drum brakes!

[Ledd]

I've never worked with drum brakes before.
So I took my cabby to a brake shop, they checked it out and said my rear drum brakes were wrecked and leaking and needed replaced. The mechanic scratched his head and spit out a $450 estimate.

I checked germanautoparts and I can get all the parts for less than $200. I have tools. Will this be an overly difficult job? Any tips?
or do you recommend I eat the gun on that $450?

[deserttaxguy]

Make sure you have a good diagram of how the brake springs go back on. I think there is a good DIY photo set on this forum to follow.
My only other advice is to be sure to buy new springs when you buy the shoes and new wheel cylinders.

[Skyler@Achtuning-Hartmann]

The other thing that helps is to just do one side at a time, that way you have a good reference for how to put it all back together. I find dealing with the springs and such on drum brakes to be a bit infuriating personally. You may as well replace the brake cylinder while you're in there.

[sehaare]

wheel cylinders are cheap but if you replace them then you will have to bleed the brakes. Not a big deal but make sure that you don't depress the pedal further than its normal range of travel. If you do then the rubber seals in you master cylinder will probably pass over some crud that has built up further down the cylinder in the section that is normally not used and that can tear the seals, then it is new master cylinder time.

[Beetle.freak]

Are your drums being replaced too ? Sounds a lil much just for parts ??

[Julianxt737]

Do a rear disc swap, never bother with drums again

[rix337]

Parts Place, Inc. has the disc brake conversion for $599 here:

http://www.partsplaceinc.com/product...547&&sku=19944

But don't forget you will have to change out the proportioning valve to otherwise you will lock up your rears on hard braking. It's an additional $140.

They also have a brake kit that has all the replaceable parts for both sides front and rear for under $200 including the drums and rotors here:

http://www.partsplaceinc.com/product...476&&sku=18766

This kit will do the rears for $110:

http://www.partsplaceinc.com/product...476&&sku=18786

If you do not have the vented front rotors, it may be worth doing the front too since it is pretty cheap.

Drum brakes are not difficult to work on, just more parts. Just do one side at a time as was mentioned earlier. G/L

[rix337]

No way I would pay the $450 and still have drum brakes. $110 for parts, means you have $340 left over. If you regularly make $35/hr, you have 10 hrs. to complete the job. My bet, you can do it in less than two.

[Beetle.freak]

Parts Place, Inc. has the disc brake conversion for $599 here:

http://www.partsplaceinc.com/product...547&&sku=19944

But don't forget you will have to change out the proportioning valve to otherwise you will lock up your rears on hard braking. It's an additional $140.

They also have a brake kit that has all the replaceable parts for both sides front and rear for under $200 including the drums and rotors here:

http://www.partsplaceinc.com/product...476&&sku=18766

This kit will do the rears for $110:

http://www.partsplaceinc.com/product...476&&sku=18786

If you do not have the vented front rotors, it may be worth doing the front too since it is pretty cheap.

Drum brakes are not difficult to work on, just more parts. Just do one side at a time as was mentioned earlier. G/L

I got lucky and was in the right place (junkyard) at the right time and got a full rear axle beam from a rolled MKIII Jetta for $65......It had everything except the prop valves and E-brake cables !

[rix337]

SWEET!!!

[briano1234]

SWEET!!!

2 reference photos for you to review....

[h8Tr_]

I had never worked on drums before and it wasn't too bad some of those springs can be a big pain but I did it by following the diagrams on here and piece of cake, I swore I would never go in there again so I pretty much replace everything in there and I recommend you do the same.

[h8Tr_]

Oh and be careful with the cylinder bolts I stripped one and had to drill it out

[Dinobeavis]

If you are changing out the drums, you should probably put new bearings and races in them as well. GAP sells the kit for the rears, but if it is the Meyle brand kit, then it has dogsh*t bearings. Better to go with SKF or Timken bearings.
If you do get new inner and outer bearings (which come with new, matched races), then you have to drive the new races into the drums with a race driver (or "tool alternative") and a BFH. Then you have to pack the bearings with wheel bearing grease. This is most easily (and least messily) accomplished with a bearing packer but it is also good to know how to "hand pack" them.
Good luck with tackling the brakes!

[eliterefugee8]

http://faculty.ccp.edu/faculty/dreed...drum/index.htm
Your welcome, the DIY is from a mk3 but the points are the same

[eliterefugee8]

Also you should do the master cylinder while your in there it took me 7 hours to do mine but that was with a couple auto zone trips because of lack of proper tools *cough* bearing race packer *cough*

[inlovewithavdubengine]

If they're "leaking" that means the little brake cylinder in the drum has ruptured. This happened to mine, after leaking brake fluid everywhere and sitting around in the sun for months, the wheels wouldn't turn. Pain. in. the. arse. 450 bucks though? Do it yourself, I did! I got new drums for only $20 or so each, plus new shoes and cylinders and bearings and everything, all in all about $120 or so. You'll probably want to get the drums rotated even if they're brand new, just to be sure. Don't forget to bleed your brakes.

[Ledd]

Thanks for all the tips guys! Very helpful indeed. I got one done today. Unfortunately I was surprised to find the other siide was missing the adjusted wedge piece! So I gave up for today. I know this is an important part but I tried it without it , didn't seem right. Any clue where to get one ? Thanks again guys.

[briano1234]

http://www.partsplaceinc.com/product...aspx?sku=16316

A wrecking yard works good to...

[Ledd]

Phew, these brakes sure are a pain.. I stripped 3 of the 4 wheel cylinder allen bolts. I would just repair the ones one there but one has a broken bleeder. Bad luck haha.

I seem to have a problem though with the shoes rubbing the drum. I thought the drum should spin freely. I Have the adjuster wedge set as high as it will go. Is there any other way to adjust shoes?

[briano1234]

If you don't have the edge of the shoe in the grove of the cylinder as in


it can be dragging....

Also the little wedge goes up as high as you can get it.
Then lastly you don't have your parking brake cables too tight.

[inlovewithavdubengine]

Man, how did you strip those? Tried to use a cheapo L-wrench or what? Always use a ratchet, amigo

No worries, it happens to the best of us... I stripped three during my resto. One crank pulley bolt each on my old and new engine, and an alternator mounting bolt. Do you now need tips on removing a stripped Allen cap?
There are several ways to do it, and perhaps the way I invented is not the best, but after trying unsuccessfully to drill-and-screw-extractor it out, what I figured out how to do was use a drimmel to turn the allen into a flathead and then use a screwdriver or other strong, flat surface to give enough torque to twist it out. Good luck.