How to Remove Rear Drum Brakes From the Rear Axle

The rear drum brake are also know as brake shoes, which are designed to stop the back wheels from turning by applying pressure to the inside of the brake drum. When the brake pedal is depressed, the brake cylinder attached to the top of the wheel hub assembly compresses the brake shoes to the inside of the drums. The friction from the shoes sliding against the drums stops the vehicle. Change the brake shoes before the brake-shoe material reaches less than one-eighth of an inch in thickness to prevent serious damage to the drums.

Instructions

1

Park the vehicle on a level area and engage the parking brake. Turn off its engine.

2

Loosen the lug nuts on both rear wheels with a tire tool or lug wrench.

3

Raise the rear of the vehicle with the jack and place the jack stands under the proper rear jacking points. Lower the vehicle onto the stands and leave the jack in the upright position.

4

Remove all of the lug nuts from both rear wheels. Pull off the wheels off and place them flat near each side of the vehicle.

5

Pull the brake drum straight off of the wheel hub with your hands. Tap the drum loose with a rubber mallet If the drum is stuck. Place the brake drum on the ground near your work area.

6

Remove the springs from the top of both brake shoes with a spring removal tool. Place the springs near your work area.

7

Disconnect with your hand the automatic brake adjustment cable on the bottom of each brake shoe and the upper retaining clip.

8

Remove the brake spring retaining clips from both brake shoes, using a brake spring retaining clip tool.

9

Remove the automatic brake adjusting arm, attached to the middle spring and located on the bottom of the wheel hub assembly, by pulling the arm forward and out at the same time. The adjusting arm adjusts the rear brakes by compressing the bottom of the brake shoes. Allow the adjustment arm to hang down.

10

Pull out on both brake shoes at the same time with your hands. Pull the brake shoes toward you and off of the wheel hub assembly. Remove the middle spring connected to the brake adjustment arm from the brake shoes. Separate the brake shoes. To install new brake shoes, reverse the above steps.