Rear brake shoes... big job or no?

[Velokid1]

My rear pads are squealing at me. Must be time to replace them. What kind of a day do I need to budget for that fix? I mean, is it a 2 hour job or a 6 hour job?

Cause if it's more than a two hour job, I'll probably put it off for another month or two. :)

*I'm assuming it's the rear pads... just starting squealing about a month ago and they really only squeak when I drive down the hill away from the house in the morning, after sitting all night. They squeal LOUD for the first couple stops, then don't squeal at all. Sound like the pads? Or something else?

[Sluggo]

Have you tried adjusting them? How is the E-Brake? Changing them is easy. Do one side at a a time. That way you can refer to the other side if you can't remember how something goes.

[fukengruvenoval]

You may want to check for the little rubber dust plugs in the backing plate. Sometimes if these are gone (and they usually are) moisture can get in there quite readily causing the drum to get a small coating of rust that "squeals" its way off with the first couple stops.

My more modern cars with four wheel disc brakes do this terribly after a rainstorm or a few days of sitting in high humidity...

Sluggo is right, though, while you're underneath checking the dust plugs, look in the inspection holes to see how much brake shoe is left, then adjust the brakes.

[Velokid1]

Hmmm, I guess I don't understand how the brakes work like I thought I did because I didn't know that they would squeal as they wore, unless the pads were in need of replacement.

I'll give it a shot, though. Again, thanks guys.

[Amskeptic]

Hmmm, I guess I don't understand how the brakes work like I thought I did because I didn't know that they would squeal as they wore, unless the pads were in need of replacement.

I'll give it a shot, though. Again, thanks guys.

They are called shoes. I think you have glaze/dust build-up.
If the linings are as-thick-or-more as the steel backings, they are still serviceable.
Colin

[VWBusrepairman]

Take an hour from your day and pull all the wheels and inspect the brakes ALL the way around, first. You might find an adjustment is all you need, or you may need a set of pads/ shoes/ wheel cylinders/ etc. Inspection is the first step to tell you how long you need for the repair.

you rule, Velokid!

[Adventurewagen]

Take an hour from your day and pull all the wheels and inspect the brakes ALL the way around, first. You might find an adjustment is all you need, or you may need a set of pads/ shoes/ wheel cylinders/ etc. Inspection is the first step to tell you how long you need for the repair.

Excellent Advice. I recently finished my brakes all the way around. It all started end of last summer when my braking got harder. I went to bleed the brakes last month and broke a bleeder valve on the back right wheel cylinder. So I ordered two new wheel cylinders with the plan to at least replace those. When I got in there my shoes on the back right were super oily and torn up. I then ended up replacing the shoes. The job itself isnt too difficult, just a little pulling and prying to get the shoes in and out of the wheel cylinder groove.

Then when I checked the back left brake, almost one entire shoe had disintegrated and the whole drum was one big oily mess of black stringy goo. The wheel cylinder on that side had a leak and was most likely the cause of my harder braking.

All in all, each wheel took me a couple hours to pull apart and clean, clean, clean and then reassemble. You'll need to then bleed your brakes when you're done. I'd give yourself a full day where you can go purchase new shoes and wheel cylinders if you have to. None of it was very hard and probably the hardest thing was getting off my lug nuts for the back wheels.

[Velokid1]

Thanks, guys. Howdy, Ry-dog.

I did the fronts about 6 months ago. Replaced the lines to the rears about a year ago. Colin and I adjusted the rear in May '05.

I'll get back under and have a look. Maybe. Going for a trail ride on the motorcycle may grab my attention first.