It could be time to change your brake pads if they are grinding or screeching. You’ll be pleasantly delighted to learn that you can quickly, simply, and without specialized tools replace the brake pads in your car’s disc brake system. You will also spend much less money if you do it yourself.
In This Article...
How long does it take to change the shoes on the rear brakes?
- DIY Difficulty: Advanced
- Time needed: two hours
- Eye protection and specialized instruments including brake spring pliers, a spring retaining tool, and a brake shoe adjustment spoon are required.
What Are Brake Shoes and Drums?
Vehicles with drum brakes are referred to as “shoes and “drums, and those with disc brakes are referred to as “pads and “rotors. When you depress the brake pedal, hydraulic pressure from the master cylinder is applied to a single wheel cylinder on each side, pushing the brake shoes against the rotating brake drums with an outward force. Your car comes to a stop due to this friction. The brake shoes and drums’ substance eventually deteriorates, and how quickly they do so depends on a number of variables, such as the vehicle’s weight, the type of road (flat vs. hilly), your driving habits, if you tow anything, and more. The bottom conclusion is that your brakes will eventually wear down faster the harder you use them. You can save hundreds of dollars by learning how to change your own brake shoes and drums.
Although the majority of contemporary cars have four-wheel disc brakes, some still have front disc brakes and rear drum brakes. One such example features rear brakes made to withstand the lifetime of the car, the highly developed, all-electric Volkswagen ID.4! Although they became less popular after the 1960s, four-wheel drum brakes are still seen on many vintage automobiles. As a set of rear drums should last for the same amount of time as two or three sets of front brake pads, drum brakes often last far longer than disc brakes.
Drum brakes are much more difficult and perhaps riskier than disc brakes, which are among the simpler DIY repairs. If you’re new to DIY, you might want to think about outsourcing this project. Your vehicle will last longer if you perform routine preventive maintenance like changing the disc brake shoes and drums.
Drum Brakes on Disc Brake Cars?
Knowing how drum brakes function (and how to replace them) might be helpful even if your car has four-wheel disc brakes. It’s because some disc brake systems have a parking/emergency brake mechanism that uses drum brakes. On these cars, the parking/emergency brake is activated by a cable (instead of hydraulic fluid), which puts pressure on the brake rotor’s inner “hat area.
Is It Safe to Drive with Worn Brake Shoes and Drums?
Brake shoes have a millimeter-based lifespan; once they are between 1.5 mm and 3 mm thick, you should start considering replacing them. In some instances, the leading brake shoethe one nearest to the front of the carcan wear out more quickly than the following brake shoe. Driving with brake shoes that are too thin is dangerous and could harm other braking system parts like the drums and/or wheel cylinders unnecessarily.
What happens if I don’t do this? How bad could things get?
Long-term costs may increase if you don’t replace the brake shoes before they reach their minimal thickness. In general, brake drums can last at least two or three sets of brake shoes before needing to be replaced, however driving with too-worn-out shoes may result in severe and premature drum wear. In the worst case situation, if the shoes are too thinly worn, the wheel cylinders may stretch too far and result in a brake fluid leak, which would reduce braking effectiveness.
In short, why is this job important?
To ensure a car that drives safely, it is crucial to have the brake system well-maintained. Additionally, investing in preventative maintenance, such as changing brake shoes when they are nearly worn out, will save you money over time as opposed to waiting until the drums are damaged by worn-out pads.
It is predicted that replacing brake shoes and drums will cost between $458 and $519 on average. Given the expert difficulty rating, this project can be difficult for novice do-it-yourselfers. Brake shoe and drum replacements should be attempted by those who are prepared to put in the time; doing the work yourself can result in labor savings of up to $200.
How often should you replace this part?
Brake shoes typically last at least 50,000 miles, but the lifespan of your brake drums and shoes directly corresponds to how and where you drive your car. However, it is not unusual for brake shoes to survive twice as long. The brake drums should last at least two sets of brake shoes if you drive cautiously and keep up with maintenance; in some circumstances, the drums will need to be machined but not replaced.
How do you know when it’s time to have this done or do it yourself?
The noise or vibration that is audible while pressing the brake pedal is the most typical sign that it’s time to replace the brake shoes and drums. You should have the brakes inspected as soon as possible if the drum brakes are screeching or grinding.
What Are Common Symptoms Indicating You Need New Brake Pads and/or Brake Rotors?
- Parking brakes don’t keep the car in place firmly.
- When the brake pedal is pressed, a grinding or scraping sound is heard.
- When you press the brake pedal, you may experience vibration in the pedal or the steering wheel.
- mileage is calculated using the manufacturer’s maintenance schedule
- Observation reveals worn brake shoes (if the shoes look damaged or are less than serviceable thickness)
Step 1: Safely jack up vehicle and remove wheels and tires
Start by jacking up the car on a level surface, just like you would for a tire rotation, then set up jack stands in a secure spot to support the car. To prevent the car from rolling, place a tire chock in front of and behind the front tires.
