Planned this morning to tackle my first rear drum brake change on a 2004 Scion XA. Really need some help!
Everything was going smoothly until I put the pads back on. I had to wrestle them in which involved pushing back the brake cylinder so the pads had room to slot into them. On only one side some brake fluid squirted out when I pushed them in. I figured uh-oh that shouldn't happened but finished the job, the other side went without a hitch and that didn't happen. Went for a test ride and neither the emergency brake and the rear brakes seem to be working, the brake pedal is very soft, it will bring the car to a stop, but much softer than before I started the job. So I'm thinking either A) simply brake pads were installed wrong and that's why they seem to not be working or B) I've damaged one of the brake cylinders letting some brake fluid out and thus air into my lanes. And that's why the pedal feels soft and the E brake isn't working (because I think in rear drums the e brake is actually pushed forward by the brake cylinder in the drums?)
Yees. Could use some seasoned mechanics advice. Thank you very kindly in advanced.
I would start with bleeding the rear brakes minimum and hope that solved the problem.
If not, make sure they are adjusted properly. Bad adjustment on drums will give a spongy pedal. It will sometimes also make the e-brake weak.
All else fails, pull them back apart and see if something is leaking and fix that. You could have damaged a wheel cylinder seal when the piston popped out.
In reply to Toyman01 :
Ohhh, you know I didn't spin the star wheel on the adjuster after putting the brakes back on. I spun it all the way back down, if that makes any sense, to where it would be without any brake pad wear. Maybe I do need to turn it a few times to expand the pads a bit. But I'm not sure if I have the right too to spin that wheel with the pads on..
One question: With the wheels off and the rotor cover off, is there a way to tell if the brakes are engaging correctly and are adjusted currently? Or do I have to put the wheels back on, take the car off jack stands and drive around to test. Trying to save my self time by having to re jack up the car and take off the wheels everytime I fail to adjust it..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4A-b6BjUw0
Ahhh. I put the assembly on wrong. I need to take stuff off and re-do it..
I adjust the pads out until the drum is a tight fit sliding on. Then I adjust again until the are slightly hard to spin. That's usually pretty close.
Another hint for drum brakes. Only take apart one side at a time, so you can compare the assembled side to the one that is a pile of confusing parts on the ground. That way you know it's back together correctly.
It sounds like you're working on drum brakes, while is what my xA had, but you mentioned both pads and a rotor, which would indicate disk brakes instead. Is the car stock or has it been modified?
In reply to oldopelguy :
It is drum brakes in the back. I supposed with pads I mean shoes since they are drum brakes! And rotors.. would be well the brake cover thing that's also a drum / rotor!
drum brakes are evil. I have hated them since I had my beetles.
They indeed are way too annoying! Bunch of springs and stuff, I hate springs!
They make a drum brake tool that looks like the world's weirdest pliers. They're something like $12 at your local auto parts store. They are worth EVERY PENNY. I fought with way too many springs before people here convinced me to get them. Changed my life.
How the heck does that took even work? I don't even know.. been looking at it for 10 minutes.
Toyman01 said:
Another hint for drum brakes. Only take apart one side at a time, so you can compare the assembled side to the one that is a pile of confusing parts on the ground. That way you know it's back together correctly.
I think everyone who has torn apart drum brakes has learned that trick after trying to do both sides at once.
The "pile of confusing parts on the ground" is 100% true. So are the feelings of confusion, fear, shame and inadequacy one gets by looking at said pile of parts. LOL
Brake drums are not rotors. Brake shoes are not pads. Your question broke my brain.
If you're not working from a manual there are internet 'how to' drum brake articles and YouTube videos.
Yea, I was going off a youtube video where it was as easy as taking off and putting back on. Didn't mention about adjusting it hah.
Success! Combination of @Toyman01 advice on adjusting the shoes. It was a combination of the right side adjuster not being installed properly, the left side was right by dumb luck. After learning how the adjuster works.. it was as easy as making it tight enough so the drum would fit on, but tight where the brakes could self adjust. Few pulls of the e brake and some hard stops to test and I was happy enough with it. I couldn't find a proper shop manual for my girlfriends '04 Scion XA, my Volvo 240 is so well documented I'm spoiled with that.
I now know how drums work..
Some help from billy goat cat. It fell on me seconds after.
There is a tool that is used to measure the drum and then helps set/adjust the shoes. Saves a little time but other wise redundant. I have one, it saw little use.
HF brake tool kit
