How to Replace the Rear Brake Drum Assembly on a 2000 Ford Focus

Although most vehicles as of 2010 have front disc brakes, there are still some cars and trucks that utilize drum brakes on the rear wheels. Drum brakes slow your vehicle down when the brake shoes are pushed against the inside of the drum, as opposed to disc brakes, which have exterior mounted calipers that press the brake pads against a rotor. Your 2000 Focus comes standard with rear drum brakes. The drum assembly must be removed before any brake maintenance work can be done on the rear brakes.

Instructions

1

Place wheel chocks under the front wheels of your Focus. Raise the rear of the car with a floor jack and place jack stands under the rear frame rails. Lower the floor jack so that the rear of the car rests on the jack stands and the rear wheels are off the ground.

2

Remove the rear wheels by loosening and removing the lug nuts with a lug wrench. Place the wheels out of your immediate working area.

3

Crawl under the car and locate the four bolts that secure the brake drum to the hub assembly on the inboard side of the wheel hub, behind the rear shock absorber. Loosen and remove the four bolts with a 13mm socket attached to a ratchet wrench; turn in a counter-clockwise direction. Place the bolts aside.

4

Disconnect the antilock brake sensor wiring harness from the inboard side of the rear wheel hub by pulling it straight out of the connector. Skip this step if your Focus does not have antilock brakes.

5

Pull the brake drum straight out and away from the car to remove it.

6

Repeat steps 3 through 5 to remove the other rear brake drum.

7

Install a new brake drum by pushing it onto the wheel hub, over the brake shoes. Tighten the four holding bolts from under the car with a 13mm socket and ratchet. Plug the ABS sensor back in until it is fully seated. Replace the rear wheels and tighten the lug nuts. Raise the rear of the car and remove the jack stands. Lower the car. Remove the wheel chocks.