Replacing rear Brake shoes

[white90]

This is how to replace the rear brake shoes. Vehicle is a 90, but rear drum brakes are much the same as each other - especially with regard to the care you need to take when working on the braking system.

Not too difficult to do, although fitting the retaining springs is a bit fiddly - especially if you have big fingers

It's very important that the springs are fitted correctly - behind the shoes so that they are pulled towards the backplate. It's very common for them to be fitted to the outside as it's easier to do, but the shoes are then pulled outwards a small amount and braking effect will be reduced.

Slacken the wheel nuts, raise and support the vehicle and remove the wheel.

The brake drum is held to the hub by one or more screws and you may need to use an impact driver to remove them.

On the back of the backplate is a brake adjuster (some vehicles have two)

Wind them out until they come to a stop and then remove the drum. It may be stuck through corrosion, so some leverage/WD40/clouts with a hammer, may be needed to remove it.

Badly worn brake shoes - make sure that the drum isn't badly damaged and replace it if necessary.

Pay close attention to how the springs are fitted - these are correct.

There's a shoe retainer attached to the front brake shoe. Two small bolts thare 3/8" head, but may be 10mm. Remove the bolts and retainer.

Unhook the top of the shoe from the brake cylinder as shown and then detach it from the bottom pivot point. The show will then come loose, unhook the top spring from the pillar on the backplate, release the lower spring and remove the shoe.

The rear shoe will come free at the same time.

The old shoes and the correct positioning of the retaining springs.

The new shoes - the forward one is turned over to show the spring/snail adjuster pillar.

Fit the forward shoe first hook the spring on the pillar as shown (note which way round it is). Locate the spring onto the pillare on the backplate - making sure the spring doesn't foul the snail adjuster. Locate the top of the shoe in the slot of the brake cylinder, and at the bottom - on the pivot point.

Hook the bottom spring in the correct hole, as shown.

Put the rearmost shoe in the slot of the brake cylinder at the top and overlapped as shown in the above picture, then hook the lower spring in the correct hole and pull the bottom of the shoe backwards to locate it on the lower pivot point.

Replace the front shoe retainer and check that the shoes are located correctly at the top and bottom. Push the top of the shoes towards each other so that the brake cylinder pistons are fully compressed.

Replace the brake drum.

The brakes now need adjusting. Put a 13mm spanner on the adjuster and turn it (it will click as you do this). As you do this, turn the brake drum and feel for the shoes starting to rub. As soon as they do, back off the adjuster until the wheel turns freely.

Replace the wheel and lower the vehicle to the ground, then do the same thing on the opposite side.

Always replace brake shoes (or pads), as an axle set - regardless of the reason for replacing them (oil contamination, for example)

Les