Brake repair is a simple job, right? All it takes is a few wrenches, and you’re bleeding brakes like a pro. They don’t need to be bled like hydraulics because there’s no fluid in the brake lines. Just pump up the pedal and you’re done! Except for when you have to pull drums or rotors off because they are stuck or will not come apart from each other. Then it gets ugly… unless you know these 10 tips to make your brake repair go much faster and easier!
There are dozens of speciality tools developed over the last 50+ years to work on drum brakes specifically. Many can be made at home, while others are readily available. Here is an essential list of the tools you should have:
- C-Clip Pliers (like these)
- Screwdriver(s) for c clips
- Hammer and punch to drive in c clips if needed. A dead blow hammer works best!
If the drum brake shoes need to be removed from inside a hub, you can use a hammer and a large screwdriver with a “star” washer head on it to pound them out. But this will take much longer than using proper tools like these… especially when removing long bolts that go through multiple shoes/shoes retain! It’s worth spending $5 on a set of brake shoe spreaders because they will save you hours of frustration. And they’ll probably work better than that screwdriver, too!
If you don’t have the proper tools to remove the shoes, it can be done with patience and ingenuity. A cheap but effective way to do it is to use a zip tie as an improvised puller…
1 ) Find All The Retaining Hardware Before You Begin Work: Otherwise, you may waste valuable time searching for what’s leftover when everything falls apart. That includes hardware like these retaining pins, which are used along with clips on most drum Brake Repair Blandford since the early 1980s. These are always included in new replacement shoes/drums, but if you’re working on a car at least 30 years old, they could all be rusty and stuck in place.
2) Common Sense Prevails: If you need to remove drums from a rotor because they won’t come apart… don’t pound them through with a hammer! Look at the disassembled drum brake system pictured here… In this case, the shoes have fallen into the back of the drum itself. So just drive out those c-clips and pull everything out as an assembly. You can also use a jack stand or other wedge to hold the shoe away from the back of the drum before pounding things apart with a hammer. Even though it’s counterintuitive, do NOT pound on the backs of shoes! The brake line and other brake hardware is typically located inside the drum assembly, and pounding on the shoe will drive it back into the drum and possibly damage something (like a brake hose/line!)
3) Always Replace Shoes When Replacing Drums: This may seem like common sense for most people. Brake repair shoes are cheap, so why would you just get new drums without new shoes? Unfortunately, that seems to be a common rookie mistake when replacing drums. I’ve seen bolts leftover inside many different drum brakes after they were pulled apart… including somewhere both sides of the axle needed to be removed to get them off! And if you don’t replace shoes with your next set of drums, you’ll find yourself doing this job all over again in a year or two… If you can afford it, best to just get all new shoes each time.
4) Never Reuse Hardware: New brake shoes come with new hardware (at least, the good ones do). Even so, many people keep the old hardware and reuse it. Don’t! Old brake hardware is almost always rusted together and tough to use. If possible, replace it with self-locking nuts when reassembling your drum brakes for this reason alone.
5) Remove Brake Shoes In The Right Order: When disassembling your drum brake repair, be sure to carefully note how everything comes apart! This will help immensely when reassembling the system later on. It is generally best to remove brake shoes in pairs from the axle’s outside, especially for drums that have two sets on one rotor. You’ll see why below…
6) Remove Brake Shoes In The Right Order: When disassembling your drum brakes, be sure to carefully note how everything comes apart! This will help immensely when reassembling the system later on. It is generally best to remove brake shoes in pairs from the axle’s outside, especially for drums that have two sets on one rotor. You’ll see why below…
7) Set The Parking Brake & Chock The Front Wheel: Either set the parking brake (for cars with an automatic), or shift into Park (for transmissions). While you’re doing this, check the front wheel. This prevents your car from rolling if you do happen to forget to set the brake.
