Yeah... So, I am a complete newb when it comes to changing/replacing drum brakes. I have heard there is a tool in which to make the springs easier to install and uninstall. Is this true? I would really like some simple advice other than "tear it apart, change them and put it back together". Pics would be really nice as well. Maybe even a simple diagram. I would rather change the brakes for now rather than doing my rear end swap in the cold. That would suck. Let me give you example. Pull parking brake, push car, it rolls backwards. Brakes are gone as I have tightened the parking brake cord already. Also I have looked through the haynes manual and I am still boggled. This is seriously dumb. I can tear apart a freakin engine and put it together but I am afraid of doing a brake job. Help me please........ Thanks

Ian

 

to tell you the truth, "tear it apart, change them and put it back together" is pretty much the way to do it. The tool they sell to remove/replace the springs is like a small prybar, nothing that can't be replaced by a flathead srewdriver and some needlenose pliers. The springs in there are small enough to be handled without special tools.
assuming its just the shoes that need replacing:
1) take drum off, might need a little convincing.
2)pay attention to how the shoes are held in there and take them off.
3) replace shoes, make sure springs are holding them on there tight.
4) adjust shoe spreader at the bottom of the assembly in order to bring the shoes in tighter to make room for the added material on the new shoes.
5)make sure drum fits over new shoes, with minimal clearance, but not so much that you have to force the drums on there.
6) take back some of the adjustment you made to the parking brake cables, and try the parking brake out before putting wheels back on, adjust further if necessary. check to see if your regular brakes are working well at this moment too, just to make sure the cylinders in the drum brake assy. are in working order.

If i missed anything or wasn't clear on something, i'm sure someone else will chime in with info.

 

Well, I suppose if I screw it up too bad they either wont work (same as now) or they will work too good and cause me to wreck my car and die. Seems like a decent chance...

 

Actually, they are somewhat complex and scary until you've done a few. After that it's "take them apart and put them back together". There are no special tools required, but you'll want to remove and replace the top two springs with a pair of vice grips that are FIRMLY clamped down on them. Take digital pictures before you start. If you don't have a camera available, do one side at a time. Usually there are small differences side to side, but they are basically the same and the other side can be used for reference.

If you want to bring it up to C.R. I can help you out. Probably can't get it into the heated back garage, but could do it in the front garage. I have a torpedo heater we could run in there to warm it up a little.

Let me know!

Rich

 

Take one side apart at a time.

There are two special tool that are very helpful.

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/OBJECTS/21200/21159.JPG
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/OBJECTS/21300/21249.JPG

The second one is used to take off and put on the two top springs. the first one is used to take off the compressed springs. the other springs can be removed with plyers or a flat screwdriver.

Here is the general procedure as I remember it.

Take off the two top springs.
remove the spring at the bottem that holds the adjuster in place.
remove the two compressed springs. They go in and then twist to let go.
remove the C clip holding the ebrake and adjuster.

Pads should now come off.
Make sure you remember which pad was which, one is longer then the other.
shorten the adjuster
put everthing back in reverse.
The two top springs are put back by placing the tool in the hook and then over the stud and with an up motion put them in place.


Hope this helps some.

 

If you've never done drums before, buy the first tool in the previous post, it will make things lots easier. And for god sakes, like 64mgb said, if you use vise grips to stretch the springs make sure they are clamped down really tight. I threw a nice shiny pair of 9" bull-nose vise grips at my face on one of my first attempts at drum brakes years ago - needless to say I would not recommend that learning method.

 

Lets say that the drums are worn, how are the brakes adjusted to make up the difference after the drum is installed?

 

Your e-brake cable is attached to a little ... thingy... that moves when the break is engaged. This lever-like thingy (love the technical terminology) turns the adjuster in the middle of the brake shoes one notch if it can. If it encounters any real resistance, it just sort of "skips" past it and doesn't adjust it. So the main way your brakes get adjusted is through frequent use of the e-brake. Other than that it just takes more fluid and pedal travel to push the brakes enough.

I did drum brakes for my first time this summer without any special tools. It was a PITA and I think a second set of hands would have helped, but I managed with just some vice-grips, a flat screwdriver, and a bunch of ingenuity and swearing.

Jon

 

I know this is a SUPER old post...but i'm doing my drum brakes and have run into a problem. I'm not quite sure what you guys mean by adjusting the adjuster...so bring the shoes in tighter so the drum will fit around them. The Haynes manual has some weird thing about turning one bolt on the back in one direction, and the other bolt in the other direction...Could someone please clarify this maybe?

 

It is only two months old.


We need to know what year the car is. the 79 - 80 has the adjuster you are talking about and the 81 - 85 has an adjuster like most anyother car.

 

Isn't it a year and 2 months old?

...anyways. I actually have a 78, but it is the same setup as a 79 as far as brakes go...I tried turning the adjusters like the manual says. But it's hard as hell and it doesn't seem to do anything. I'm afraid i'm gonna snap the bolts. There isn't much rust on this car at all, and i did PB blast the crap out of the bolt/pin adjuster thing...Is there some trick i'm missing?

 

I always forget it is now 06.

to adjust the brakes you losten the big nut and turn the inner one. About a half turn each way is really all you get. If you take the drum off and watch the shoe you will be able to better understand what is going on. From there set them like you would any drum. Adjust till they drag just a little and then tighten the large nut back down while holding the inner one in place.

 

Is either one reverse threaded? Or does the typical lefty loosey righty tighty apply?

 

I think one is a reverse but not both.

 

There's no such thing as a '78. Unless it was originally sold in another country.

rich

 

Heres how you put on springs on a brake drum, used to do it all the time in my step dads shop

take a flat blade screw driver stuck it on the tip and hook the other side up. put the tip of the screwdriver with the spring attached to the metal part and kinda slide it onto the other side. watch out thow they fly and are hard to find if they slip...

 

The 2 tools on the 1st page that Hades12 posted pics of can be found at the auto parts store in a combo tool. I've had one for years, it's like the Swis army knife of brake tools. Works a treat.

 

Lol, it's a 78 Savanna GT from japan...RHD. Sorry, should have pointed that out.

As far as the tips for installing the springs, thanks for the help...but I can install the springs just fine, it was the adjusters I was having issues with. I'll have to give it another go tomorrow night after they've soaked a little longer. I suppose if I snap any hardware or adjusters it's a good excuse to convert to a rear disc setup and a LSD...lol