Brakes freeze after crossing creek. house only tenth of mile from crossing. already backed off brake shoes. this only happen of course when temp is below freezing. Well also happen on going out if you do not drive over 5 miles. Brake can be thawed out within 2 or 3 min of applied heat, from either a hair erier or my small propane torch. Help please, and thank you in advance

With any style of brake (drum or rotor), new shoes/pads will always be thicker than the ones you are replacing. You have to retract the brake cylinder pistons to get drums/calipers on. For drum brakes, squeeze the two shoes together at the brake cylinder. If there is no more play and it still won't go on, the shoes you are using are too thick - this can happen with certain aftermarket parts. Try the OEM shoes instead.

Removal & Installation

1. For the 1500HD, relieve the tension from the park brake cable by pulling down on the park brake cable in front of the equalizer then removing the cable from the equalizer bar.
   
2. For the 25/35 series Disable the park brake cable automatic adjuster.
   
3. Raise and safely support the vehicle.
   
4. Remove the tire and the wheel.
   
5. Perform the following procedure to remove the cable (2) from the backing plate (4):
   
   • Compress the spring (3) by pushing toward the lever (1).
     
   • Depress the locking tabs.
     
   • Pull the cable housing out of the backing plate (4).
     
   • Remove the cable (2) through the slot in the backing plate.
     

     Lever (1), cable (2), spring (3) and backing plate (4)
     

6. Remove the park brake cable (2) from the lever (1).
   
7. Remove the rotor.
   
8. Remove the rear axle shaft.
   
9. Remove the park brake shoe return spring (6).
   

   Park brake shoe assembly 1500HD, 25 and 35 Series
   Click to Enlarge

10. Remove the park brake shoe anchor springs and pins.
    
11. Separate the tips of the shoes from the park brake actuator and remove the park brake shoes and adjuster assembly from the vehicle.
    

To install:

1. Clean the debris and the dust from the park brake components using a clean shop cloth.
   
2. Install the adjuster assembly to the park brake shoes.
   
3. Separate the tips of the shoes and install the park brake shoes to the park brake actuator.
   
4. Install the park brake shoe anchor springs and pins.
   
5. Install the park brake shoe return spring (6).
   
6. Adjust the park brake shoe.
   
7. Install the rear axle shaft.
   
8. Install the rotor.
   
9. Install the park brake cable (2) to the lever (1).
   
10. Perform the following procedure to install the cable (2) to the backing plate (4):
    
    • Compress the spring (3) by pushing towards the lever (1).
      
    • Route the cable (2) through the slot in the backing plate.
      
    • Push the cable housing into the backing plate (4) until the locking tabs snap into place.
      
11. Install the tire and wheel.
    
12. Remove the safety stands.
    
13. Lower the vehicle.
    
14. Enable the park brake cable automatic adjuster.
    
15. For the 1500HD, install the park brake cable to the equalizer by pulling down on the park brake cable in front of the equalizer then installing the cable to the equalizer bar.
    
16. Adjust the park brake cable.
    

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try removing the pads and the piston may have a cross or a slot
it will to tough to start with but screw that piston back into the calliper housing
that should bring the shoes back in far enough to get the rotor off

you need to have, or clean and adjust the rear brakes yourself if you wanna do it yourself, remove the wheel, and brake drum sometimes you have to tap on the drum with a hammer, and of course can't have the ebrake on. after the drum is off spray the inside of it, and the brakes with some brake cleaner available at any parts house until clean. then take sand paper, and scuff up the shoes and inner drum surface reassemble and it should be good for a year or 2 unfortunately its the nature of the beast replacing brake shoes with high quality expensive shoes does help though

remove upper shoe return springs, loosen but do not remove brake line using line wrench, remove 2 bolts holding cylinder. Have new cylinder ready to install. pull shoes back from cylinder. remove line from cylinder and pull out of housing. Replace with new cylinder, first attaching line, then bolts. reset shoes into cylinder and make sure nothing else has slipped out of place (eg, parking brake cross bar and spring). Replace return springs on post. replace drum. open bleeder valve and allow gravity bleed until all air is out or bleed manually. any questions, lemme know.

REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION

1. Remove disc brake caliper from mounting bracket and support with a length of wire or remove sleeve bolt and rotate caliper up and out of the way to remove shoes. Do not allow caliper to hang by the brake line unsupported.
2. Remove outboard shoe and lining. Use a suitable tool to disengage shoe springs from holes in caliper housing.
3. Remove inboard shoe and lining, unsnapping shoe spring from piston.
4. If installing new shoe and linings, bottom piston in caliper bore using large pliers. Take care not to damage piston or piston boot.
5. Remove bushings from mounting bolt holes in bracket. To install:
   
6. Install new bushings to mounting bolt holes in bracket. Lubricate bushings with silicone grease before installation.
7. Install inboard shoe and lining by snapping shoe retainer spring into piston. Shoe retainer spring is already staked to the inboard shoe. Shoe must lay flat against piston.
8. Install outboard shoe and lining by snapping shoe springs into holes in caliper housing. Wear sensor should be at the trailing edge of shoe during forward wheel rotation. Back of shoe must lay flat against caliper.
9. Install caliper.
10. Apply approximately 175 lbs. (778 N) of force 3 times to brake pedal to seat linings.

check too see if the emergency cable is froze

help is here:
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/villagerquest/

Drum Removal

1. Remove the rear wheel and the tire assembly. Refer to Section 204-04 .

1. Retract the brake shoes and loosen the brake adjuster screw.

1. Remove the brake drum.

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May require big hammer to loosen drum from axle flange. Hit between the the lugs, not on them.

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#10 is access plug to back off adjusting wheel.


Item Part Number Description 1 2261 Rear wheel cylinder 2 — Dust boot (part of 2128) 3 2197 Wheel cylinder piston (part of 2261) 4 — Cup (part of 2128) 5 2204 Wheel cylinder piston cup spring (part of 2128) 6 — Wheel cylinder housing (part of 2261) 7 — Brake shoe hold-down pin 8 — Access hole (part of 2212) 9 — Rear brake bleeder screw (part of 2261) 10 — Access hole plug 11 — Rear wheel cylinder bolt 12 2212 Rear brake backing plate 13 — Rear brake backing plate bolts 14 2N790 Parking brake lever clip 15 — Spring washer 16 — Secondary brake shoe and lining (part of 2200) 17 — Brake shoe hold-down spring (part of 2B514) 18 — Lower retracting spring (part of 2B514) 19 2A637 Parking brake lever 20 — Parking brake lever pin 21 2A177 Brake shoe adjusting lever 22 — Adjuster lever pin (part of 2A177) 23 — Primary brake shoe and lining (part of 2200) 24 — Upper retracting spring (part of 2B514) 25 2041 Brake adjuster screw

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Shoes Removal

Take a picture and remember how each part goes and attaches

1. Remove the brake drum, refer to Drum in this section.

1. Remove the upper retracting spring.

1. Remove the lower retracting spring.

1. Remove the self-adjuster.

1. Remove the hold-down springs.

1. Remove the parking brake lever clip and the parking brake lever.

The rear wheel bearing is cause of failure .
I would have the rear hub and bearing assemlby replaced.

Hissing or scratching sound is usually related to consumed brake pads/ shoes or deformed disks.
Usually you fix it by replacing brake pads, in some case you also need to change the disk, but this is less frequent, and happens when you keep circulating with consumed brake pads for many miles.
If you have a vehicle with brake shoes instead, you need to replace and calibrate brake shoes .