Question about changing brake shoes...

impulse001 · Oct 19, 2009

Im changing my shoes for the first time.. they are a hell of a lot harder to change than brake pads..

Im almost done, I finished putting everything back together, just a couple questions..

Is the adjuster screw supposed to be all the way down, up, somewhere in between?

Is the drum supposed to be very hard to get back on? It was very tight, like I would need to hammer it back on?

Thanks...

1987LXragtop · Oct 19, 2009

3 things. This is a tech question. 2nd - put the adjuster so that its all the way "closed" or in or however you want to say it -then put the drum on and adjust it from the slot behind the drum. 3rd- If its still too tight to put on then you probably have the adjuster in wrong.

50foxbody · Oct 19, 2009

agree. just did mine recently had the same problem with that dam adjuster

impulse001 · Oct 20, 2009

Thanks for the replies...

I got the drivers side in fine.. Theres no chance that the pass side drum is going on though.. Like you said, its the adjuster.. Without it the drum fits fine, but once I put the adjuster in (all the way down) it opens the shoes too much to fit the drum in.. Any ideas?

I tried putting the adjuster facing both ways as well..

capri debris · Oct 20, 2009

I've run into this a couple of times when the adjuster is screwed all the way in and the drum won't go on.

It's a simple fix actually... just take the shoes back off and use a dremel with a grinding bit to remove some of the material on the shoe plate where each end of the adjuster touches.

Only take off what you need to get the drum to slide into place.

hotcobra03 · Oct 20, 2009

brakes

the parking brake cable could also be a problem..look at the top of brake shoe,,both should be sitting tight,,if it looks like its spread than thats why its tight,,,you can ply back on the arm connected to the cable...the bar that goes across the middle of the shoes is what works the brake when parking brake is set,,,good luck

7-UP BILL · Oct 20, 2009

capri debris said:
I've run into this a couple of times when the adjuster is screwed all the way in and the drum won't go on.

It's a simple fix actually... just take the shoes back off and use a dremel with a grinding bit to remove some of the material on the shoe plate where each end of the adjuster touches.

Only take off what you need to get the drum to slide into place.

If they were installed correctly, NO grinding or hammering is necessary. Recheck your work with the side that fits. I was taught years ago to do brakes one side at a time. If you forget where a spring goes you just look at the other side for reference.

impulse001 · Oct 20, 2009

Thanks for all the suggestions; I was able to get the drum on by pulling down on the cable that wraps to the side, in front of the shoe... I think this is the emergency brake cable??

I did lift the emergency brake before I put the drum on to see if it was working, could this have made that happen? Should I replace the brake cable?

hotcobra03 · Oct 21, 2009

brake

i would,,they dont cost much.

i also would do both sides,,even if the other is working,

hotcobra03 · Oct 21, 2009

brakes

you said its your first time doing shoes,,,thier is a front and back on shoes also,

looking at the top of the shoe,,the brake lining is higher on the back shoe...also always use new hardware..the adjusters are ok to reuse if they arent frozen,,,always put grease on the backing plate where the shoes ride and i always clean the brake lining with sand-paper before installing drum

impulse001 · Oct 21, 2009

hotcobra03 said:
you said its your first time doing shoes,,,thier is a front and back on shoes also,

looking at the top of the shoe,,the brake lining is higher on the back shoe...also always use new hardware..the adjusters are ok to reuse if they arent frozen,,,always put grease on the backing plate where the shoes ride and i always clean the brake lining with sand-paper before installing drum

I did use new springs and pins... I'm going to try to replace the lines, should I replace the line inside the drum I was talking about, or only the one going to the emergency brake?

hotcobra03 · Oct 21, 2009

cables

the ones going thru the backing plate that attach to the parking brake arm.

Question about changing brake shoes...

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