Drum Brakes - Been a Long Time!

[8thTon]

Had to dig out the old drum brake tools for my new-to-me 2004. Haven't done drums in quite a while! I've only had the truck for a week, but it had started to feel like the rear was locking up, it began to make noise while backing up and the right side was getting warm. LOL, maybe this was why?

I use the parking brake but most do not, and I suspect it had never been used at all. Given the rust it was sticking on. However, the left side was much cleaner, and had been lubed at one time. Who does brakes on one side? Brakes feel good now. Had to drag out the work lights, but got it done - just in time for the snow storm. It was that or it would have sat for a week before I could work on it.

 

[RonD]

Sure hope those are BEFORE pictures, not after

 

[Dirtman]

Pfffft those brakes had another 100k miles of life left in them...

 

[8thTon]

Sure hope those are BEFORE pictures, not after

Lol, they were not exactly beautiful after, but servicable anyway, given the time crunch. They got new shoes and a hardware kit, and I did what I could with the wire wheel, brake clean and air hose.

They look the same once the drum is back on anyway!

 

[91stranger]

That's how mine looked except I had pieces falling out of the drum when I took it off. both sides had pieces falling out so I had no good reference other than tiny pictures on the internet. I'm glad I bought the hardware kit b/c mine were shot. outside of the drums looked just as bad but the inside were still nice and shiny so I just took a brillo pad to it and cleaned the surface and popped them back on. Brakes are working like they should with no squeaks or grinds anymore. the guy at the parts store was trying to swear up and down it was a 9 inch drum and I finally proved him wrong by holding a new 9" drum next to my drums and he goes "ohh,,,, I guess it is a 10 inch."