Replacing rear drum brake shoes

Parts required

 * New rear brake shoes to suit your model
 * A rear brake fitting kit
 * Two split pins for the castle nuts.

Tools required

 * A jack and axle stands
 * Normal wheel changing equipment
 * Either a Torque Meister or similar or 36mm socket and breaker bar
 * Flat blade screw driver
 * Pliers

Preparation
Back off the handbrake at the cable end.

Loosen the wheel nuts while the wheels are still on the ground.

Jack up the rear of the car and put it on jack stands.

Remove the rear hubs
Back off the brakes to make it easier to remove the hubs.

Remove the split pin from the castle nut.

The easy way to remove the hub is to use a Torque Meister or similar. see removing and replacing rear hubs for details of this.

The hard way is to use a 36mm socket and a long breaker bar. Doing it this way changes the procedure a bit because you'll need to loosen the castle nut while the car is still on the ground.

Remove the old shoes
Disconnect the handbrake cable from the rear shoes.

Remove the bottom springs only.

The shoes are held in place on the backing plate by pins and springs and little round thing. Push the little round things in so you can turn the pins 90 degrees to release them and the pull the pins out the back.

Both shoes can then be removed together as one unit by pulling them out from the bottom and then sliding the whole lot down and out from the top.

What you'll have in your hands now is two brake shoes held together by the spreader plate and a spring. The rear shoe will have the handbrake lever attached to it.

Assemble the new brake show assembly
You need to construct the new show assembly to match the old one. Normally this means transfering the handbrake lever. New wavy washers and circlips will be in your fitting kit.

The spring can be removed from the old shoes by carefully unhooking the ends with a pair of pliers.

Fit the new brake shoe assembly
Slide it upwards into the top bit, then place the shoes in either bottom bit. Make sure these bottom adjusters are the right way round, the slot is shaped to match the shape of the shoes.

Refit the springs and clips.

Refit the handbrake cable.

Adjust the handbrake
see Adjusting hand brake