What do you need to know about drum brakes?

Drum brakes have a bunch of springs and levers for the self-adjuster and parking brake. They are usually different colors. Take a picture with a digital camera or make a detailed drawing of where everything is before you take anything apart!

Is there a self adjusting drum brake system?

Some drum brake systems don’t have a self-adjusting mechanism. Manually adjusted systems usually have a square adjuster at the back of the assembly. Winding this out as far as possible may help to get a badly worn or scored drum over the brake shoes.

What kind of oil to use to replace drum brakes?

Spray the hub of the wheel with a penetrating oil such as PB Blaster. Note: WD-40 is not a penetrating oil. Grab the brake drum by the edges and pull it off. It may help to wiggle it a bit as you pull. It may be necessary to back off the brake adjuster to remove the drum.

How do you replace the parking brake on a car?

Detach the parking brake lever. Hold the shoe retaining pin from the back and remove the retainer springs. Spread the shoes apart from the top and disengage the shoes from the wheel cylinder pins. Remove both shoes and the self-adjuster as one unit. Lay the old shoes on the ground next to the new ones.

What do you need to know about disc brakes?

One or two pistons to push the brake pads against the rotor when you brake. A bleeder screw to allow for servicing the brakes and replacing the fluid. A rubber piston seal that prevents brake fluid leakage and retracts the piston when the brakes release. A dust boot to keep contaminants out of the cylinder.

How does a drum brake system work on a car?

Instead of a caliper that clamps brake pads against a rotor, a drum brake system has a wheel cylinder with pistons that push brake shoes out against the inside of a spinning drum. This contact slows and stops the rotation of the brake drum and the wheel.

What kind of valve do you need for a disc brake?

This diagram shows a typical street rod brake system. A 2 PSI residual pressure valve (RPV) is needed in the disc brake circuit, and a 10 PSI RPV is required in the drum brake circuit as well as an adjustable proportioning valve (APV). This diagram illustrates the 2 most common types of fittings used in street rod brake systems.

What kind of brake system does a truck have?

The first is the inverted flare type, which is used by most domestic production cars and trucks, and on the bottom is the -3 AN (which is pronounced as dash three A N or number three A N). The inverted flare system uses a 45° double flare to seal, which is tubing that is folded over into itself before flaring outward.