forty9, how do you even open the drum asembly if you don't remove the rivets? even if i remove the drum assembly from the truck, i'll still need to shear off the rivets to separate the drum from the back plate, right?
The backing plate is a separate piece, it is not attached to the drum. The rivets only attach the drum to the hub, which can be removed as an assembly by removing the dust cap, cotter pin, and adjusting nut. once that's done, the assembly will come off, and the brake shoes can be accessed. If you need to back the shoes off, the slot for the adjuster is found on the backside of the backing plate. The rivets do require removal if you need to replace the drum itself.
