Drum Brake Work

CapitalTruck · August 22, 2014

So, I'm going to have to dig into my rear brakes. I've only really worked on drum brakes once before, a buddys Jetta. I had discs on my GMT-800 and they were a synch to deal with, (the ebrake was of course always a PIA). To handle the rear drums on these trucks, the springs in particular, should I invest in a set of brake tools? What do I need? I see tools for the drum springs, but they all look different. I plan on getting a set of needle nose vise grips. I'll tell you, those Jetta brakes were just awful to deal with using regular hand tools.

00Silverado4x4 · August 22, 2014

If your 13 is anything like my 06 then you only have one spring to deal with and that's it. You really don't HAVE to have brake tools but they could come in handy. There isn't a seperate brake pad for the parking brake but the cable runs in through and attaches to the brake shoes. It's easier if you release the brake cable along the frame rail first. It'll give you the slack to remove the brake shoe side of cable real easy. Don't allow yourself to get in a hurry as it's real easy to mess a wheel cylinder boot....as I found out years ago on mine. Last time I did my rear brakes it took about an hour total with truck on a lift.

nfisherman · August 23, 2014

I have a pair of brake pliers with a hook on one jaw to help remove and reconnect the springs. There's also a special socket on one handle to help remove the spring washer from the nail. A pair of those pliers isn't expensive and it makes the job go much easier.

AcetyleneDreams · August 23, 2014

Hi Capital,

I have a 2005 Sierra with rear drums. Like you, I had reservations about doing the drum brake service also. My experience was always with disc brakes.

For my vintage, I only have two springs. One is a small adjuster spring (which can be easily removed with regular needle nose or standard pliers and very little effort) and a shoe return spring that is hefty by comparison. The return spring (again, for 2005) is a heavy gauge steel wire. I use a pair of channel lock pliers to install and remove mine and it is fairly simple, although it takes some muscle. The 2005 model does not have a seperate shoe for the E-brake. It's merely a lever that forces the main shoes out into contact with the drum.

Depending on how your drum brake set-up looks, it may be worth the money to invest in a multi-tool as suggested by other members. If you have a simple set-up like mine, it is possible to do without (and, I think, its easier).

Hope that helps, and good luck!

CapitalTruck · August 23, 2014

Thanks guys for the good info. I'll probably pickup one of those multitool brake pliers just to have them, but it sounds like a pretty manageable job.