How hot should brake drums be getting?

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They shouldn't be super-tight.

My rule of thumb is they should be tight enough to stop the wheel with the tire on it after 5 revolutions.
 
The last Honda we had without self adjusting rear drums was a '76 Civic.
The car in question is a recent vintage Corolla, which I'd bet a paycheck also has self adjusting rear drums.
 
On rear drums the brakes should not drag, normal driving you should be able to touch the drums and not burn yourself. The brakes are adjusted to tight. take it back. When adjusting rear brakes adjust until you feel drag on the drum then back the adjuster slightly.

Why would you want to adjust your brakes until they drag,
 
I adjust up alot of brakes because the pedal feel is so much better but they git them too tight, I adjust them up but still make sure there is a little play from shoes to drum.
 
Originally Posted By: sciphi
They shouldn't be super-tight.

My rule of thumb is they should be tight enough to stop the wheel with the tire on it after 5 revolutions.


5 revolutions? As in the wheel spins full turn 5 times? that seems like a lot. From what I was told, if you adjust the adjustor too loose, the shoes sit too far from the drum and wont grab. Is that true? Apparently, even with an auto adjustor, if the shoes are too far from the shoes, the auto adjuster wont move the shoes out far enough to make full contact with drums.

I say this because i know a guy who, when he puts in new shoes, he backs them off all the way to its loosest setting and lets the auto adjustors eat up the slack by doing the reverse and slam brakes trick a few times.
 
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Originally Posted By: Carnoobie
No i went with her so i was there, and she has a Corolla, 05 I believe. If you dont want to believe me, then take your garbage elsewhere. I just want advice.
Originally Posted By: Carnoobie
Rand said:
"blistering hot is about 140F" this is normal for brakes that are used.


Too hot drums = overheat and heatscore them and all the brake components inside. Ive seen heatscored brake shoes and its not pretty, they usually crack from the heat.

The "Shoe-to-drum clearance" is 0.6mm if this was a 2005 Corolla.
However, since you are an expert in metallurgy, you should at least know what type and year car in order to get the correct brake procedure.

In your prior post, your sister's car was a 2008 Hyundai and you "dont botehr with her anymore".
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2691042&page=1
Originally Posted By: Carnoobie
"So last year when she found out she pretty much destroyed the hydraulic system on her car, she just figured she would buy a new car instead. She got a used one 4yrs old"

Originally Posted By: Carnoobie
"Well I dont botehr with her anymore, the last time we talked about her car is when she got it last year haha. All I know is all she did was an oil change on it and thats it. Poor car is gonna get taken to the cleaners in the next 9 years. Its darkest days are ahead of him. If its even gonna last that long, cause its Hyundai."

___________________________________________________________
"You don't have to be crazy to do this, but it sure helps!" --- Bugs Bunny
 
Originally Posted By: carwreck
Originally Posted By: Carnoobie
No i went with her so i was there, and she has a Corolla, 05 I believe. If you dont want to believe me, then take your garbage elsewhere. I just want advice.
Originally Posted By: Carnoobie
Rand said:
"blistering hot is about 140F" this is normal for brakes that are used.


Too hot drums = overheat and heatscore them and all the brake components inside. Ive seen heatscored brake shoes and its not pretty, they usually crack from the heat.

The "Shoe-to-drum clearance" is 0.6mm if this was a 2005 Corolla.
However, since you are an expert in metallurgy, you should at least know what type and year car in order to get the correct brake procedure.

In your prior post, your sister's car was a 2008 Hyundai and you "dont botehr with her anymore".
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2691042&page=1
Originally Posted By: Carnoobie
"So last year when she found out she pretty much destroyed the hydraulic system on her car, she just figured she would buy a new car instead. She got a used one 4yrs old"

Originally Posted By: Carnoobie
"Well I dont botehr with her anymore, the last time we talked about her car is when she got it last year haha. All I know is all she did was an oil change on it and thats it. Poor car is gonna get taken to the cleaners in the next 9 years. Its darkest days are ahead of him. If its even gonna last that long, cause its Hyundai."

___________________________________________________________
"You don't have to be crazy to do this, but it sure helps!" --- Bugs Bunny


Hey smart alek, I have 3 sisters.
 
In my experience with several cars with "self-adjusting" drums, the adjusters never worked except under persuasion from a screwdriver.

Having the wheel turn 5 times before friction brings it to a stop ensures the drums are very lightly dragging on the shoes, but not tight enough to cause excessive brake wear or eat gas. I've had good results with this method on 3 cars now, which is good enough for me to keep using it. It's not broken, so it's not getting fixed.
 
Originally Posted By: Carnoobie
Hey smart alek, I have 3 sisters.

Ok, that makes it perfectly clear. You have 3 Civics, 3 sisters.
And your Civic also has similar brake problems that your "mech" cannot fix. Since your sister "has money to burn", why doesn't she take her car to a licensed repair shop that has the proper tools to measure shoe-to-drum clearance ?

