Drum shoe wear

Hi All, I got a ‘20 Tacoma OR, getting ready to do front pads, based on Your experience, should I consider looking at the shoes also or they last longer than pads? Also ,is there a method for adjusting the drums? Thanks.

 

I haven't had my Tacoma long enough to know, but I wouldn't be surprised if someone pipes up and tells you that the backs should wear out first.

 

Properly working drums will typically last 2-3 times more. It wouldn’t hurt to pull the drums for inspection.

 

How many miles do you have? If properly adjusted your drums will probably last at least 100k miles. The drums on my first gen tundra were close to needing replacement at ~110k. As far as I know now, the drums on my truck at 82k are fine. Is never a bad idea to take them off and inspect them, as well as give them a good cleaning, lubing, and adjustment.

 

Most last 100k no issue, but most aren't adjusted properly.

Adjustment every 10k or tire rotation is ideal.

 

70K on OEM pads.
100K on shoes.

 

Im @ 50K just looked at my fluid rez & it’s close to minimum, figured it has to be time….

 

Live in salt country?

Miles on truck? Front pads last a lot of miles unless towing, lot of mountains or aggressive braking is common.

Rears typically last at least 2x front. However, they should be inspected, cleaned, lubricated and adjusted on a regular schedule. Schedule determined by where the truck lives and how it's used. (thus my first two questions)

 

Adjust your drums every 10K? They're self adjusting.

Though... if you drive in wintertime brine and salt, maybe pull them to look after about 50K. But I ain't worrying about them for a long time.

 

Personally I would just pull your drums. Keep in mind that the front facing shoe is thinner, and thus wears faster. Gauge wear based on that shoe.

 

They are?

 

They should be as long as there isn’t any excess slack in the parking brake cable.

At least that’s how my gen 1 tundra was.

 

Not even close. Most drums will turn the star wheel when wildly out, but not enough to cause drag.

Self adjusting drums is a myth from 50 years ago. My dad taught me it as well, reversing while braking, etc. It's simply not true.

I've been a mechanic since 2005, the only properly adjusted ones, are the ones that are properly maintained, every rotation, adjust a few clicks.

 

Yep. It's a 'feature' on most vehicles since the mid '60's.

But self adjusting can work different ways for different vehicles. And adjusters can stop operating if the brakes are never inspected/serviced/lubed.

 

So... if your shoes in the drum are not self adjusting; this is why they last 2 or three times longer than the front? Then? I know proportioning valves in the brake system help stop the vehicle with brake pad application directed primarily in the front.

If the rear pads are not being adjusted to compensate wear in their linings, then that would explain the longevity as well.

I've been driving since the seventies. Never had issues with drum brakes on the rear of pickups, even with non-maintenance checks. Until they squealed. Of course, many miles amassed on those brake assemblies until they went tits up. Cheap and easy enough to replace. We did turn drums back then...

I am going to dig a little into the possibility that our 'Taco's still have self adjusting rear brakes.

 

I had a wheel cylinder blow out and dump half my brake fluid on the trail at just 21k. When I replaced the wheel cylinder, I noticed the shoes were worn down to about 1mm thickness. So yes, get shoes.

 

Because they aren't adjusted, there's less braking effort. More travel with the shoe to the drum. Less heat. There's a literal gap when they are out of adjustment.

Personally I like firm brake pedals and rear braking.

Again, they adjust a little, I may take a video of it one day, but they need to be adjusted by hand to be effective.

 

The adjustment procedure for shoes is to turn the star adjuster to expand the shoes all the way out (so the drum is locked up with parking brake disengaged). Then turn the star adjuster the opposite way to contract the shoes 15 clicks. This is done through the inch-long slit on the backing plate. You'll need a medium-sized screwdriver to turn the star wheel, and a pocket screwdriver to push on the little no-back spring when contracting the shoes.

See: https://www.ttguide.net/reassembly-512.html and https://www.ttguide.net/installation-513.html

 

Ya, what they said...

 

My rear shoes are at 160k.

The self adjusters do adjust “some” as Bishop said. But they don’t adjust enough to get a “good” adjustment.

In my opinion, the self adjusters “adjust” just enough to keep the brakes working “some”. Basically for people that severely neglected their vehicles.