rear brake help please

[belkez]

i am trying to replace my rear shoes and i can't seem to get the drum off. How do i do this? i have the tire off and that's as far as i got. thanks for the help, I am a very amateur mechanic.

[batstiva]

Do you have a Haynes? If not, I would recommend getting one. After you get the tire off and out of the way, you've got to remove the dust cap over the hub nut, remove the hub/crush nut, and pull the outer wheel bearings seal out before the drum will come out. Note that the crush nut should, if it was done right last time, be right hand thread on one side, left hand thread on the other. Also, make sure your e-brake is not set, and that it actually releases. Meaning that it's not rust welded in place. If so, a BFH may be called for once you remove the crush nut and bearing seal.

Also, I would suggest putting your location in your profile, or since that is not working right now, in your post. Someone nearby might be able to give you a hand. We like messing with these things almost as much as we like driving them.

[belkez]

okay, i got the dust cover off. i didn't know about that. i was trying to remove the four nuts on the backside, just under the bottom strut mount. I will let you know how it goes. thank you so much for the very prompt reply.
oh, I am in Casper, WY

[belkez]

that crush nut is well, crushed. do i need to bend it back out in order to remove it? and will i need to put a new one on once the job is complete?

[batstiva]

No, no, no. Don't remove those. They are what hold the spindle in place. You do not want to remove those!!

After you got the dust cover off, there should be a large nut right where you pulled the dust cover. That is what you need to remove. Remove that, and pull the bearing seal out, and then the drum should come off.

You posted the same time I did.
Yes, you will need to uncrush it enough to get it off, and yes, it should be replaced with a new one.

[Smedley]

Oops. sorry. messed up my post. Now Batstiva's doesn't follow LOL

[batstiva]

^^ And sometimes they give you the passenger side nut no matter how many times you ask for the driver's side, eh?

[belkez]

success! well, kinda. the shoes were really tight when putting the drum back on. the shoes rub on the drum now. you don't feel it while driving it, but when i jack the tire up, it is kinda hard to turn and you can hear the new shoes rubbing.
thanks again for all your help. i think it is very cool that i was able to avoid taking my car to the shop. you guys are the best and i love my festiva. I will post pics of her.

[batstiva]

^^ Glad you got it all sorted out. And yes, pics are kind of mandatory!!!

[belkez]

just got the other side done. took me about twenty minutes this time. now, will the shoes center themselves or something? why do the new ones rub? I set that ratcheting deal between the top part of the pads to it's 'innermost setting', if that makes any sense at all. trying to make as much room as possible for the new shoes.

[TominMO]

just got the other side done. took me about twenty minutes this time. now, will the shoes center themselves or something? why do the new ones rub? I set that ratcheting deal between the top part of the pads to it's 'innermost setting', if that makes any sense at all. trying to make as much room as possible for the new shoes.

I think they will self-center. Sounds like you did it OK. Make sure that the e-brake pivot (just inside where it comes into the brake backing plate) is de-rusted (PB Blaster) and then greased to help prevent future e-brake binding.

[WmWatt]

When you back the car up a few feet the brakes self adjust.