Story of a shoe change - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

TrueBooleanFalse · 09-16-2011, 08:29 PM

I have been messing with my brakes for a few hours now. I am trying to do the drums. I went to autozone to get me some new shoes and got around to fixing one side of my car before a torrential downpour hit my area. In my rush, I thought I would test the brakes out, but I forgot to put the drum back on, so then one of the rubber pieces came off and leaked brake fluid. I found a spring laying on the ground and assumed it came from inside the rubber piece and pop it back in-I had never seen it until this happened and all my parts were used from installing. Calling it a day, I go inside.

I go again the next day to get the other side. I have a little harder time as it is colder today. I put the brakes on, make sure all parts are used in correct orientation, put on the drum and drive around. I have no rear brakes or e-brake now! As I am driving a manual, I need the e-brake... not really, but I prefer not to use my transmission to hold my car. Anyways, whats going on here? Do the brakes auto-adjust while driving or if I turn the car on and keep mashing the brakes? Brake fluid seems to be at min/max levels from what I can read on the reservoir.

Also, Autozone gave me a shoe set that only had one shoe with a pin in it, so I had to go back and let them know, but I had to go to another store to get some pins to attach the shoe and e-brake holder to... what fun. I did this all on my Grand Am, but it wasn't THIS hard.

Yuko · 09-16-2011, 09:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TrueBooleanFalse

In my rush, I thought I would test the brakes out, but I forgot to put the drum back on, so then one of the rubber pieces came off and leaked brake fluid.

I done that before on a Ford Ranger.

Either way, did the wheel cylinder blow out? Usually, it is easier to replace the cylinder than to repair it. Then air must be bleed out of the brake system. On drum, the parking brakes are self-adjusting but rarely do. It can be adjusted by turning the star wheels with the drums on through the small hole on the face of the drum, or engaging the parking brake hard while the vehicle is moving backward.

TrueBooleanFalse · 09-16-2011, 09:25 PM

Well, the rubber piece from the cylinder did pop out, but its removable, I tested it on other side, but forgot to see if there was a spring inside there... The rubber piece looks like a metal birds beak that holds the shoe.

Yuko · 09-16-2011, 09:38 PM

^ That there is the rubber boot; really there just to keep the brake dust and water out from the seal that are inside. Most wheel cylinders inside have a thin spring to help balance both pistons in the wheel cylinder. If there is no leaks and the cylinders are fine, I would just bleed the rear brakes and adjust the shoes until there is a slight drag on the drums.

TrueBooleanFalse · 09-21-2011, 11:36 PM

Sorry it took so long, I got em done on one of my days off from work. Thanks for the tip, I never had to bleed the brakes before, but then after your post, I realized that they are on a closed 'circuit' of sorts. I figured air might had gotten in and bled them.

THANKS, Yuko!