Brake Help

[69Explorer69]

now i am going down my check list the shop gave me that i need to get it fixed to get hard tags.Now i got pretty much most of it taken care of plus more.I only have the front rotor and the back brakes.

Now this is were my problem is the guy at the speed shop told me that my back brakes were put on wrong.WTF and i was hauling my family around!!:frustrate He said there should be one short pad and one long pad on each side,well in my case i have 2 short pads and 2 long pads on each side.

So now i have to put one short pad and one long pad on each side to fix it.Well in my past having done back drum brakes its been h*ll.

Can any one plz help me with somelight on what i am doing?
Is there springs i need to worrie about?
Is there ways that will make it easy for me?

Thanks for all the help in advance..Gotta Love This Site

 

[ricco750]

now i am going down my check list the shop gave me that i need to get it fixed to get hard tags.Now i got pretty much most of it taken care of plus more.I only have the front rotor and the back brakes.

Now this is were my problem is the guy at the speed shop told me that my back brakes were put on wrong.WTF and i was hauling my family around!!:frustrate He said there should be one short pad and one long pad on each side,well in my case i have 2 short pads and 2 long pads on each side.

So now i have to put one short pad and one long pad on each side to fix it.Well in my past having done back drum brakes its been h*ll.

Can any one plz help me with somelight on what i am doing?
Is there springs i need to worrie about?
Is there ways that will make it easy for me?

Thanks for all the help in advance..Gotta Love This Site

I'll try. Drums can be a real PIA, but the job is much easier with the following:

1. If you don't have one, get a manual. Without the correct picture of how it's supposed to look, you'll get confused.

2. Go to your parts store and get a new spring kit for each wheel. Also, get a drum brake spring remover/installer tool. All this is cheap, probably $15-20. Also, get a tube of synthetic grease to use where the manual will point out for you. Do NOT use any other type of grease, only synthetic.

3. Jack up the rear of the truck. Do NOT use the differential as a jacking point. Remove the wheels. Pull off the drums and inspect...if heavily grooved they will need turning. If they are heavily grooved, you will need new shoes as well. If the drums and shoes look OK, go ahead and remove the shoes by using your new brake tool to remove the springs. Be careful, wear safety glasses and gloves...these springs are powerful, and could hurt you if you're not careful.

4. Thoroughly clean the mounting plate where the shoes were. This is also a good time to inspect the cylinders...if they are leaking, they should be replaced, necessitating a system bleed. If they look OK, start rebuilding your brakes one a time using the manual and the new springs. Take your time. When they are done right, they will look right. Good Luck !

 

[69Explorer69]

why would i have to buy new springs and pads when the inspector told me that they looked really good that they just needed to be flipped from side to side(meaning one small shoe and one big shoe on each side.As of right now i have 2 long ones and 2 shorts ones on each side.

Is there a reason to buy new ones?I dont know if its something to do with them getting stretched when taking them off.

i was trying to find a thread on here for drum brakes but i am still looking in the hunderds of pages

 

[ricco750]

I simply posted what I would do, follow your own instincts.

 

[waskly]

wow good catch from the inspector if that is correct.

my folks had a car and the inspection station to pass the car did that to them, almost kill them in rain when they came off an exit in the rain and one side locked up sending them sideways almost into a cop car.

as for the springs, i would really recommended a new spring kit, when you do rear breaks, spring stretch, wear from usage/heat from breaking. if you do rear breaks change springs, make such a huge difference!

 

[69Explorer69]

yea i hate drum brakes the springs always get me..i always think i got it then my brain goes some where else then i screw up..lol.

i guess new springs wouldnt be a bad idea since i dont have to replace the pads just got put the pads in the right places.The funny thing is i got my X and 2 weeks later used it to tow my wifes car from the buyers house that i got it from to home bec it had no tags on it.Good thing nothin happened!!CAn i find a diagram with the springs in place some where?

 

[MrShorty]

IMO, drum brakes aren't that bad after you've done them a couple of times.

1st piece of advice I would suggest is get a good brake tool kit. I've found that a good spring removal tool makes a big difference in doing brakes. Interestingly enough, I've found that the cheap kit I bought from Harbor Freight has held up pretty well and worked nicely on the Explorer's brakes.

For the most part, I just follow the diassembly/assembly instructions in Chiltons. Seems to be reasonably well written.

With drum brakes, it seems that the last connection is the hardest. It's been a while, but it seems that I will leave one of the springs going to the adjuster pawl as the last spring to attach. I will use the "shoe hold down spring" removal tool (the one that looks like a screwdriver with a notched cup on the business end) in attaching the last spring to the adjuster pawl. The pawl sits inside the notch, then I can push up on the pawl until I can attach the spring to the pawl.

 

[westfield]

You got some pretty outstanding advice from everyone ! About the only thing I will humbly add is that you jack the rear, take BOTH drums off, do one and use the other for reference ... seems that whoever did the brakes screwed up with the short and long shoes. The suggestion about new hardward, springs etc is good because of the age of your ex...

 

[69Explorer69]

westfield,theres always outstanding on here..i feel like its my new found family....MRShorty thanks for the tips but i know me i am pretty sure to screw somethig up but if that what it takes for me to learn then i guess its going to happen.Thanks for all your guys help and if you ever in my part of town hit me up and i owe you a coffee

 

[69Explorer69]

i have the haynes manual but i have heard from many ford techs that it can causes more work then needed be..dont know how much that is true but thats what i hear from the grape vine.

 

[69Explorer69]

haha this is unrelated to this subject but my wife just walked in to the computer room and started to bi*ch and say i spend too much off my time on this site i had to tell her its family

 

[Tony H]

yea i hate drum brakes the springs always get me..i always think i got it then my brain goes some where else then i screw up..lol.

i guess new springs wouldnt be a bad idea since i dont have to replace the pads just got put the pads in the right places.The funny thing is i got my X and 2 weeks later used it to tow my wifes car from the buyers house that i got it from to home bec it had no tags on it.Good thing nothin happened!!CAn i find a diagram with the springs in place some where?

Don't buy new pads, just Run 220 Grit sandpaper over then and swap them around.
Small pad to the Front of the car. Larger pad is for more friction in the event you need to use the E-Brake.
I put the lower spring stuff together as the Shoes lay on the driveway then I bring them up to the axle..attach the e-brake arme and then put the 'Nails' and small Springs on.

 

[Roadrunner777]

On knowing how to put them back together, maybe you have a digital camera? Take a pic every few steps. Use brake-kleen to wash off dust, don't use an air hose, the dust is a bit dangerous to breath. Good Luck!

 

[Tony H]

I have a nice clean picture of the Drum brake setup but no way to post it. If you send me your e-mail address I will send it.