Step 2: Remove brake drums
Most of the time, removing the brake drums can be difficult. The first thing you should try to remove any rust is to lightly tap the drum surrounding the hub. Some brake drums contain tiny, threaded holes that can be used to force the drum away from the hub by threading bolts into them. The rubber dust cap on the backing plate’s backside may need to be removed in the worst-case scenario in order to loosen the brake shoe adjustment.
The shoes and components are frequently covered in a thick layer of brake dust after the drum has been removed. Spray this with compressed air, being careful not to breathe in the dust while doing so; it wouldn’t hurt to use a facemask.
Step 3: Remove brake shoe hardware
- The spring from the top of the brake shoe should first be removed using the brake spring pliers.
- The retainer spring can then be removed by pressing and twisting it with the spring retention tool until it aligns with the clip.
- The parking brake cable can then be removed using a pair of pliers.
Pro Tip: Working on one side at a time is really beneficial, but, like when changing a serpentine belt, it wouldn’t hurt to take a photo of the brake shoes and hardware before you remove them. You’ll have a reference point for the reinstallation if you do it this way.
Step 4: Clean and lubricate brake shoe rub areas
Inspecting the braking wheel cylinders is a good idea while everything is taken apart and removed. Pull back the rubber boots to check for brake fluid stains. It should be dry here. It would be simple to replace them immediately if fluid were leaking, but it is a distinct repair that necessitates brake bleeding expertise.
Step 6: Reinstall brake shoes and hardware
Reverse the steps from Step 3 to install the brand-new brake shoes and the current brake hardware. Turn the brake adjuster wheel with a screwdriver. When the brake drum spins with only a small bit of drag and can be mounted without difficulty, it has been properly set. The adjuster shouldn’t be too loose or too tight. Drum brakes should be reinstalled.
Step 8: Press brake pedal and check brake fluid, top off if necessary
Installing new drum brakes shouldn’t have an impact on the brake fluid level, unlike changing disc brakes. Nevertheless, you should still apply the brakes a few times to make sure the vehicle is ready to be driven and to double-check the master cylinder reservoir’s brake fluid level.
Pro tip: Dot 3 brake fluid is typically used by vehicles, but you should read your owner’s manual to make sure.
Step 9: Double check the operation of the parking/emergency brake
Set the parking/emergency brake after the car has been lowered to guarantee correct adjustment. By removing the rubber stopper from the backing plate and using the brake adjustment spoon to loosen or tighten the shoe-spanning wheel, this brake can be changed if it is too tight or too loose.
What equipment must be ready before changing brake shoes?
The Equipment Required to Replace Brakes
- Start with the appropriate defense.
- Rotors and brake pads.
- Jack Stands with Jack.
- Tool for brake caliper pistons.
- Bleeder Wrench for brakes
- Set of Allen wrenches
What brake shoe has the primary and secondary position?
Each wheel’s braking is controlled by a single wheel cylinder. At either end of the wheel cylinder, there are two pistons that drive the shoes. The major shoe is the one that is closest to the front of the vehicle (the leading shoe). The secondary shoe is the one that follows. The piston cup is subjected to hydraulic pressure from the master cylinder, which forces the pistons toward the shoes and against the drum. The brake shoe springs return the shoes to their initial (disengaged) position when the driver lets off the brakes. To the right are depicted the components of the wheel cylinder.
What equipment is required to replace drum brakes?
Get the proper shoes and hardware for your brake system before you start working. It only makes sense to spend a little extra money on a new set of springs because they undergo heat cycles and lose some of their springiness with time. To make your life easier when working on drum brakes, you’ll also need a few specialized tools. A drum brake spring tool and a set of drum brake spring pliers are required. These are frequently available in sets. To disassemble everything, you’ll also need basic equipment like pliers, a hammer, and other hand tools.
To begin, elevate and support the car in an appropriate and safe manner, remove one of the front wheels, and then take out the spindle nut and cotter key. A washer and a wheel bearing ought to be located behind the spindle nut. Again, these designs vary significantly by manufacturer and year, so consult your service manual before diving in headfirst. You ought to be able to safely remove the drum after the bearings are out of the way.
How much does it cost to replace the shoes on the rear brakes?
Around the same as replacing front brake pads, the typical cost of replacing rear brake pads ranges from $115 to $300. These materials come in a variety of grades, from cheap to expensive.
How should the star wheel on a drum brake be turned?
To adjust the brakes, widen the adjuster and raise and lower the spoon. Due to the notches, the star wheel can only rotate in one way. If you need to modify the brakes, you will need to push the adjustment arm away from the star wheel with a screwdriver before turning the spoon in the other direction.
With an electric handbrake, how do you change the rear brake pads?
Brake Pad Replacement Using an Electric Parking Brake
- Connect a battery charger for cars.
- Join a diagnostic device.
- Parking brake pistons should be loosened.
- Push the pistons and remove the caliper.
- Change the brake pads.
- Install Caliper again.
- Expel the pistons.
- Parking brake pistons are reengaged.