Brake shoe kit
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.