What procedure should be used when servicing rear drum brakes?
Clean up any dirt, corrosion or brake dust powder on the backing plate with aerosol brake cleaner or the shop vacuum. Use a wire brush to clean every mating surface between the drum and the hub to remove any trace of corrosion and dirt, which would make the drum run out of true.
Should you replace brake hardware when doing a drum brake job?
If you are doing a brake job on the rear brakes, it is critical that you replace the hardware. Drum brake hardware undergoes a lot of stress. If you don’t replace the hardware, you run the risk of the hardware failing. This will cause issues with the rear brakes.
How often should you replace drum brake hardware?
Drum brakes rarely need replacement, only every 200,000 miles would your drum brakes need to be replaced. However, you should get your drum brakes serviced every 5000 – 7000 miles or every 6 months during your service.
What happens if you dont use brake hardware?
As hardware becomes deformed, pads no longer move within the brake as intended. The pads will drag on the rotors and you’ll get premature wear and reduced pad life. Out of spec hardware will diminish braking performance.
When do you need to replace a brake drum?
Check the wheel cylinder for hydraulic leaks. Most drum brakes on cars and other common vehicles are hydraulically powered. If there is a leak in the hydraulic system, you may notice fluid inside the drum and on the brake shoes. Usually, this is accompanied by decreased brake performance. If necessary, replace the leaky wheel cylinder.
What causes rear drum brakes to engage too soon?
If the parking brake system is not de-adjusted properly before the brake shoes are adjusted it will cause the rear brakes to engage too soon. This is especially true of vehicles equipped with duo-servo rear drum brakes (see Figure 61.1).
How do I adjust the drum brake on my car?
To confirm your brakes are in good working order before you adjust them, check your vehicle for symptoms of a bad or failing drum brake. This article covers the adjustment process for drum brakes of the star wheel type. Step 1: Lift the rear end of the vehicle. Make sure the vehicle is in park and that the parking brake is set.
Are there disc brakes on the rear axle?
The majority of modern vehicles have disc brakes, however some vehicles use drum brakes on the rear axle. Rear drum brakes also function as parking brakes. Rear drum brakes. The parking brake mechanism is connected to the rear drum brakes via parking brake cables.