How often do you pull rear drums

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To clean off the brake dust? I had my shoes replaced about 4 months ago and now I have some squealing every time I apply the brakes. This is on my Tacoma.
 
Originally Posted By: ARB1977
To clean off the brake dust? I had my shoes replaced about 4 months ago and now I have some squealing every time I apply the brakes. This is on my Tacoma.


I usually do it once a year unless I hear a rubbing noise.

Regards, JC.
 
It makes the job easier if you pull them when the vehicle is new and throw some anti-seize on the drum/hub mating surfaces.
 
^+1

I like to do the same, and every time I change over to my Winter tires I like to tap the dust out of the drum, sometime a little pile builds up.

This makes braking feel more positive.

Once a year I like to spray water on the backing plate, pads, and hardware, then mist it with brake cleaner to displace the water.

Then I let it air dry.
 
In the Cherokee every 3 months. They back themselves completely off.

Never in the Focus, at least until it's time for replacement. It's part of the wheel bearing.
 
Originally Posted By: ARB1977
Thanks. How would you adjust the pads if you have too?


There is a little wheel that a flat-head screwdriver can adjust out. Drum brakes are "supposed" to self-adjust. They need periodic manual adjustment in my experience.
 
Originally Posted By: sciphi
Originally Posted By: ARB1977
Thanks. How would you adjust the pads if you have too?


There is a little wheel that a flat-head screwdriver can adjust out. Drum brakes are "supposed" to self-adjust. They need periodic manual adjustment in my experience.

Does the wheel turn up or down?
 
Took the drums off and the was some brake dust, only three months since having the shoes replaced. Applied anti seize to the axle flange to make it easier to pull the drum off. I did notice a little more drag on the drivers side so backed off the adjuster half of a turn.
 
A star wheel adjuster is intuitive.

The way it goes where it just spins freely without hanging up on the bumps on the star is spreading the pads apart.

A brake shoe is only designed to adjust one way, outward.

Visually inspecting the star and seeing the way it snags to prevent it from turning the other way is the direction you spin it to bring the pads together.

Just remember, the way you rotate it easily without it binding is the way to spread the pads apart, and the reverse is to bring the pads together in case you adjusted them too far apart and can't put the drum back on.
 
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