Are your rear drum brakes making a lot of noise? If you are mechanically inclined and have the service manual for your car, you can do the repair job yourself and save money. Rear drum brakes need a few special tools to remove and replace. These tools are a release spring tool, a hold down spring tool, brake adjusting tool, pliers, and a lug wrench. You also need a socket set, a wrench set, a jack, and two jack stands. Find something for your lug nuts and other parts. When you have all of your tools you are ready to start your task.
First loosen lug nuts on both sides and then jack the car up and take off the lug nuts on both sides. Remove both wheels. This will bring you to your rear brake drums. Remove both drums. This will reveal your brake shoes and springs. Take a good look at how they are put together. Next check to see if your wheel cylinders are leaking any brake fluid. If there are no leaks you are ready to take apart the brakes.
Next remove the emergency brake cable retainer. Now remove the release spring at the top of backing plate; there should be two springs. Then remove the hold down springs. You will have two springs and retainers, one in the center of each brake shoe. Now that this is done you can take off both brake shoes at the same time. Then take the star adjustment screw from between the brake shoes. Repeat these steps on the other side. Take all four shoes and both drums to the parts store. Have drums checked and see if drums can be turned; if not replace them.
Now that you have done all that and gotten new parts, you can start to replace them. First you have to clean all your parts, springs, and retainers,and the backing plate. Before you start replacing parts lube the backing plate where brake shoes ride against the backing plate. These places should be shiny. Next put the emergency brake lever on these secondary shoe. This is the shoe that has the most lining on it replace retainer clip. Next put secondary shoe on the backing plate using the pin and the retainer. Now replace the primary shoe on using the same steps. Next step is to replace the star adjustment screws at the bottom between the brake shoes. First put the star screw in the bottom spring both shoes now using pliers. Put the spring in now putting return springs on at the top.
Now is the time to check to see if your backing plate has an adjusting hole, if not there should be a knock up slot. Knock the slot out with a hammer and chisel. Now replace the drum and adjust brakes with a screwdriver or brake adjustment tool until shoes rub the drum. Be sure the drum rolls free. Repeat these steps on other side. Next put both wheels on and all lug nuts. Snug all lug nuts, let car down and tighten all lug nuts. Next put wheel covers on. Check brake pedal and see if pedal is full. If not, readjust back brakes. This should finish your rear drum brake replacement.
Jesse H. Vibbert has been a master mechanic for over thirty years and is extremely knowledgeable about automotive diagnosis and repair. He is now co-owner of JS/INFO, LLC. He and his wife Sandra Jull are Information Research Retrieval Consultants. Our slogan is We Satisfy Your Information Needs. We are also organic gardeners.
Email: wehaveinfojs@gmail.com
Website: http://www.jsinfo.info
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