Don't try to retract the shoes. Your 54 should have Bendix brakes, which are retained by nail-shaped pins through the backing plate, one on each side. Grind the heads off the pins with a small angle grinder, and unbolt the wheel cylinder, then remove drum, shoes, wheel cylinder and all as a unit. All you destroy is the shoe retainer pins, and they're readily available at any parts store.
There is a slot at the bottom of the backing plate that gives you access to the star wheel brake adjuster, but the shoes are usually rusted tight to the drum, so backing off the adjuster might not help the situation. There can also be a lip worn into the drum that lets the brake shoes hang up and prevent the drum from sliding off the shoes.
Jerry
Great tip HRL! You should write a book of "quick hitter" tips. I'm just referring to ones which don't take long to explain, but are priceless little tidbits.
My attentions span isn't long enough for the long elaborate explanations, but I could spend all day reading a list of short, hot tips.
We need a place on this site for something like that.
Carl
