Any advice changing rear brakes that has Drums instead of disc...

[mitch311]

Hi,

I have a 1992 Hatch, and this will be my first time changing rears brakes that have drums. I've done many rear Disc brakes, but never drum. Do I need any special tools or procedure to replace it? How much do the rears pads (or shoe???) typically cost?

Step by step instructions would be great.

Thanks in advance.

[snowman2005]

http://www.honda.co.uk/owner/civicManual/index.html
go to the brake section they have everythign on how to disasemble the drum and inspect but ur best bet is to go to a local parts dealer(advanceauto parts, oreilly etc) and get a helms or chilton manual. it has step by step wiht good pics

[Kafziel]

Brake shoes are about $12 for the entire set. You should also replace the hardware (springs, pins, etc.) - a bag of that stuff for both wheels costs $6. New drums, if you want to go all out (which I did) are about $40 apiece at pepboys. I got mine on ebay, but they're hard to find.

I do recommend a chilton guide for reference.

The somewhat out-of-the-ordinary stuff that will help you is:

2 8mm hex bolts - to loosen the drums if they are rusted on.

a good sharp chisel to take the dust covers off the hubs (removing the hubs is optional, but it helps A LOT - takes five minutes, will save you 1/2 hour at least).

you will most likely need a breaker bar for the hub nuts.

an extra-narrow flathead screwdriver to straighten out the peen on the hub nut ring.

Aside from that, just your standard screwdrivers, socket wrenches, torque wrench, and pliers. Since you've done other brakes, I'll skip the usual first steps.

1. disengage the ebrake and take off the drum (it should slide right off. use the bolts if needed to push it away from the hub.)
2. using the chisel, pop off the dust cover (the silver dome in the middle of the hub). It may take several good hits with a hammer to get it started. Once that's off, the hub nut will be exposed. Use a small screwdriver to straighten out where the outer ring is bent to fit into the groove on the bolt. Then unscrew the hub nut and the whole thing should slide right off.
3. now you can easily remove the old brake setup. On the left and right sides, there are clips held in with little brass pins. Push down on the clip with a flathead screwdriver and turn the pin head with pliers until it fits through the slot in the clip. The whole thing will come apart now. You can slide the brake assembly off (being careful not to let the pistons fall out). The parking brake cable connects to the arm on the back of the plate. Using pliers, pull back the spring that covers the cable, and pry the cable out of its seat. You'll see what I mean. This part can be a bitch and is nearly impossible for one person to do alone without the whole assembly falling apart. Now that that's done, keep everything close by for reference.
4. set up the shoes (2 per drum) and look how the springs are on the old one. The only spring you will reuse from the old one is the brass one with the big v-shaped ends. Start transferring stuff over. I can't be more specific because I'm sitting in a cubicle at the moment, but you should be able to tell what goes where. Use the chilton manual if you're worried about the order. You will re-use the self-adjuster bolt and the locking mechanism that goes with it, as well as the parking brake arm. (Don't forget to reconnect the parking brake cable!!) Once the whole thing is back together, slide it back onto the pistons. Make sure it sits in the grooves. This part is definitely a two man job, because someone needs to hold the assembly together while the other guy puts the clips and pins back in (use new ones).
4. Make sure everything sits right, then put the hub back on (reverse of installation. I believe the torque should be 130 but check me on that. Once it's where it should be, use a screwdriver to peen the ring back into the groove and put the dust cap back on.)
5. Once both sets are on, bleed the brakes as in any brake job.

This will cost you $100 - $150 plus parts to have done at a shop. Depending on how experienced you are at things like this, it might be worth it to do yourself. The parts are silly cheap. It's definitely not easy, though. I'd give it a 3.5 out of 5 on the pain-in-the-ass scale.

If anyone sees anything I've missed, please chime in.

Good luck!

[i_a_n112784]

When it's all back together, you want the shoes to be rubbing on the drums just a tiny bit. When that happens, they are adjusted correctly. And changing the back brakes gets easier every time.

[mitch311]

Thanks guys.

[Kafziel]

No problem. Hope it helps.