Rear brake how-to?

I've got the truck up on jackstands, both wheels and drums off, brakes all rinsed off ... ready to go to work on them in the AM. I have the new shoes, and spare parts kit just in case.

Now all I need, or could definitely use, is a how-to guide for dummies, showing which order to take things off, and whatnot. I checked the sticky threads and did a quick search, but didn't find anything (found videos for the FRONT brakes, ironically).

I do have a Haynes manual, but I may need all the help I can get!

Thanks guys!

 

My best advice is to do one side at a time so that you have the other to refer to for re-assembly. Aside from that, follow the Haynes manual, I am sure there are shortcuts, but Haynes will get the job done.

 

Oh HELL yes! That much I know!

I'm looking through the Haynes now; it's actually not bad considering all the illustrations are 1.5" square, and my eyes are getting old.

What about tools? It looks like there won't be anything "special" involved, is that right? (My cylinders aren't leaking, so hopefully all I'm doing is replacing shoes).

 

I do not recall any special tools. Just needle nose pliers and vise grips for the springs.

I hate doing drum brakes. They work well enough, just a pain to swap out the shoes.

 

I hear ya. I've done this job once before, sometime, on some other vehicle. Don't remember anything except DO ONE SIDE AT A TIME!

Hey, at least something stuck.

 

Yeah. That was advice my Dad and Uncle gave me as a teenager. One of/ the best lessons I ever learned. It can be applied to a bunch of jobs on an automobile.

 

Just my opinion, but I would replace the cylinders while you are in there... If they bust with new shoes on there, you will be replacing the shoes again...

 

Do replace cylinders, I done the shoes on my truck, and they started leakin. Had to the job all over again.
Tools you need
Flathead screwdriver-for adjusters
Needle nose pliars and vise grips for springs
And a 10mm scocket for the bolts in the cylinders

 

Make sure you use brake cleaner on the backing plate with the shoes removed. Put COPPER antiseize on the backing plate where the shoes touch, on the adjuster screw, on the anchor points, and where the shoes contact. Basically, every place where there is metal to metal contact should have a light coat. DO NOT get any on the drum, nor on the shoe's friction surface. The extra time it takes, will give you quiet, long-adjusting drums brakes.
You don't need the special socket-looking tool for removing the shoe retainers, a socket and extension will work fine.

 

The hardest part of drum brakes for me was usually the big spring that connects the shoes. Other than that, it was never too bad.

I have cleaned fluid off pads with purple power before, and they were clean afterwards. I had some bad axle seals. The pads seem to last over 200k miles.

 

I hope this helps, this will show your brake components and their locations on the plate. And this link will show how to do it by the manual. A good tool to have to help with this job is a pair of brake spring pliers. If you got a harbor freight go get these tools. They are not expensive and should help do the job.


Good Luck.