but only has 108K on it, so I hope to keep it around for a while, if I can keep the tin-worms away.
Bob
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According to Steve @ Tousley Ford, (and focaljet is down atm, yay... so can`t check) but I think he said Ford recommends removing the drum by removing the stub axle... or something of the sort... wish FJ wasn`t down...
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I pulled my drums during the disc swap by the back 4 bolts after I spend nearly an hour beating the drum on the drivers side. I recommend this for a swap as you can disconnect brake lines and cut e brake cable and be done with it a lot faster
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