- Engage the parking brake. Loosen the lug nuts (but don't remove them) on the wheel of the vehicle that has the brake drum you need to remove.
- Jack up the vehicle. Place the vehicle on jack stands if it doesn't have an emergency brake; otherwise, use a chock to block the front wheels.
- Remove the lug nuts and wheel. Use a lug wrench to remove the lug nuts and take off the wheel.
- Locate the brake drum hold down screw. On the back of the brake drum, you will see a small hole; inside, there is a screw that holds the brake drum in place.
- Remove the brake drum hold-down screw. Use a screwdriver or a hex wrench to remove the hold-down screw. Don't lose this screw; it's easy to drop and difficult to find.
- Pry off the brake drum. Use a pry bar or pry rods to pry the brake drum off of the car. It may be necessary to tap the brake drum with a hammer while prying it off. Do not insert the pry bar or pry rods into any holes on the brake drum. Do not pry it off against any bolts or screws on the brake backing plate.
Once you have completed these steps, you will have successfully removed the rear brake drum from your 2000 Cougar.
