Mot Bad and good.

Ok so theres no pressure in the cylinder, sounds like they have mechanically locked on, either through the adjuster or corroded to the drum. Give the drum a good thumping all the way round, if that don't work look up where the adjuster lock is and how to release it. May be through a hole in the backplate, usually undo it with a screwdriver if its a star nut.

Edit, sounds like you need new springs.......
 
The shoes aren’t corroded to the drum, that has just been off, I’ve looked for adjusters through the back plate, nope they don’t exist but thanks for the tips. You might be right on the springs, I’ll know more tomorrow. Fortunately I learned when removing its opposite number the drum has 2 x 8mm threads to enable it to be pushed off by two bolts that thread in and press against the hub. . I’ve decided to make sure the handbrake cable is well and truly slack on that seized side before pulling the wheel and drum off again. My suspicion is that The auto adjust mechanism has 2 components, I know the top one was fully retracted maybe if there is a lower one it isn’t. For those interested to be following an obscure thread about the brakes on a Suzuki car on a Ford Cougar forum, watch this space. Whenever this car finally gets its MOT it will have been hard earned.
 
Right, I think I know what you've done, I remember doing the brakes on the shed a while back and having a similar problem, but discovered it before i fitted the drum, thing is you're going to need to make sure the handbrake cable for that side is disconnected or at least slack.


The top adjuster bar has a star collar, this is the mechanical lock, attached to that is an OFFSET fork, this sits on the shoe rib and the handbrake operating arm, if this is fitted the wrong way round it will lock up.

Q....is there a hole between studs on the drum?

Also you can use a copper/hide mallet to help release the shoes, using the 2 bolt method will rip the shoes off if the brakes are locked on!!!
 
Cheers TC.
It's been a garagesome weekend.
Yesterday morning I put the trolley jack under the rear diff and lifted the R Send, An axle stand under the offending wheel, dropped the jack to lock the other wheel and pulled the drum back off via the 2 bolt method. Lets strip the whole lot. Strip out the retaining spring that hold the shoes to the back plate and the springs that link the two shoes together. Both shoes off. Give the back plate a bit of a clean to remove corrosion and and brake crap ( hold breath ! ) Rebuild the whole shabang, slowly, carefully not rushing and no self inflicted pressure ( like the first time when I was so firkin annoyed with myself ) Now I know the top half of auto adjuster is fully retracted and its other half at the bottom of the drum is Def in it's correct location.
Does the drum fit ? Yes. Fit the drum. Does the handbrake work? No. But at least the brake is free. Wheel on, lower her back to 4 wheels can I now reverse her out of the garage ? After moving a large motorbike, a step ladder, various other stuff and a car from the drive, I am finally able to reverse the GV out off the garage, all be it with some difficulty as I suspect my attempt at adjusting the handbrake cable ( via the adjuster on the handbrake lever under the rear of the centre console) is now causing the good side of the handbrake to drag but I don't care, I'm just so glad she's mobile ish.
I turned her around and delicately reversed her back into the garage, I need to fit the little stainless steel shim that I lost when working on the front brakes then found when clearing the floor to get the car out of the garage. With the GV back in the garage it's time to carry on with Saturday.

Rationalising the progress overnight, I now have a movable car but with no handbrake on the problem side, and probably not much footbrake but I can't confirm that by myself.

Sunday dawns bright and sunny if a little nippy, heck if I'd known this was the weather I wouldn't have bothered putting the car in the garage. OK Jack up the front, wheel off, fit the brake pad slider shimmy thing, drop her back onto her wheels. The bright sunshine makes me feel confident and confirms my desire from my overnight thoughts, lets get her back on the drive and gain some space to have another look at this darn rear brake. With more space outside it should be a lot quicker.

Outside, jack the R send up up again, support the problem side, pull the wheel and the drum. Using a flat driver in the teeth of the adjuster crank it open to push the shoes outwards, several trial fittings later I can ease the drum on and off and with the handbrake on I cant turn the drum. Now we're getting there. Did I let any air into the system whilst dribbling fluid from the slave cylinder ? Lets give it a bleed to confirm,no air that I can detect but at least I have the mental security that I've eliminated the possibility. Refit the wheel, with the handbrake on its easy to turn the wheel, the extra leverage is overcoming the brake. OK, once more, wheel off, drum off, ratchet the adjuster some more. Drum on, wheel on, handbrake on, Can't turn the wheel. Now we're def making progress.

I actually think we can finally call this, fingers crossed, success. I'll speak to my MOT garage tomorrow to see if it can be squeezed into their schedule.
Now on this bright autumnal afternoon I feel the need for celebration, Mrs Mabo and myself took a stroll down to our local Tavern to imbibe some fine quality falling down water.
This evening I've logged in to update and found TC's video above, I've not watched it yet but that looks like a later GV. thanks for digging the video out TC and for caring enough to source the vid. I owe you a pint.

TC, at risk of sounding ungrateful but is that guy in the vid really annoying ? I guess if your an absolute beginner it might be useful. I've spent most of my life whacking drums with a steel hammer and have yet to crack one. Hitting it with a rubber mallet has it's place but tickling it the way he did has no effect what so ever and is not representative of the real world, And who uses a Toyota part to pull a Suzuki drum ? A recommendation of 2 x 8mm bolts would have been more useful.
This not to critisize you, any one that's followed this thread will understand how frustrating it's been and I am truly grateful that anyone on a Ford Cougar forum cares enough to read my post, so thanks again to you for reading and caring enough to do what I haven't and search vid on the subject.
 
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Ladies and Gentlemen, I can now declare this 04 Suzuki GV 1600 MOT'd. Boy was I smiley when the favourite independent garage called me this morning to announce the success.
Advisory on discs corrosion and rust obscured by paint or underseal. Underseal ? nope I hate the stuff, it cracks then lets water in but not out and rots the steel out of sight.
I'll continue to use the Cougar for work until the month end then swop the insurance and Tax lil Suzi, Then I'll just have to decide where to make the Horizontal cut to remove the sill on the Cougar, at least one of them is getting done this winter !
 
Cheers TC, Me too. This was a major learning exercise, I haven't faffed around with Drum brakes for years, I guess I've been fortunate to avoid them. I've never replaced brake pipes front to back before or used a flaring tool but was keen to give it a go, whats the worst that can go wrong ? Well bleeding the brakes with a brake drum off is close to the top of that list !
Glad I've done it though. Thanks for your support.
 
West of me to Huntingdon is a run, If your ever passing on the weekend your welcome to pop in for coffee and talk Cougars for an hour. Mon to Friday I head East to pay my bills, not too far East at the moment. Play your card right and I'll show you Suzi's pipes !
 
Today little Suzi took me to work for the first time in a few months. I do declare she could have the best handbrake I’ve ever set up. Suspect there might still be air in the brakes though.
The best news is in Suzi I can cut through a very badly surfaced lane that almost no one uses, thereby shortcutting the alternative traffic Qs, Shaving 7 mins of the normal 30 minute journey is pretty damn good.