How to Replace Drum Brakes on Your Car

Image of drum brake source PIXABAY

If your drum brakes are not functioning well as they used to do, you need to replace them. If you have some basic skills on the brake replacement process, replacing the drum brakes shouldn’t be a big issue. It is a task that you can execute in your garage. In this article, I am going to guide you on how to replace drum brakes on your car.

Introduction

The drum brakes on your car are not designed to work forever.

You need to replace them after a particular period.

This is usually after they no longer perform well as they used to do.

It is at such moment that you are left with no other option but to replace the brake drum.

Chapter 1: How Does a Drum Brake Work?

Are you familiar with the working principle of a drum brake?

When you step on the brake pedal, the braking power is transferred through the brake fluid to the brakes.

The pistons will press against the brake shoes which are inside the rotating drum brake.

The friction between the brake shoe and the drum brake will work against the rotation of the wheels.

The vehicle will slow down or even stop.

Here is a graphical summary of how the drum brake works.

Image source Pixabay

Chapter 2: How do I know my Drum Brakes are Bad?

We cannot deny that brake drum replacement is an important service, you need to know when to do the process.

However, there are no fixed dates for doing the replacement.

Instead, you only need to read symptoms by observing how your vehicle is behaving.

Here are the symptoms that tell you it is time to replace the brake drums:

-Unusual noise from the brakes

Do you hear some abnormal sounds every time you press the brakes?

This could be a symptom of worn brake drums.

They usually produce scratching sound when they are pressed.

The abnormal sound could also be an indication of worn brake shoes.

-Inefficient parking brake

When the brake drums are in a bad condition, the brake shoes won’t have a tight grip with them.

The result is the parking brake will become loose and underperform.

For instance, the car will slip for some inches even after you have engaged the parking brake.

-Vibration on the brake pedal

Do you feel some constant vibrations coming from your brake pedal?

Excessive vibrations could mean that either the brake pad, brake shoes or even brake drums are worn out and need to be replaced.

These are not the only symptoms of warped brake drums.  There could be other symptoms that can warn you of the state of the brake drums.

However, you might have noticed, most of these symptoms are common on brake pads and brake rotors.

So, how do I distinguish them?

You can take your vehicle to the professional mechanic so that both the brake shoes and drums are inspected.

The problem could be with the brake disc and not drum.

Chapter 2: Steps for Replacing Drum Brakes

Here is a step by step procedure for replacing  drum brakes:

Step 1:  Gather the tools and wear appropriately

Before you commence with the process of replacing the wheel drum, ensure that all the necessary tools are in place.

You should also wear protective gear such as gloves and mask.

This is to avoid getting in contact with toxic material that could be emanating from the truck brake parts.

Step 2: Remove the wheel

While your car is jacked, carefully remove the wheel so that you all have direct access to the brake drum.

Before removing the tire, ensure that its lug nuts are loose.

Step 3: Spray the hub of the wheel with penetrating oil.

The primary role of the penetrative oil is to loosen the brake drum from its hub.

Step 4: Pull the used brake drum from its position

Grab the brake drum on its edges then pull it off from its current position.

You can use the brake adjuster to wiggle the brake drum, especially if is giving you a hard time to get removed.

If the brake drum is held by screws, you will have to unscrew it from the position.

Step 5: Compare the brake drum

Once you have removed the used brake drum, compare its features with the new one.

Ensure that they have equal measurements.

Step 6: Dismantle the brake drum

Remove all drum brake parts that were attached to it. You will need these parts on the new drum brakes.

The parts that you must dismantle include the brake shoe return springs, parking brake lever, retainer springs, and wheel cylinder pins.

After removing these parts, inspect and clean them as you will need them on the new brake drum.

Step 7: Rebuild the new brake drum

Fix the parts that you had removed from the used drum brake system onto the new one.

Ensure that all the components are attached to their required positions.

Step 8: Reinstall the tire and ensure that it is properly aligned with the new drum brake.

You can then conduct a road test to see if the new brake drum is functioning properly.

And that is an abbreviated version of how to change brake drums on a vehicle.

As you can see, it is not a complicated process as you may assume.

Conclusion

Image of drum brake source PIXABAY

In this article, you have learned the importance of replacing drums, when to replace the drums and what you should do during brake drum replacement.

By replacing the brake shoes and drums yourself, you will be able to cut down the cost of service.

However, you should do so only if you have the required skills and expertise.

I hope that you will apply the information that you have learned here to replace the brake shoes and drum.

Read More About Brake Drum

How drum brakes work
Steps for replacing brake drum