Good point - I often do that as well - but not this time. Dang eh? LOL

 

I saw no mention of a stuck wheel or drum... just bent wheels.

 

I only post in speculation, as I cannot touch the fluid, smell the fluid nor pop that wheel off and inspect the wheel cylinder for leaks, it could be that.
But from here it looks like some sort of lubricant to stop the wheels and or drums from getting stuck on the hub.


As we see hear there is no seal near the hub flange were the studs are!

 

A few weeks ago I had the car at a repair shop. One thing I asked them to look at was the rear brakes because I was getting a squealing noise when I applied the brakes in reverse. (No squealing if going forward.) They sort of fixed that by applying grease inside the brake drum and adjusting the brake shoes. There was no squealing for awhile but it has returned but not as bad as before. So I suppose the present leak might be the grease they applied.

 

So are we going to keep playing guessing games, or are you going to check the brake fluid level?

 

"They sort of fixed that by applying grease inside the brake drum "

This is a joke, correct ?

 

No FMG, no joke!
Now remember your SS has rear disc brakes, the OP has drum brakes, and there are lubrication points on the backing plates were the shoes contact them.
This will stop the squeaking when the brakes are applied.




Here’s more tips

https://auto.howstuffworks.com/auto-...lubricant1.htm

I lube mine every 6 months, because I’m OCD with my HHR and I can’t stand squeaks and noises.

 

OK. I guess I misread that. Sounded like the OP was saying they put grease
ON the inside of the drum.(as in, on the drum surface)

Yeah Oldblue. Very familiar with those lube points. Remember, I'm from the older generation. When I was turning wrenches for a living way back, most cars had rear drum brakes. Heck lots of them still had 4 wheel drums.
Thanks. Now I feel old.

FYI. Brake squeals are caused by friction vibration. Fix the source of the vibration to eliminate the squeal.

 

Well, all we can do is offer written advice and suggestions, such as check for brake fluid leaking from the inside of the drum, checking brake fluid level, and hey how about pulling the wheel off and taking a closer look.

We cannot do those items ourselves. I'm out.

 

It does sound like the shop applied WD40 to get the drums off.

I suspect that the cleaning and adjusting did wonders.

That is indeed an old joke; putting grease on the drum to cure squeaks, it also cures living.