Like many who post here, I have encountered a problem, and need your help. This forum has saved me many times just by searching threads. If my issue can be solved, it will be by all of you.

Vehicle details
Year: 1998
Transmission: 5-speed manual
Factory Locker?: YES

I recently started noticing one of my wheels would lock up after being parked. Like the brakes would expand/engage after being driven and allowed to cool off. I noticed something was dragging when I started to drive, but the issue would go away fairly quickly.

Decided to investigate after work the other night. Parked the truck after getting home, and saw smoke coming from the rear passenger side wheel. I knew that was likely the culprit. Allowed everything to cool off, and got to work.

Immediately upon getting under the vehicle, I observed the obvious signs of a blown axle seal. Gear oil all over the inside of the tire and brake drum.

Attempted to remove the brake drum, and that thing is LOCKED. Nothing (and I mean nothing) has worked. Pounding with hammer, nothing. The "bolt trick" ended with the threads on the drum getting stripped out. The star wheel is completely seized. And yes, I'm pushing the arm out with a small screwdriver to ensure it will back off. It's just stuck. Everything is soaked in gear oil, so I don't think it's just rusted. I even took a 3 ft long piece of schedule 40 pipe between the wheel studs and stood on it in an attempt to break free. I could have spent all day up there.

Have any of you encountered this issue with the brakes locking up like this? And any recommendations for removing the drum?

Thanks in advance!