Just Did my Front brakes @ 300,000 km

Few days later the rear Driver side Wheel Is Squeaking When i apply the brake.

Sounds like time for new Brakes . Never done Drums Before


1- As Easy As Doing Front Brakes ?

2 - What Price range am i looking at ? fronts were $60 at Canadian Tire


Any other Rear Brake tips you awesome Dodge guys can give me i really Appreciate


Trying to Keep My Durango going for as long as i Can


Thanks Much !!!

 

I changed the rear shoes on my 2000 Durango at about 140K miles, just because I thought it was time to do it. A word of warning, the drums are a *itch to get off if they haven't been disturbed for a long time. Even after backing off the adjusters, you'll find that time and corrosion makes the drums want to stay united to the hubs. There was nothing for my drum puller to latch onto, so I used thin levers between the edge of the drum and the backing plate, and a heavy hammer to rap on the drum radially and toward the center where it sits against the hub. Eventually they came free.

When I reassembled, I cleaned the corrosion off, and smeared a coat of "Never Seize" on the mating faces. The drums came off quite easily a couple years later when I needed to replace a busted lug bolt.

Others in the forum probably have better techniques for removing the drums.

- Roger

 

The best way is to get a heavy mallet and smack right between the lugs. This usually brakes me free but the last time I removed mine during the Complete rear end rebuild I found that they wouldn't come off again. Soaked where the lugs go through, and also around the hub to drum mating surface. Then beat the hell out of it and placed a little force between the dust plate (backing plate) to give it a little help.

Rear drums are a PITA so take a picture of it BEFORE tear down for referencing material (trust me!). Also only do one side at a time for referencing. Once you get the drums off and you might need to back them off using the window on the back side. Once you get the retaining springs off then drop off the pads. Do one shoe at a time cause the spring retainers are a PITA to get back on. They sell a special tool to compress and turn the clips but I always used a regular pair of pliars to compress the springs and turn the retainers 1/4 to lock em back up.

After your done on each side you will need to turn down the adjustment screw making sure you place the correct sides in each shoe (pay attention!) As the star adjusters click down they tighten the adjusters out tighter against the drum. Make sure you have the adjusters out just far enough that you can just push on the drum without binding.

When everything is said and done finish spraying everything down clean with brake cleaner and place something under the axle to catch the drippings. Place a little anti-seize on the drum ONLY WHERE IT TOUCHES THE AXLE and replace the wheels. After doing both sides and while still being on the jack stands lission because you should just hear the pads touching the drums as turning the wheels. The wheels should turn normally. Push the brakes down repetitively 2 seconds on hard 4 seconds off to finish adjusting the brakes using the automatic adjusters.

This is not for the non-inclined person.

 

Yes, a BFH always helps in persuading stuck items to become loose. If I'm not mistaken, there's a small portal on the back(facing the spare tire) of the drums that allow you to adjust the star wheels w/o taking off the wheel and cover.

 

It's called the inspection window or adjustment window.

 

Oh yeah! as stated above, a fat hammer will loosen that drum from the hub area. Smack the chit out of it on the meaty side. Or love tap it around the hub area. Just dont mushroom the hub. If theres alot of wear on drums you may have to loosen up the self adjuster with a brake spoon or a good screw driver through the window on the back of the backing plate usually covered with a lil oval rubber insert...Adjust w/ an up-down motion once u feel the star wheel. If it clicks with a racheting sound your going the wrong way(tightening). It should be a little harder to loosen. One side at a time is also a smart move. You can always reference the other side for part placement. Brake kleen will do a great job on getting all that dust off your parts and backing plate. It goes quick though. Use a little brake grease or lithium grease where the shoes contact the backing plate bosses and the pivot point up top, at the cable guide, and on the star wheel adjuster; on the threaded side and the dowel side...make sure that booger is smooth turning. Also turn it all the way in for easier installation.

Although a retainer spring tool can easily be substituted with a good set of pliers. A return spring tool is definetly worth the small investment... Side cutters or HD needle nose along with about 5x the work force, and couple of pinched or impaled fingers would be the sub standard option here.

When removing the the retainer springs reach around the back to hold the pin in place while you twist the spring.

Although 6 one way half a dozen another:
Start with the rear shoe getting the retainer spring and P- brake lever in place. Then put the star wheel with 2 piece adjuster lever in place on rear shoe. While thats hanging by a thread, take front shoe with lower return spring in place hook it up to the adjuster. You will need to fold the upper part of the shoe over the upper part of the rear shoe to reach and to have enough room for the adjuster to fit between the shoes. Once adjuster is halfway in place between the shoes pull against spring tension/spread the front shoe back in place. All that while watching wheel cylinder and working adjuster the rest of the way into place. Dont forget brake bar between shoes...spring side towards P-brake lever. Spring down the front shoe. Spacer goes on first up top, cable next, return spring holding cable guide next; pry the aduster lever to connect cable at lever. 1 last top return spring last.

While your holding about five parts in place with one hand, trying to keep the adjuster from kicking out, and lining up about four slots... try to keep those brake cylinder pistons from popping out.

Remember; The short shoe always goes to the front and the star wheel will always face the rear, The shoes should shift forward and back; jostle or smack the shoes on both sides to see if they do, also see if the self adjuster adjusts by squeezing cable towards the shoe and release and check to see if it turns the star wheel. Adjust the star up to just fit the drum as previously stated. Once all together, pull forward then back up applying brake a few, 3, or 4 times to adjust further.