Civic shoes overtighten
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubb...886#Post2634886
3 sisters; 2 have money to burn, charge you for food
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2675383&page=1
01 civic
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2772774&page=2
04 civic
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubb...690#Post2526690
03 Civic
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2782746
 
I remember I painted the drums on my Cavalier with flat black rustoleum as a joke. I drove that car at least 15k and that paint was still on there.
 
Originally Posted By: carwreck
Originally Posted By: Carnoobie
Hey smart alek, I have 3 sisters.

Ok, that makes it perfectly clear. You have 3 Civics, 3 sisters.
And your Civic also has similar brake problems that your "mech" cannot fix. Since your sister "has money to burn", why doesn't she take her car to a licensed repair shop that has the proper tools to measure shoe-to-drum clearance ?

Civic shoes overtighten
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubb...886#Post2634886
3 sisters; 2 have money to burn, charge you for food
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2675383&page=1
01 civic
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2772774&page=2
04 civic
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubb...690#Post2526690
03 Civic
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2782746


BUSTED!!

Why is this guy allowed to continue posting his story telling?

Yeah it is almost impossible to prove what is going on but this borders on the ridiculous.
 
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Originally Posted By: LT4 Vette
Tegger, Are you sure about self adjusting drums on a Honda ?


One million percent.
 
Originally Posted By: Carnoobie
Originally Posted By: Donald
Did he pull the drum and look inside. Maybe the wheel cylinder is all rusty or the e-brake cable is rusted and not releasing.

I had a Ford Ranger where the e-brake cable had rusted some, and when they took the very hot drum off (wearing gloves) the lining fell off the shoes.


Yes they pulled the drums and everything was still good and working fine.

I just think they adjusted the shoes way too tight. The drums were blistering hot when we got home and I could barely touch them with my finger.


YES, the tech may have slightly overadjusted the rear drums a bit.

I have adjusted the drums too tight myself years ago before I got a real handle on adjusting the rear drums. It's a feel thing! And the best part is, is that the adjuster can be backed off some to compensate for the over adjusting. Something that I have always done in my driveway/garage with a screwdriver or adjusting tool.

With some cars like your sister's Corolla, the car may need to be jackedup and the tire may have to be removed to access the adjuster on the front of the drum(Toyota). But, it's an easy fix!
 
On the brighter side, once you have driven it for couple of hundred miles, the shoes will be worn and the drums will not longer be dragging too much.
 
Originally Posted By: Vikas
On the brighter side, once you have driven it for couple of hundred miles, the shoes will be worn and the drums will not longer be dragging too much.


Well wouldnt by that time, the drums and shoes be heatscored? Couple hundred miles is a lot.

Originally Posted By: Char Baby

YES, the tech may have slightly overadjusted the rear drums a bit.

I have adjusted the drums too tight myself years ago before I got a real handle on adjusting the rear drums. It's a feel thing! And the best part is, is that the adjuster can be backed off some to compensate for the over adjusting. Something that I have always done in my driveway/garage with a screwdriver or adjusting tool.

With some cars like your sister's Corolla, the car may need to be jackedup and the tire may have to be removed to access the adjuster on the front of the drum(Toyota). But, it's an easy fix!


Ya it looks pretty easy to do, i should probably try it.
 
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so now you have 4 sisters 4 honda civics a hyundai a mom who washes dishes 56 hours a week at home due to OCD,
the same problems your "mech" cant fix,
you want to stalk women...
and your sister tells the mechanic how to fix her car


um. yea believable sure.

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can we just leave his sister(s) out of this? We all know when some people talk about their "friend" or their "sister", they are really talking about themselves.

One sure way to know if the brakes are dragging is to get the car on slight incline (or slope) and see if it rolls in neutral. If it does not, then you know brakes are dragging. I was able to catch the sticky caliper with this method twice on my Maxima. With a five speed and regular commute, you know how much it should be rolling at usual locations. When it does not, you can smell/feel one of the wheel getting hot after the drive.

If both the rear wheels are significantly hotter and have the characteristic smell when you park, yes your brakes are dragging.

On most of the Honda of 2000 era with rear drum, the self adjuster works only if you really slam while going in the reverse. If you don't do that occasionally, eventually the self adjuster will no longer be able to auto-adjust.

Next time, just make a habit of slamming on the brakes while reversing fast at least once every so often. That way, you will never have to visit the shop for adjusting.
 
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Honestly, I feel sorry for the mechanic who has to deal with this. Properly functioning drum brakes on any modern car do not need adjustment. Even if they did, most people would not bother. The last time your mechanic got a request to adjust drum brakes was probably never. He probably did overtighten them just to make sure they were nice and tight and he wouldn't be accused of not doing anything. I'm all for doing things the right way and normally don't make excuses for shops, but seriously, if this is a true story try looking at it from the tech's perspective.

My truck's drum brakes are 10 years old and have never been adjusted manually. Drums have never been off, dust plugs have never been off, and even the little retaining clips that keep the drums in place on the assembly line are still there. Stops on a dime, tows trailers, and has passed every state inspection it ever had. It sounds like you and/or your sister created a problem when there likely wasn't one to start with.
 
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