Trick to removing backing plate?

I am in the process of rebuilding the front drum brakes, 1971 Plymouth. The bolts for the wheel cylinder are tough to get too because of the spindle so I am trying to remove the backing plate. I have all four bolts loose and can move the backing plate on the top but the bottom seems to bind and I cannot get it off. Any ideas? Thank you.

if i'm thinking correctly, the bottom bolts are connected to the lower balljoint, which is connected to the lower control arm. if the assembly is hanging free, you would have the torsion bar applying tension to the ball joint. place a floorjack under the lower arm and apply tension. that should allow you to unbind the lower bolts.
please let us know how this works out.

Probably just getting hung up on the threads a bit. Just keep trying, don’t use kid gloves on it. Treat it like a rental and it should come.r

Might help to unscrew the brake hose from wheel cyl first, as it's probably that weird steel angled job.

Trying to remove the lower bolts through the steering arm under tension can be dangerous.

Thank you MoparX, I put the jack under the control arm and it came right off!

You are lucky you didn't hurt yourself. Might be time to invest in a FSM. If you knocked those bolts out of there while the torsion bar was under tension you could've been seriously hurt.

glad you got it off, and nothing [including you ] was damaged !