Changing drum brakes

[Dyno247365]

I took them all apart and now i'm very very confused, is there a diagram or a picture of how all these arms and springs go? I have an idea of it but I gotta be sure what goes where and how it faces.

The reason I took the other side off already is because I'm trying to work as fast as possible and I'm repainting the mechanical arms, which takes a day to dry each time.

[wrightz28]

oh, bad move.

The hard part is it's reverse oposite for each side because of forward momentum and the parking brake.

Hopefully someone will come along with a digital camaera for ya, I would but kids broke it,

[wrightz28]

come to think, try autozone on line for the repair manual section, might have a pic there the springs are color codes as to which one goes where on it's respective side, but it's been a bit of time on one of these so I couldn't honestly tell ya off my head.

[Dyno247365]

Also, does anyone have a good idea for drepressing the parking brake spring to get the arm back on? It took a lot of work just getting it off

[Earlsfat]

Originally Posted by wrightz28

reverse oposite

I'd take a picture of mine for you, but I've got so much shit apart on mine I don't want to make even MORE work for myself. If you're still messed up in a week let me know and I'll take pic's for you and post them, I should have most of my other crap done by then... I hope.

[Dyno247365]

Originally Posted by Earlsfat

I'd take a picture of mine for you, but I've got so much shit apart on mine I don't want to make even MORE work for myself. If you're still messed up in a week let me know and I'll take pic's for you and post them, I should have most of my other crap done by then... I hope.

not sure if we have the same brakes, but I appreciate it Jim

well so far, without touching the parking brake line, I've managed to put together the brakes off of the car, testing out what goes where.

Also autozone has a blowup of the design, even though it seems a bit different, I don't have a pawl lever or whatever it is. If I just keep following that I should be good but I still can't pull the parking brake line back.

I won't be able to do the other side for a while...i found a crushed brake line, and wasn't too happy, that sets me back a week in finishing the brakes.

[Dyno247365]

One more thing for the night, the new spring kit didn't come with 2 sets of springs, one that goes on the strut below the wheel cylinder, and one that bends against the shoe on the other side, should I try to find away to replace these also or can they be reused?

http://www.autozone.com/servlet/UiBr...3d80164631.jsp
here's the diagram, I'm mentioning the adjusting screw spring and the other one is probably the return lever spring

[wrightz28]

You don't have a pawl behind the adjuster? If not then the adjuster is useless as that is what drives the adjuster. Also make sure to clean the threads on the adjuster thuroughly and apply some anti sieze to it.

Jim's brake picture will be the exact same set up.

As for the spring, line it up to compare i don't normally reuse springs, it's not worth it. To reisnatll the top two there is a drum brake tool that has a hook and rod. The hook is for removal, and the rod for installation, you put the rod over the anchor pin pivot with the spring attatched to it's respective shoe and snap it in place.

additionally there is another tool for installing the anchor spring.

Me, I visegrip off the springs.

[Blue Bowtie]

This is a standard Delco/Morraine right rear drum brake assembly:



Sorry, but the flanges aren't transparent.

[wrightz28]

Originally Posted by Blue Bowtie

Sorry, but the flanges aren't transparent.

They've gotta work on that

[Dyno247365]

Originally Posted by Blue Bowtie

This is a standard Delco/Morraine right rear drum brake assembly:



Sorry, but the flanges aren't transparent.

don't you mean left? just say driver or passenger side, I never understand if they mean from the front of the car or sitting in the car

see that spring on the left at the bottom? the spring kit doesn't come with a new one, and that right now is attached to nothing against the brake shoe

[Blue Bowtie]

Left is always left, right is always right. Sides are determined from the perspective of being seated in the vehicle. It get's a little weird when a transverse engine is installed, but it is always labeled as if the engine were installed normally (longitudally).

That makes that a "passenger side" rear brake.

[1986Z28]

Originally Posted by Earlsfat

I'd take a picture of mine for you, but I've got so much shit apart on mine I don't want to make even MORE work for myself. If you're still messed up in a week let me know and I'll take pic's for you and post them, I should have most of my other crap done by then... I hope.

yours would be too different i think, give me a bit, i think i have a diagram somewhere on my computer

[97cavalier]

i hate drum brakes.

[camaromaniac]

AHHHHHH!!!!! (Flashback of wasted Saturday changing wheel cylinders)


does anybody know an easy way to get the lock spring off the back of the wheel cylinder? cuz a couple weeks ago, it took me about an hour apiece to get em off and on again