drum brakes help!!
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New User
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 19
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From: La Canada, Ca
drum brakes help!!
I am doing the rear drum brakes in my 88 f250 4x4. where can I find a website with step by step intsructions? My chiltons manual is very confusing and I have never done rear brakes before!
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 292
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From: Kansas City
Drum's are tougher.
I try to take both shoes off together and set them on the ground, to move the springs over.
It would help if you do a sketch to show where your springs go.
generally, have two shoes, the piston in the middle pushes the shoes out to squeeze the drum. One spring holds each shoe to the top center. There's a star wheel, adjuster on the bottom, to take up the slack as the shoes wear.
Right in middle you have to little rivet/bobby pins, to hold the shoes to the brake backing plate, and a straight bar across the middle for the e-brake to push on. Then you'll have one more spring to hold down the adjuster lever, that spins the adjuster when you set the brake (or is it back-up), and holds the bottom together. The adjuster holds the shoes apart at the bottom. The cable, is for the e-brake.
They make a special spring removal tool, most of them are crap though. There is a nifty tool for putting on the split nut, retaining nut, but a pair of pliers works just as good.
For assembly, I put on the hold downs first. Then the top springs and the adjuster last, turned all the way in. Then adjust it out once the springs on, until the drum starts to drag when you put it on, and back it off a couple clicks.
The haynes has about 8 -10 pics. I have both, I think they do it the way on purpose.
I try to take both shoes off together and set them on the ground, to move the springs over.
It would help if you do a sketch to show where your springs go.
generally, have two shoes, the piston in the middle pushes the shoes out to squeeze the drum. One spring holds each shoe to the top center. There's a star wheel, adjuster on the bottom, to take up the slack as the shoes wear.
Right in middle you have to little rivet/bobby pins, to hold the shoes to the brake backing plate, and a straight bar across the middle for the e-brake to push on. Then you'll have one more spring to hold down the adjuster lever, that spins the adjuster when you set the brake (or is it back-up), and holds the bottom together. The adjuster holds the shoes apart at the bottom. The cable, is for the e-brake.
They make a special spring removal tool, most of them are crap though. There is a nifty tool for putting on the split nut, retaining nut, but a pair of pliers works just as good.
For assembly, I put on the hold downs first. Then the top springs and the adjuster last, turned all the way in. Then adjust it out once the springs on, until the drum starts to drag when you put it on, and back it off a couple clicks.
The haynes has about 8 -10 pics. I have both, I think they do it the way on purpose.
Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,467
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From: N. Gwinnett Co. Georgia
Chilton is better on some things, Haynes on others as clstrfbc stated. I also have both. I remedied the brake issue by only taking one side off, mirror image, remember, and using it for reference. A long time ago on a dusty road far away one of the jobs I held as a teenager was a mechanic (well apprentice if you want to be accurate) I ended up doing most of the brake jobs that came through Bill's shop as they were fairly easy, dirty, and good to dump on the kid. Take your time and take a digital picture if you have a digital camera. Then you have instant reference.
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Joined: Feb 2005
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Originally Posted by clstrfbc
. . . the piston in the middle pushes the shoes out to squeeze the drum. . . .
1) What is the best way to compress this piston while doing the brakes?
2) Does this piston need to be removed at all - or just release the pressure within the springs and the shoes can be replaced.
Thanks in Advance,
JustLearnin88
Senior User
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 482
Likes: 2
On drum brakes the piston is always compressed. The "adjustment" is handled by the star wheel adjuster screw at the bottom of the drum. Piston does not have to be moved at all. Correct, just release the springs.
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Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 17,799
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From: Ashland City, TN
Yes. When you do drum brakes. take the star wheel and put it all the way fully closed. I oiled mine first.
Rmemeber drum brakes are self adjusting. You do this by going in reverse and useing your breaks. Just go back wards and keep pumping them down till you almost stop. Eventually they will auto set to the correct setting.
clstrfbc explained it the way i do it. I take it apart and transfer everything over except the main tension spring. I dont have break tools so i use needle nose pliars and a nice screwdriver. The pliars i use to grip the spring and the screwdriver to give me my prying power to pop it onto the stud.
Once you get one side done the other side should be super simple. Just remember its backwards!
Rmemeber drum brakes are self adjusting. You do this by going in reverse and useing your breaks. Just go back wards and keep pumping them down till you almost stop. Eventually they will auto set to the correct setting.
clstrfbc explained it the way i do it. I take it apart and transfer everything over except the main tension spring. I dont have break tools so i use needle nose pliars and a nice screwdriver. The pliars i use to grip the spring and the screwdriver to give me my prying power to pop it onto the stud.
Once you get one side done the other side should be super simple. Just remember its backwards!
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From: Bonita Springs FL
Originally Posted by Talyn
Rmemeber drum brakes are self adjusting. You do this by going in reverse and useing your breaks. Just go back wards and keep pumping them down till you almost stop. Eventually they will auto set to the correct setting.
You have to jack the wheel off the ground, and adjust the shoes outward through the slot in the backing plate with a screwdriver until the shoes lightly drag all the way around. It's the only way to do it. You'll have scary brakes if you don't do it this way.
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From: 3rd Rock
Originally Posted by ricksfords
I have had trouble in the past on my 95 250 getting the torque correct on the rear axle nuts any one know the procedure to get it right.
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