Teach me drum brakes

Girlfriends 02 or 03 Corolla is making noise from the rear when braking. From about 10 miles an hour on down, it sounded like cold race brakes. Her dad took it to the shop and had them look at it; they filed away some of the rust in them and the noise went away. Noise is back. I figure that it can't be more than $80 in parts, I might as well just replace the damn things.

But I've never looked at a drum brake before. So, I bow to the great wisdom of GRM; I beg you, teach me how to replace the rear brakes on a 2002-3 Toyota Corolla--what do I need? Would I be able to just replace the shoes, or the lining (can you replace just the lining?), or will I have to replace just the drum, or the whole kit and kaboodle? According to the shop, the lining was still good.

Oh, FWIW, it is a legitimate mechanics shop, not a Midas or Jiffy Lube. The owner is always on hand and usually the one doing the work, and he owns a Land Rover Defender 110 along with a Mercedes 190E.

Many years ago my dad taught me about the Cheap Japanese Junk drum brakes (they're not limited to the Japanese as my MGB's are remarkably similar). Back then, it was far from complicated. A basic repair manual should cover it. When they went to self-adjusting drums it threw a wrinkle in but didn't make anything unpossible. I completely rebuilt my old CRX Si drums years after I thought I forgot everything I knew about Cheap Japanese Junk drums.

My best hint is to jack up the rear of the car and pull both drums off. But only disassemble one at a time so you have the other side still complete so you can use it as a guide while you tackle the other one.

Oh, and yeah you can replace just the shoes (never hears of getting shoes relined, and new shoes are probably cheap enough to not make you wonder if that's even possible), or just the drums, or any indiviual part in there. Odds are once you have the drum off you'll be able to spot what's grinding or rubbing or otherwise making unwanted noise.

Drum brakes are not difficult, they just look that way. They are a more complicated design than disc, but were around much, much earlier. Best piece of advice is to take both drums off, but only work on one side at a time, that way when/if you get confused on where the springs go, you have a reference to go by.

I'd recommend a brake spring tool from an auto parts store. They look just a screwdriver that's bent on the end, it's much easier to guide the springs on and off with that than a regular screwdriver.

You may need a BFH to get the drums off, however if a shop recently had them off then it may be much easier. You shouldn't need to replace the drums given their age, but I would inspect them for cracking. You can machine them same as rotors, they'll have their maximum diameter stamped on them. Remember, drums get larger around when they're machined, rotors get thinner.

The linings are either riveted or glued to the shoe, most parts stores actually refurbish the shoe, and put new linings on them. There's always a leading and trailing shoe, before you pop yours off, compare the lengths (I'm pretty sure the leading is the longer one) that way you don't put them in backwards.

Get dirty!

+1 to everything listed above. I had to re-learn drums with my '87 CRX, but the memory comes back easily. I will however add that an even better idea than just leaving one side assembled is to take the drum off the backing and take a photo with your phone or digicam or whatever before you disassemble the thing. That way you have an actual record of the side you're working on.

Since it's Japanese, you may also need the other drum tool -- looks kind of like a screwdriver with a wacky socket on the end. They can be had at any parts store, and they're used for removing the retainer springs that actually hold the shoes in place. It's kind of a push-and-twist action that will be obvious when you actually see them. You can also do this with a pair of slip-joint pliers, but the tool makes it easier.

Can't speak specifically for your Corolla but be aware that often there is a leading shoe and a trailing shoe. If so there will be more lining on one than the other so you will have two of each when you get your new set. Watch closely to be sure that you get them in the proper orientation (years ago I had more than one come into the shop after being worked on by do-it-yourselfers with both leading shoes on one side and both trailing on the other or with the leading and trailing reversed).

Good luck,

Jeff

Are the leading shoes always the longer or the shorter ones. Or is each car different? I did not know this and have rebuilt a several sets of rear drums brakes. Makes me wonder if I screwed up.

Buy a manual for your car, that should walk you through the basics, Haynes would be fine. At minimum pick up a shoe hold down spring tool and shoe retracting spring tool but might as well buy a kit like this: http://www.harborfreight.com/7-piece-brake-tool-set-188.html

Disassemble one side at a time and +1 for taking a pic before hand. To save myself trouble in the long run I'd buy new shoes, drums, hardware kit and possibly adjusters if they're skunked up. All this stuff oughta be reasonable priced for this car. Inspect wheel cylinders while you're in there. And BrakeKleen, gotta have BrakeKleen.

spitfirebill wrote: Are the leading shoes always the longer or the shorter ones.

When the leading (AKA primary) and trailing (AKA secondary) shoes are different the trailing has a longer lining surface and is installed to the rear.

Jeff

Try adjusting the drums a little more snug and brake the snot out of it. I suspect the rear brakes aren't adjusted properly (the auto adjuster aren't 100%)

Also might be worth a quick inspection to clean out rust and brake dust, make sure the areas the shoes slide on are well lubricated.

Be sure no one depresses the brake pedal while the drums are off.

JKleiner wrote:

spitfirebill wrote: Are the leading shoes always the longer or the shorter ones.

When the leading (AKA primary) and trailing (AKA secondary) shoes are different the trailing has a longer lining surface and is installed to the rear. Jeff

Racers back in the 60s would use the longer shoes in all positions to improve braking, well as much as drums can be improved. Not sure it would make enough of a difference to justify buying two sets of brake shoes though.

iceracer wrote: Be sure no one depresses the brake pedal while the drums are off.

LOL. My first time cleaning and adjusting drums, not thinking, I managed to do that twice. I think I'll remember not to do that now.

There are a ton of drum brakes out there that growl when they are cold or damp. If you put cheap shoes on to replace the growly ones, you will have drum brakes that growl when they are cold or damp.

Turn up the radio.