Brakes expanded and locked solid on a stored 356

[Paul Giganti]

I've been a bad boy. I let my 356A sit for several months (in a garage) while I was using all my spare time busy working on another car with multiple problems. When I turned my attention back to the 356, I discovered that all four brakes were locked up! With the emergency brake off and all four bleed screws loosened, the two front wheels won't turn at all and the two back wheels only turn using a breaker bar with extension pipe.

While I know I should have driven the car a few times during those months and realize this is my own fault, I would still like someone to tell me how brakes that were adjusted and working before it was stored expanded on their own and seize up in the drums—with hydraulic fluid not accounting for the pressure.

Second, I'd like advice on how to get the wheel drums off the expanded shoes without destroying either the drum or the brake shoes and hardware.

Any help would be appreciated.

[John Brooks]

Back off all the adjusters and the smack the drum with a plastic dead blow hammer until the drum spins by hand

[Dick Weiss]

Paul,

You should do the reverse of the above statement--since you can't rotate the drum to the adjustment hole, smack the drum first.
Hope it'll release enough to get to the adjusters to back them off--hope they're not stuck.

Dick

[George Walling]

Paul, By using a soft blow hammer and striking the drums in several area around the surface where the shoes touch should break them loose. What I have experienced is when the car sets for a extended period why the brake shoe material will rust to the service of the drum and of course the drum surface will also rust. this is very true if you have the metallic style brake shoes. My speedster set for 30+ years in a barn while I raised my family as it needed a engine and transaxle rebuild, when I finally got around to repairing it and tried to move it out of the barn all four wheels were rusted tight I used a bunch of WD40 and several attempt to brake them loose with striking the drum I finally had to take the nuts and wheel bearings out on the front and using a puller got the drums off without damaging the drum had to replace all the brake parts front and rear. So hope fully you will be able to get then to loosen up with the hammer trick if you have to use a penetrating oil why that will mean you may have to replace some of the brake parts but you shouldn't hurt the drums. Good luck and we all learn from are mistakes so don't beat your self up to bad.

[Tom Coughlin]

I have seen old rubber brake lines with an internal swelling that locks the brakes. This may not be your issue, but its another thing to consider.

[Dick Weiss]

George,

WD40 is NOT a rust-breaker; Better to use Kroil or other "Rust Buster"

Dick