Brake shoes, together with drum brakes, are used to make it possible for a car to brake. A drum brake consists of two crescent-shaped brake shoes that are only mounted on the rear axle of the car. The brake shoes are covered with a high frictional resistance material, also called brake lining. But, how does this system exactly work?
How does a brake shoe work?
Brake shoes cause the car's wheel to slow down when you apply the brake. If you push the brake pedal down, brake fluid is brought to the wheel cylinders. Brake shoes with brake lining are then pressed by the cylinder against the inside of the rotating drum. The friction that is created, causes the car to slow down and eventually bring it to a halt. Just as with brake pads, brake shoes are also subject to wear. In general, they are relatively maintenance-free, however, defects may arise that require replacement.
Broken brake shoes
Over time, the brake lining will wear, bringing the metal of the brake lining closer to the brake drum. To prevent damage, it is important to regularly check whether the lining thickness is still sufficient. The minimum thickness may be approximately 1.5 mm. Please consult the manufacturer's vehicle manual for the precise value of the recommended brake lining thickness. When you check the brake lining thickness, it?s recommended to check for leaks as well. After a while, the wheel cylinder may also start to leak. The most common defects in brake shoes are minimal thickness of the brake shoe, groove formation and leakage.
These defects are often only visible after dismantling the brake shoes. To be able to properly inspect, you need to jack up your car with a car jack and remove the tyre. You can also recognize wear if you hear grinding sounds coming from the brakes at the rear of your car. Another way to recognize defects in the braking system is when you notice a decrease in the performance of your brakes or you experience unstable braking. Are the brake shoes subject to wear? For your safety, and the safety of your fellow road users, replace the brake shoes as fast as possible.
Brake shoe replacement
If you are quite the handyman (or woman), replacing the brake shoes is something you can certainly do yourself. You can find a brake shoe kit at Winparts using your number plate or by selecting your car make, model and type. Go through the following steps to replace the brake shoes. Please note that the assembly may differ per brand and type of car.
1. The first step - jack up your car using a car jack. After jacking it up, place a couple of sturdy axle stands under your car. This way you can work safely and prevent your car from falling on top of you.
2. Make sure to also block the front wheels of your car. A couple of bricks or roll-away blocks might be useful. Thirdly, don't forget to set the car on the parking brake.
3. Now make sure to loosen the wheel bolts or wheel nuts, and remove the tyre
4. Push the brake shoes back so that the brake drum can be removed. To reposition the brake shoes use the adjusting bolts at the rear of the anchor plate. You can unscrew these to create some play. At some cars you may not be able to find these adjusting bolts, they have self-adjusting brakes.
5. Now that you have removed the brake drums, disconnect the parking brake cable.
6. Next, remove all the springs to free the brake shoes.
7. After this, remove the brake shoes.
8. Assembly of the new brake shoes works in the opposite order.
Always check carefully after replacing the brake shoes, whether the brakes are working properly before you hit the road. Tip: when replacing the brake shoes, it is strongly recommended replacing both the left and right sides at the same moment. Wear on these parts will be proportional. Always start with one side, so you always have an example if you can't figure it out
Buy new a brake shoes kit
You can buy new brake shoes quickly and easily at Winparts. Enter your number plate or select your car make and model on the website and the appropriate brake shoe sets for your car will be displayed. You can then choose between your favourite brands such as Zimmermann, Brembo, TRW or Ferodo. Are you looking for other parts for your car's braking system such as brake discs, brake pads, brake calipers, brake fluid or brake hoses? Then you have also come to the right place.