Interval for Rear Drum Brake Clean/Adjust

[vwmaniaman]

My 1990 Ranger XLT has rear drums and they would lockup the right rear drum on the first stop everyday unless you were super easy on the pedal. My wife never learned this and refused to drive it. I replaced shoes and drums to no avail. Last year I replaced the shoes again even though they were not worn but I also replaced all the springs. It just turned 100K miles on its odometer from new. I found that Ford had installed the wrong color spring on the rear shoe on that side. I put the new springs on and it has never locked that wheel again. Only took 32 years to figure it out.






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[Donald]

My 1990 Ranger XLT has rear drums and they would lockup the right rear drum on the first stop everyday unless you were super easy on the pedal. My wife never learned this and refused to drive it. I replaced shoes and drums to no avail. Last year I replaced the shoes again even though they were not worn but I also replaced all the springs. It just turned 100K miles on its odometer from new. I found that Ford had installed the wrong color spring on the rear shoe on that side. I put the new springs on and it has never locked that wheel again. Only took 32 years to figure it out.






i

Did you give credit to the wife that something was wrong and needed to be fixed? More that just getting use to it!

 

[97prizm]

How often should one perform a clean, lube and adjustment of their rear drum brakes?

I had my neighbor’s 4Runner over this morning to perform this service – he wasn’t aware that this was a maintenance item?! I had recommended the service to him since I noticed the pedal engagement was low and the parking brake was not as effective as it should be....even after performing his requested brake fluid exchange.

My own practice has been to remove the drums at each 5K LOF/Rotate and empty the dust. Then, every year or 10K (whichever comes first), I will hose down the assembly with brake cleaner, lightly lube the accessible contact points and adjust the shoe-to-drum clearance.

You?

Not a bad recommendation but definitely look at the e-brake cables. The ones on my neon streched and froze the e-brake into place ruining fairly new drums and shoes.

 

[lbhsbz]

At the dealer, we'd perform the rear brake clean and adjuster at 15K mile intervals. They usually didn't need more than a few clicks. I'd say 15K-30K is a safe interval. Rarely to self adjusters actually self adjust properly. If it has a hand operated parking brake, I use that as a gauge as to when it's time to service the rear drum brakes.

 

[oldhp]

On my Mom's 1965 Pontiac Bonneville my Dad finally just took the rear adjusters off. Mom always had the rear brakes super tight from backing up a lot but never driving them out. He would drive it from time to time and feel the pedal to see when the brakes ( all drums ) needed adjusted. I was 8 and learned how to put drum brakes on then too!!!

 

[JHZR2]

Not a bad recommendation but definitely look at the e-brake cables. The ones on my neon streched and froze the e-brake into place ruining fairly new drums and shoes.

I’ve fortunately never encountered an overly stretched cable, at least that I’m aware of. But I have had the splitter that goes out to the two wheels get stiff and need lube…

 

[JTK]

The rear drums have never been removed from my 2015 Nissan Versa. On the 2013-2019 Versa, the rear wheel bearings are pressed into the drums, as are the lug studs and ABS tone ring. If I do have to go into them, I'll have to replace everything. You pull the dust cap and axle nut, and the whole assembly comes off.

Not specifically drum related, but on 4th gen Ram 1500s, if you live in the rust belt and don't apply some type of lube to the parking brake actuators/levers that go through the backing plates and exercise to the parking brake somewhat regularly, it will be locked up tight in 2yrs. Dealer fix is entire new backing plate assemblies. This was a ~$1200 fix years ago. I'm sure it's a lot more now.

 

[barkingspider]

I usually pull the drums during tire rotation since the wheels are off and give a quick spray of brake cleaner. I notice a ton of brake dust in there even after 5k miles.

 

[Sedin26]

I occasionally look at the rear drums on my 93 Tercel but I didn’t have to touch anything for 180,000km between services last time. Climate plays a big factor, of course.

 

[Oliveoil2]

96 Tacoma v6, original rear, haven’t touched them….296k.