How to change brake drum on a car – replacement tutorial

The brake drum is held in place not only by the wheel bearing, but also by the brake shoes

It is not always enough to loosen the cables to remove the brake drumA corroded or jammed brake adjuster can make the part difficult to removeThe adjuster may also hold the brake shoes spread too muchThis prevents the removal of the brake drum

Incorrect removal of the brake drum can result in damage to the fasteners of the brake shoesIn this case, you will need a repair kit

Some cars have the drums with special service holesScrewing in bolts of a matching diameter into those holes will help remove the drum from the wheel hubThe parts should be replaced on both sides of the axle

Start disassembly with the springs that keep the brake shoes spread and prevent their removalBe careful as there is a risk of injury if the springs are handled carelesslyUse special tool kits to remove them Please note that such kits have a limited range of functions and are designed for a particular carYou can also use a fork-type screwdriverThanks to the recess it has, this tool can be used to carefully remove the spring without the risk of it jumping off

If they are installed incorrectly, the mechanism can fail

Brake drums may have a magnetic or toothed ABS ringThis allows the ABS sensor to read the wheel speedIf the new brake drums have no ABS rings, you should remove them from the old parts and install on the new ones

The brake drum may be mounted on the wheel hub or, like in this case, have a built-in bearingIf there is no bearing in the component, it should be purchased separately and fitted into the new drumNote that the old bearings cannot be fitted into new brake drums