How to Replace Drum Brakes

While drum brakes are older and less effective than disc brakes, they contain several important advantages. Companies place drum brakes on rear wheels because they are cheaper, and adding a parking brake system to them is easier than installing a parking brake system on a disc brake. Replacing drum brakes is an extremely important part of car maintenance and demands careful attention to be done successfully.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• New brake shoes
• Brake spring pliers
• Jack
• Jack stands
• Wrenches
• Brake retainer tool
• Screwdriver
• Pry bar
• Hammer
• Pliers
• Latex gloves
• White lithium grease
• Dust mask
• Car lift
• Brake clean
• Anti-seize

Remove Drum Brakes

1. Find out if your automobile is a rear wheel drive vehicle or a front wheel drive vehicle. This will affect how you remove the drum brake from your vehicle.

2. Locate the master cylinder of your vehicle in order to drain brake fluid from it. Roughly half of the brake fluid should be removed in order to properly replace the drum brakes. Once the brake fluid has been drained, dispose of it and purchase new brake fluid to replace the missing amount.

3. Remove the vehicle's tires. The recommended way to do this is to first loosen the lug nuts on all tires while the car is firmly on the ground, then raise the vehicle up. Do not use a regular car jack for this operation, as it is not stable enough for anything other than changing tires.

4. Search for a round clip (used solely for assembly-line purposes) on the wheel studs if your vehicle uses rear wheel drive and remove it without fear of breakage or loss. Then remove the brake drum, making sure that the drum can be removed without excessive force. Locate the brake adjustment screw and turn it if the drum is dragging against the brake lining.

5. Take off both the bearing cap and the wheel bearings if your vehicle uses front wheel drive. Then remove the brake drum as you would with a rear wheel drive vehicle. If removing the drum brake generates too much resistance, loosen the brake drum from the axle by applying some lubricant, or turn the brake adjustment screw to ease resistance from the brake lining against the brake drum.

6. Record the position of the remaining brake hardware, either through a detailed automobile manual or by simply taking a picture.

7. Ascertain whether or not your vehicle's drum brake have a parking brake cable. If it does, remove the cable.

8. Remove the springs that hold the brake shoes against the wheel cylinder. The return springs must be taken off first, then locate and remove the hold down springs that are directly on the brake shoes.

9. Take off any remaining hardware attached to the brake shoes. These will vary depending on the make and model of automobile.

10. Remove the brake shoes from the car. They should be able to be removed as a pair.

11. Locate the self-adjusting spring and screw assembly. Take both components off the brake shoes.

12. Perform maintenance on the brake drums. All brake drums have an oversize limit clearly stamped on them. Use a brake drum micrometer to ensure that the size of the brake drum is within the size limit, and then use sandpaper or a professional grinding machine to smooth the surface of the brake drum, making absolutely sure it is within the stamped oversize limit.

13. Apply lubricant to contact points as necessary.

14. Ensure that old brake drums and new brake drums are clean before they can be replaced. Brake clean is the recommended cleanser.

Install Replacement Drum Brakes

15. Align the brake shoes against the backing plate in the exact order. If the brake shoes are replacements, make sure they possess the same pattern of holes that the original brake shoes have.

16. Attach the self adjustment spring and screw assembly onto the brake shoes. Screw in the self adjustment screw assembly.

17. Reattach the core hardware of the drum brakes according to the diagram or photograph of the drum brake. Follow this reattachment by replacing the parking brake cable and the hold down springs.

18. Place the return springs on the brake shoe.

19. Compare your finished brake mechanism to the diagram or photograph one final time to ensure correctness.

20. Replace the brake drum. Make sure that the drum is able to spin freely against the brake lining.

21. Reattach the wheels.

22. Take the car for a test drive. Do not drive fast, and test the brakes without pushing on them hard. Should you have any questions, contact your local automobile mechanic.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not attempt to perform this operation yourself unless you possess the necessary tools and knowledge. Improperly replacing drum brakes can result in serious injury or death.

[seljos]

on 5/18/2008 would like photos or pics on how to change rear drum brakes