GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

I'm going to be putting new pads and rotors on the front of my Vibe soon and while I'm at it going to paint the calipers. Would like to paint the rear drums as well. Do the drums just pull right off the hubs? The last time I rotated my tires I was inspecting the brakes for first time since buying the car and the rear drums eouldn't come off. They are pretty rusty, so not sure if they just need a little "persuasion" or there is aomething else that has to be done to remove them.

They won't come off with the parking brake on, that's the first thing to check.

Other possibilities:
1) May need to back off the pads using the adjusting star.
--A mysterious process that still doesn't make sense to me after I have fumbled through it a few times. Essentially involves manipulating 2 screwdrivers through a tiny access hole in the rear of the backing plate.
2) May need a good whack with a rubber mallet.
3) May need some persuasion with the proper sized bolts threaded through holes in the drum.

I know the parking brake wasn't on for sure. I'll have to try the other methods you mentioned, thanks.

I never had to back off the self adjusters to pull a vibe/matrix rear drum but have had to use screws

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Thanks joatman, that was exactly what I needed!

sideshowalan wrote: 1) May need to back off the pads using the adjusting star.
--A mysterious process that still doesn't make sense to me after I have fumbled through it a few times. Essentially involves manipulating 2 screwdrivers through a tiny access hole in the rear of the backing plate.

They make a special tool for this called a "brake adjustment spoon." Looks like a malformed bottle opener. The car is supposed to be self-adjusting, but my PB lever would take 10 clicks to engage (manual calls for like 3-5) and we had to fix it manually. The spoon plus a screwdriver work better than two screwdrivers, if you can help it. I do believe it still needs the screwdriver to hold open the locking lever while you painstakingly turn that sprocket for 20 years.