How to Replace the Rear Drum Brakes
One of the most important safety features on your car is the braking system. While the easiest, most common repair is replacing the brake pads, routine wear and tear will eventually require you to replace the brakes themselves. Many cars have rear drum brakes, a braking system in which the brake pads are inside a drum on the wheel. The pads press against the drum to slow the car down. Replacing the drum brakes is a little more complicated than replacing the brake pads, but it's still a task that you can do on your own.
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Things You'll Need
- Brick
- Jack
- Lug wrench
- Tape measure
- Compressed air canister
- Brake spring removal tool
- Brake wash
- Non-drying silicon brake lubricant
Instructions
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1
Park the car on a flat area and put the emergency brake on.
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2
Wedge a brick or piece of cinder block on the rear side of the front tires, and jack the car up.
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3
Remove the rear tires with a lug wrench.
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4
Remove the brake drums, and inspect the brake shoes. If they are less than 1/8-inch thick, you must replace them. Check for any sign of brake fluid leaking; if there is, you must replace the wheel cylinder (a small cylinder on top of the wheel with a piston on each side).
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5
Clean the wheel with compressed air to remove the dust.
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6
Use the brake spring removal tool to disconnect the springs (do the outer one first), then remove them.
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7
Locate the auto-adjuster cable (a small metal tab on the bottom of the wheel), and lift it up so you can remove the auto-adjuster cable.
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8
Undo the spring-loaded brake shoe retainers (the two springs on the bottom of the wheel).
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9
Pull the auto-adjuster arm forward and out to remove it.
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10
Take the shoes off the wheel.
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11
Clean the wheel with brake wash.
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12
Lubricate the six points on the wheel where the brake shoes attach, using non-drying silicon brake lubricant.
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13
Attach the spring-loaded retainers on the wheel.
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14
Install the adjuster-arm spring, adjuster cable and brake shoe springs.
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15
Slide the adjuster arm into place, and attach the adjuster cable to it.
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16
Reattach the brake drum, followed by the wheel.
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17
Slowly lower the car onto the ground.
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1
References
- Photo Credit Car Brake image by Joelyn Pullano from Fotolia.com
