How to Fix Scout's Rear Brakes

The International Harvester Scout (in all variants) was manufactured with rear drum brakes, which have components that can fail and require replacement or repair. The Scout's brakes improved with the introduction of the Scout II in 1971, but retained the rear drums until its demise in 1980. The average backyard mechanic can repair the rear brakes on a Scout in about an hour.

Instructions

1

Lift the rear wheel of the Scout by placing the floor jack under a frame rail (in front of the wheel), then pumping the jack's lever. Place a jack stand on the same frame rail for support.

2

Remove the wheel using the lug wrench to turn the lug nuts counterclockwise. Place the wheel away from the work area, and store the nuts in a safe location.

3

Remove the drum by sliding it from the brake assembly, directly away from the backing plate. Inspect the drum interior surface for pitting or debris, and check the wheel cylinder for leaks. The shoes are clearly visible on either side of the brake assembly.

4

Remove the shoes by levering off the four long retainer springs with the brake tool or a screwdriver. Turn the primary spring bolt in the center of the shoe counterclockwise, then slide the shoe off. Some brake kits will come with replacement springs, and this should be done while the shoes are off. Simply pull them from the retainer hooks and out of the brake assembly. Replace them by looping the spring over the hook. The "shoe side" of the spring will dangle until the shoes are replaced in the next step.

5

Replace the shoes by sliding them onto the brake assembly, then turning the primary spring bolt clockwise. Replace the retainer springs by levering them onto the shoe hooks with the brake tool. Set the bottom adjustment bolt between the shoes by hand, turning it clockwise until there is just a little play.

6

Replace the wheel cylinder if it is leaking by turning its rear mount bolts counterclockwise and pulling the cylinder piston from the mount. The gaskets on either side can be replaced, as well as the center piston gasket. Turn the mount bolts clockwise to secure the cylinder.

7

Resurface or replace the drum and slide it over the shoes, all the way back to the backing plate. Replace the wheel and turn the lug nuts clockwise. Remove the jack stand and lower the Scout down from the floor jack.