Hi, I have absolutely zero experience in brakes so I appreciate all the help, thanks!
Anyway, I have a 1995 f250 2x4, 300i6 e4od. I was told by the l inspection shop that my right side rear was hot. So I took off the wheel and brake drum only to have parts fall out everywhere. I found broken springs and pads, so I know I need to buy new stuff. So I need folks to help tell me what I need to buy to fix it, how to clean it up, and adjust it so it doesn’t stick and get hot. I also took off the driver side and found a broken spring. I figured it’s best to do both sides. Thanks in advance. Pictures down below.

 

There are videos on you tube that should show you how to do it. Your going to need a 2 1/2 inch hardware kit, adjuster, cable, shoes and drums if you decide to replace the shoes and drums. Buy drum break spring pliers. Your going to need a flat head screw driver and some locking pliers. I forget what size it is but there is a small nut at the top on the back that holds that pin on, you will need to remove that pin if you have to replace the cable, if the cable is still in ok shape then you wont need to remove it.

Stretching the springs is a pain. Reattaching the springs and nail that hold the shoes is probably the hardest part. If it was me I would pull the hub for extra room but you will need to buy a seal if you do that and a special socket and torque wrench to reassemble it. careful not to mess up the wheel cylinder by pulling the buttons out to much. Make sure you do not apply the breaks without the drums on( I did that once not thinking). Pay attention to how the cable is routed you can route it the wrong way and it looks like its fine untill you look closer at it. This job sucks but it gets easier as you do it

Edit 1 measure the width of your shoes they will either be 2 1/2 inch or 3 inch. They look like 2 1/2 to me but its hard to tell for sure

edit #2 didnt realize your axle is different than mine so removing the hub may be a lot harder.

edit #3 if you use the old drums grind the ridge off the inside of them so there isnt a step anymore. You can use a angle grinder to do it. Do it outside and wear a mask if you have one cuz its going to blow rust powder everywhere. Also do one side at a time preferably start with the side that fell apart so you can look at the other side for how to put it back together. Use break cleaner spray to clean everything up as much as you can.

Edit 4 when you get it all back togeather you want to adjust it so when you slide the drum on the drum has to be perfect for it to go on and it slides on with some resistance. Then once you get the wheels on and its stopping good for you, drive in reverse at a moderate speed and slame the breaks on a couple times since drum breaks auto adjust when you go in reverse and hit the breaks.

 

Alright. I measured 2.5 inches so got the shoes and hardware kit ordered. I’ll pick up the pliers while I’m in town. I’m not quite sure what ridge you are referring to on the drum, I will need to look at it closer tomorrow. I will try to leave the axle in place because it does not look like fun to remove. And you said something about pressing on the brakes with the drum off....? I might or might not have done that a few times... what did I break?

 

like this one:

 

this guy is good and through to. He has like 5 videos on drum brakes.

 

This ridge / step is what you need to grind so there is no more step other wise you will only be able to adjust the shoes to that diamiter.

 

If you manage to complete these on your own or even with help your going to think the front breaks are a breeze.

 

Well today I picked up my parts and tools, I also got new wheel cylinders. I got the entire passenger side taken apart and cleaned. Putting it back together with the new parts took hours but I finally did it.

Your talking about the tiny little step that was made from the shoe grinding away a 2.5 inch thick circle inside the drum? In other words, a new unused drum would not have that step? I just wanna make sure I grind the right thing.

I will be fixing the driver side tomorrow. And I’m sure the front will be a lot easier after I’ve learned this, I hope it doesn’t need to be done any time soon though. I would say this has been one of the tougher tasks on my truck. Harder than the valve cover gasket but not as hard as when I rebuild the transmission.

 

yea you wanna grind the lip that is all rusty next to where the shoes have made it shiney that way the rusted area is the same height as the shiney area since the shiney area where the shoes apply presure will be lower, you want the new shoes to be adjusted to the height of the shiney area where the shoes make contact..

Drum breaks are one of my most hated maintainince repairs. They are tedius to a point and just suck when you know how much easier it could be had they just made it 4 wheel disk breaks. On the bright side the other side should go a bit faster now that you have done one side and seen what its all about. Doing the wheel cylinders is cheap insurance so that was a good idea.

 

Watch the first 30 seconds of this video.

 

I know nobody wants to hear this but I always find this fascinating. Brakes are one of the most important things on a vehicle and fixing them yourself without any clue on what you are doing is able the worst decision in your life and the lives of others on the road.

Thank God we are not fascinating about brain surgery.

The best help I can offer is find someone that does know what they are doing and ask them for help. Watch them as they work. Ask them questions while they are working.

Good luck and please, hit the tree vs little Johnny playing in the street.

 

1Butcher,

Yes brakes are important but they are one of the easiest things you can do. In fact, that was the first system that was taught when I went through Ford’s auto school back in the mid 90’s.

 

The key phrase you were at school and there was someone there to watch over/assist you. I too went to school and none of the stuff we worked on ever made it to the road. That was in the early 80's.

Yes, brakes can be easy but I know enough surgeons that they think their job is easy too. I heard a comment from a surgeons wife 'but he only works on hands'. Basically she was unimpressed with her husbands skills because it was only hands.

40 years working on high end cars from some of the richest people in the world, I always think about the ease of fixing brakes and the severe consequences of not doing it right. I have not read anything above that stresses that.

 

Alright, so I got all the new parts in and the lines hooked up. Now I know I need to bleed both rear brakes but do I need to do the RABS I as well? I couldn’t find any info on how to do that.

 

Comparing surgery to breaks is rediculous. You can literally watch a video on you tube and know how to do almost everything there is to do on cars. You can buy a book while less effective in some instances and read how to do it without needing hours and hours of practice taking bolts off and screwing them back on. With that thought process no one should be working on anything without schooling first.

Next time you have a breaker switch turn off you should call an electrition to turn it back on since they have training to prevent the arc flash from hurting them if it occures while flipping the switch back on. If you get a flat tire dont attempt to change it your self, tires are another very important part of the car that if put on wrong can hurt other people. You mention that they should have someone that knows what they are doing help them yet you didn't mention to make sure that person was a certified mechanic. On the job training outside a school setting is not good enough.