How to Change the Brake Shoes on a Honda CRV

The brake shoes on the Honda CRV's rear brakes work with the parking brake. The rear wheels on the car also use brake discs with calipers, so you need to get around these brakes in order to work on the shoes. You don't need to remove the brake drum, but changing the brake shoes is still a complex task involving multiple springs and rods.

Instructions

Accessing the Shoes

1

Block the CRV's front wheels to keep it from rolling. Raise the car's rear end, support it on jack stands, release the parking brake and remove both rear wheels; loosening the lug nuts prior to lifting the car makes the wheels easier to remove.

2

Remove the rear brake calipers by removing the mounting bolts with one wrench while holding the caliper pins with another wrench. Support the calipers with a strong wire or coat hangar so they don't hang by the hoses; don't disconnect the hoses.

3

Take off the brake discs by removing either the lug nuts with a wrench or the two retaining screws with a screwdriver. If the disc is stuck to the hub, thread two bolts into the holes in the disc and tighten them back and forth until the disc is free.

4

Clean the entire brake assembly with an aerosol brake cleaner; don't use compressed air. Place a drain pan under the assembly to catch the residue.

Removing Old Shoes

5

Remove the two upper return springs from the brake shoe assembly. You should need pliers to grasp and pull the springs.

6

Push the hold-down clips on the shoes and turn the pins 90 degrees so you can remove the clips.

7

Disconnect the connecting rod and rod spring. Remove the lower return spring. Pull back the leading shoe and remove the adjuster screw.

8

Pry the U-clip and washer off the top of the rear shoe using diagonal cutters; the clip is on the backing plate side of the shoe.

9

Disconnect the parking brake lever from the rear shoe and remove the shoe.

Installing New Shoes

10

Lubricate the areas on the backing plate that come into contact with the brake shoes; lightly apply high-temperature brake grease. Clean and lubricate the adjuster bolt and clevis.

11

Assemble the parking brake lever to the new rear shoe, lubricating the brake lever pin with the grease. Place the shoe against the stationary stop at the top of backing plate, insert the hold-down pin through the backing plate and install the hold-down clip.

12

Install the adjuster and lower return spring onto each of the new brake shoes. Position the front shoe onto the backing plate using its hold-down pin and clip.

13

Place the rod spring onto the connecting rod and separate the shoes so you can install the connecting rod. Connect the two upper return springs to the shoes; you will likely need pliers to stretch and position the springs in their holes.

14

Re-install the brake disc and caliper. Tighten the caliper mounting bolts to 17 foot pounds.

15

Turn the adjuster star wheel to adjust the brake shoes; use a screwdriver inserted through the adjusting hole. Turn the wheel until the shoes drag on the brake drum as you rotate it. Then back off the star wheel until the shoes don't drag any more.

16

Re-connect the wheels and lower the car once you've changed the brakes on both sides.