How hard is it to change brake shoes?

zudo · #1 03-02-2008, 08:24 AM

I haven't worked on cars before, but I want to learn.

The emergency brake on the 99 dodge grand caravan doesn't work, so I thought I might start with that. I've been doing a lot of reading, at various sites, and was wondering if the emergency brake may be too complicated for a beginner. I'm mechanically inclined, but I do not come from a car oriented family at all, so I don't know anyone who could supervise me.

Is it a bad idea? or should I go for it? Will I look stupid bringing it into a mechanic afterwards if I mess up? or is that fairly common?

j cAT · #2 03-02-2008, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zudo

I haven't worked on cars before, but I want to learn.

The emergency brake on the 99 dodge grand caravan doesn't work, so I thought I might start with that. I've been doing a lot of reading, at various sites, and was wondering if the emergency brake may be too complicated for a beginner. I'm mechanically inclined, but I do not come from a car oriented family at all, so I don't know anyone who could supervise me.

Is it a bad idea? or should I go for it? Will I look stupid bringing it into a mechanic afterwards if I mess up? or is that fairly common?

You should get this work done by a recommended repair shop... now if you have someone to guide you through this process it is possible but not over the internet..... perhaps a night course at the local school system has and auto maintence program this will save alot of expense in the long run..this will also require tools so this is another factor that has to be considered.....

zudo · #3 03-02-2008, 11:22 AM

Next year I'm doing a dual credit program with my high school and communtiy college for a few automotive classes on engines... I checked, and they have nothing over the summer so... Is there a part of a car that I could get started on that's not too hard to mess up?

HeWhoKillz · #4 03-02-2008, 12:48 PM

I would think in general, most alternators are fairly simple. Or prehaps take off a tire, get a book and see how much you can identify without taking anything else apart. Oil changes are rather simple as well. Or rotate your tires. Simple things like that were what I started on.

vgames33 · #5 03-02-2008, 01:40 PM

Most libraries have a car section. You can also try the DIY section of autozone.com. Most parts stores will carry Haynes manuals (which aren't the best, but they're better than nothing.)

Just make sure you read everything you can before starting, and don't take anything apart if you don't think it will go back together.

zudo · #6 03-02-2008, 05:13 PM

I've been reading from autozone, advancedautoparts, and eautorepair, I've got a haynes book in the mail, I'll check out the library later...

zudo · #7 03-04-2008, 02:05 AM

You know what? Screw it.

I'm competent, we have tools galore, I can call a mechanic if I mess something up, but I'm mechanically inclined and I think I can fix my e-brake. I found out that I do have a few friends who know a little bit about cars too, so I'll call them up at the time. I'm gonna have to by some things, but oh well right, I'll use them later on. Spring break is coming up, so I won't have to drive to school, I'll read/research until then, and look under the car just to see if I can best guess it (I'm good at that, I fixed random things when I was younger).
Patience is a good thing, but patience can wait, I hope this isn't just the caffeine talking (it's 1 am) but Hu-Ha!

2.2 Straight six · #8 03-04-2008, 02:13 AM

brake shoes aren't hard. but they're a massive pain in the ass sometimes.

Moppie · #9 03-04-2008, 04:56 AM

Replacing brake shoes goes one of 3 ways:

Its real easy. So easy, you think you got something wrong.

Its a real pain in the ass. You lose a spring, or don't they adjust right, or there is a huge lip on the drum and it won't come off etc etc,

It works. But you have parts left over, and your sure you put a spring on backwards. But, the brakes work, the car stops. So its ok, or thats what you keep telling yourself.

Headnsouth · #10 03-04-2008, 06:53 AM

With the correct tools it shouldn't be to hard. Go to this thread and find your vehicle.
http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbul...d.php?t=890909

j cAT · #11 03-04-2008, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zudo

I've been reading from autozone, advancedautoparts, and eautorepair, I've got a haynes book in the mail, I'll check out the library later...

if you do this brake job remove both brake drums at same time ... then replace one side and then go to other side to make sure every thing is installed correctly.......look at shoes make sure the correct shoes are in the correct position....then start other side......usually on drums the drum is bad because after several years of use the drum diameter has grown larger than the shoe diameter this then causes the friction surface to be reduced... so when you remove drums if only a small portion of shoe is making contact with drum it must be replaced as well....

2.2 Straight six · #12 03-04-2008, 02:43 PM

you have an adjuster on the mechanism. this accomodates for wear of the shoes or drum.

drums last a long time, the biggest problem is the lip that forms on them.

j cAT · #13 03-04-2008, 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2.2 Straight six

you have an adjuster on the mechanism. this accomodates for wear of the shoes or drum.

drums last a long time, the biggest problem is the lip that forms on them.

as I explained if the brake shoes are worn only on one portion of the shoe the drum is too big.../worn.... now the radius of brakes and drum are different and this will reduce braking effort...get new shoe and place in side removed drum if you can get shoe to rock its too big....

The adjuster is for shoe wear .....

zudo · #14 03-04-2008, 05:00 PM

I subscribed to eautorepair a few days ago,for the van (it's powered by mtichell). J cat, your talking about having the drum to spec thickness, right? and straight six, your talking about the need to have it machined, right?

Also, I hear a groan coming from the back right when I hit the brake sometimes, might that be the shoe? or is it possible it's from the drum brake itself?

Someone told me that the typical problem for emergency brakes is the cable, how do you insepct that? or should i be fairly obvious when I remove the drum if it's the cable or not?

j cAT · #15 03-05-2008, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zudo

I subscribed to eautorepair a few days ago,for the van (it's powered by mtichell). J cat, your talking about having the drum to spec thickness, right? and straight six, your talking about the need to have it machined, right?

Also, I hear a groan coming from the back right when I hit the brake sometimes, might that be the shoe? or is it possible it's from the drum brake itself?

Someone told me that the typical problem for emergency brakes is the cable, how do you insepct that? or should i be fairly obvious when I remove the drum if it's the cable or not?

Mr. ZUDO the brake drum wears, and the drums gradually enlarge so even if the drum has never been cut it may fail on thickness..since the removal of asbestos as a braking material the replacement material is very abrasive...and as was mentioned by a fellow member a ridge grows on the outter circumferance of the drum, this ridge is what i use to determine that the drum is too worn, also the wear pattern of the shoes as i mentioned if only a small portion of the shoe is worn the drums are worn...you may also notice that only the inner portion of the shoe is worn more so than the outter this is because the drums tend to get bell shaped....as the outter circumferance gets larger, usually you will see this if you remove rust, cracks on the outter surface....if you do this , make sure the springs are not rusted if so replace them also.....

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