The rear brakes on your Mercury Sable use a drum-and-shoe configuration. While the drums are very durable, they can wear and will require resurfacing from time to time. If you are replacing the rear brakes on your Mercury, you will need to access the shoes and hardware by removing the drums. If the drums are worn too much, replacement may be necessary. Replacement drums are available from most auto-parts stores or through the Mercury dealership.
Loosen the lug nuts on the rear of your Mercury with a socket and breaker bar or lug wrench. Raise the rear of your Mercury with a jack, then position a set of jack stands under the rear suspension. Lower the jack, setting the car on the jack stands.
Remove the lug nuts from the rear wheels, then slide the wheels off the car. Set the wheels aside and put the lug nuts in a safe spot so you do not lose them.
Check the area at the base of the wheel studs, verifying weather the factory-installed drum retainers are still in place. If they are, pry the retainer off the wheel stud with a flat screwdriver and discard the retainers.
Grasp the brake drum on either side with your hands and pull it straight off the car. Move to the opposite side of the car and repeat the process to remove the second brake drum.
